Olympus expands its THUNDERBEAT range: The THUNDERBEAT Open Extended Jaw has now been launched to the European market. It is the first Olympus product to be specially designed for use in open surgical procedures.
THUNDERBEAT Open Extended Jaw is based on the established THUNDERBEAT concept of synergistic energies. With one crucial difference: the instrument has been further optimised to suit the requirements of open surgery. Compared to the laparoscopy model, it is shorter overall, but its jaws are 25% longer to enable comfortable use. THUNDERBEAT Open Extended Jaw cuts quickly, reliably seals blood vessels, and enables very precise tissue dissection, without any unwanted bleeding. The ergonomics of the handle have also been adjusted to facilitate accurate operations. “THUNDERBEAT Open Extended Jaw is one of the most versatile instruments currently on the market,” says Frank Drewalowski, Managing Director, Medical Systems Division, Olympus Europa SE & CO. KG. “Our aim was to offer surgeons the THUNDERBEAT precision and convenience they are already familiar with in laparoscopies for open procedures.”
In addition to general surgery, the THUNDERBEAT Open Extended Jaw is particularly suitable for gynaecological and urological procedures. As with the THUNDERBEAT model for laparoscopies, the THUNDERBEAT Open Extended Jaw can also be used in the integrated Olympus ENDOALPHA operating room.
Safety for patients and surgeons
The laparoscopic THUNDERBEAT was launched on the market in 2012. In its development, Olympus was focused on a very clear goal: the instrument needed to be as versatile as possible in order to reduce the number of instrument changes, decrease operation time, and limit blood loss, thereby enabling procedures to be performed in a more precise and gentle manner. This also meant added safety for patients and surgeons. THUNDERBEAT is the world’s first instrument to combine a bipolar high-frequency current with ultrasound technology to create a synergistic form of energy, which reliably cuts and seals tissue and vessels in one step, thereby enabling fast, precise and safe surgical procedures.
THUNDERBEAT is currently the fastest cutting instrument of its kind. It allows surgeons to reliably seal blood vessels up to and including 7mm in diameter, with minimal thermal spread. The instrument is extremely versatile, as it provides surgeons with a dissector, cutting instrument (ultrasound) and sealing instrument (bipolar) in one product. The THUNDERBEAT system consists of two generators. In addition to its ultrasound generator, it also features a complete, integrated high-frequency (HF) generator compatible with most conventional HF instruments found in operating theatres, rendering the use of different HF systems superfluous.
The product features of the THUNDERBEAT Open Extended Jaw at a glance:
- With an elongated tip, fine design and jaw opening force, it allows surgeons to perform the most intricate tissue dissection tasks.
- THUNDERBEAT can reliably seal even large vessels with diameters of up to and including 7mm, meaning they do not need to be clamped or ligated.
- Secondary bleeding can be immediately stopped by the bipolar mode.
- With its atraumatic teeth and uniform tissue compression, the jaw design allows the tissue to be gripped and held safely.
- The ergonomic handle and its optimised angle adjustment reduce surgeon’s hand fatigue.
