Olympus, a global technology leader in designing and delivering innovative solutions for medical and surgical procedures, among other core businesses, has unveiled VISERA 4K UHD System, its state-of-the art Big Screen surgical system, at the Society of American Gastrointestinal and Endoscopic Surgeons (SAGES) 2016 Annual meeting in Boston.
 
The VISERA 4K UHD System delivers four times the resolution of HD with better light and wider color spectrum, promising to help surgeons operate with increased precision and confidence. The only fully integrated 4K imaging chain available for healthcare use, VISERA 4K UHD allows operating room (OR) personnel to get closer to the operating field as they view cases live on a 55-inch operative display that magnifies anatomical features to deliver more visual information to the entire surgical team.
 
While bringing more efficiency to the hospital, it has also been shown that minimally invasive surgery can provide significant improvements in morbidity and mortality over open surgery, with benefits to patients including less post-operative pain and faster recuperation.
 
VISERA 4K UHD, the first of many products from the Sony Olympus Medical Solutions joint-venture, is now transforming healthcare by enhancing minimally-invasive surgery in a range of surgical specialties including general surgery, gastroenterology, gynecology, thoracic, and urology for an estimated 20 million procedures annually. Olympus' first customers began using VISERA 4K UHD during the first week of March 2016.
 
“The color and contrast in the Olympus 4K image provides superb clarity, unlike any operative video image I have seen before,” said Dr. Ninh Nguyen, professor and interim chair, Department of Surgery at the University of California Irvine Medical Center. “The image is so clear that I was able to see down to the capillary level. [Seeing the capillary level] is important for improved dissection of tissue and evaluating the perfusion of the tissue.”
 
Benefits of the Integrated VISERA 4K UHD System
The VISERA 4K UHD System was created to address unmet needs in surgical imaging by improving the visual elements essential for laparoscopic and arthroscopic surgery—light, color, and resolution—via an optimized 4K imaging chain that works seamlessly together to improve visibility.

Light
To improve visibility, the VISERA 4K UHD System provides additional light to illuminate bleeding in surgical fields, visualize deep surgical cavities, and enhance the viewing experience of a 5 mm telescope.
 
VISERA 4K UHD’s advantages include:

• Enabling advanced multi-quadrant procedures (5 mm)
• Enhancing procedures with challenging access (5 mm)
• Structure enhancement allows clearer recognition of human tissue
• Providing compatibility with narrow band imaging

 
Color
Current surgical imaging technology offers only limited intra-operative color enhancement for identifying anatomical structures and for precise tissue delineation.
 
VISERA 4K UHD’s advantages include:

• Reproducing more vivid shades of red and yellow for better visualization
• Allowing surgeons to observe fine patterns and structures in high precision
• Delivering higher contrast levels with more detailed visualization to support greater accuracy

 
Higher Resolution
Current surgical imaging platforms do not allow for the level of magnification that can be experienced with Olympus 4K imaging.
 
The VISERA 4K UHD System:

• Creates high-resolution images to help physicians identify fine patterns and anatomical structures
• Creates an immersive experience through a reduced viewing distance and large format primary operative display

 
“With the introduction of the VISERA 4K UHD System, we launch a new chapter in the evolution of minimally invasive surgery—the era of Big Screen Surgery,” said Todd Usen, president, Olympus Medical Systems Group at Olympus Corporation of the Americas. “Olympus is committed to ensuring that as the tools and techniques for minimally invasive surgery evolve, we achieve commensurate progress in creating imaging solutions that approximate the direct view of open surgery. By working closely with OR teams around the world, and our partner Sony who brings the most advanced electronics, Olympus is proud to provide our US customers with the VISERA 4K UHD system for the ultimate visibility and clarity during surgery.”
 
Each component of the VISERA 4K UHD System is built specifically for it by Sony Olympus Medical Solutions to ensure highest quality, control, and cohesiveness of the unit.