Miami Valley Hospital is adding a third surgical robot system, the hospital said in a prepared release. The new da Vinci Si HD system will be delivered Dec. 18. The system features include enhanced, high-definition 3D vision, and a dual-console capability to support training. It costs about $2 million. Miami Valley Hospital performed the first minimally invasive procedures with a surgical robot system four years ago.

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According to a study published recently in the Journal of Neurosurgery, neurosurgeons at the Barrow Neurological Institute at St. Joseph’s Hospital and Medical Center in Phoenix, Ariz. found that the pen-sized microscope could help them precisely identify where tumor tissue ends and healthy tissue begins. A laser microscope that picks up fluorescently-dyed cells could result in more precise tumor extraction during brain surgery, and streamlined workflows in the operating room.

Covidien received 510(k) clearance from the FDA to market its Leak Compensation software feature for the Puritan Bennett 840™ ventilator system. This option provides continuous levels of mechanical ventilation to patients requiring respiratory support, regardless of the level of gas leakage that might occur in the circuit or past a patient interface device in the clinical setting.

HyperBranch Medical Technology Inc has received a CE Mark for its NuSeal 100 dural sealant product. NuSeal 100 is used in cranial neurosurgical procedures where a water tight seal is required on the dura. NuSeal 100 is intended for direct application on the dural surfaces to provide a positive seal after suturing thereby minimizing risks associated with post-surgical CSF leaks.

Covidien has announced the global launch of the RapidVac(TM) Smoke Evacuator System — a powerful, efficient device that quietly filters airborne contaminants from the operating room environment. The System, an advance in effective control of surgical smoke, features an ultra low penetration air (ULPA) filter with 99.9995 percent efficiency at trapping particulate matter as small as 0.12 microns. The device’s maximum air flow – how much air can be filtered through the system – is 30 percent greater than that offered by previous models, but it operates quietly, without contributing to the ambient noise in the O.R.