Richard Wolf to showcase new system solutions for minimally invasive human medicine at MEDICA 2016

Nov 14 2016

Richard Wolf GmbH is presenting its new system solutions for minimally invasive human medicine at the International Trade Fair for Medical Technology – MEDICA 2016, November 14-17, 2016 – at the newly designed exhibition booth under the motto “feel the spirit of excellence”. As a pioneer in the field of endoscopy, the company has been an icon of innovative force and excellent products for decades. According to Jürgen Steinbeck, Managing Director of Richard Wolf GmbH, “this is only possible by continuously developing and not standing still,” as he outlines the background to the new exhibition profile.

Well-being and experience are the key focuses for this year’s exhibition booth. Visit the Richard Wolf booth and be transformed by an experience with bright, appealing design, contemporary elements, and innovative system solutions for gaining a hands-on impression. The pin-sharp 4K videos are available to view, along with a sound shower for the ears and specialty coffees to tempt the palate. Visitors can experience this through all their senses in a relaxed atmosphere at the Richard Wolf exhibition booth – A42 in Hall 10.

In Düsseldorf, Germany, Richard Wolf, a major medical technology company is primarily focusing on system solutions in the area of endoscopic imaging.

ENDOCAM Logic 4K – The new definition of sharp

The new 4K System from Richard Wolf impresses as an integrated turnkey solution: 4K entails a resolution of at least 3840 x 2160 pixels and this represents a four-fold increase compared with the previous HD standard. Richard Wolf single handedly brings together all of its areas of expertise in order to create this system.

PANOVIEW ULTRA Endoscopes developed under one roof generate a uniformly bright image with sharp margins. This was achieved by the use of newly designed optical lenses which enable display errors to be minimized. “As the resolution increases, errors may become more noticeable,” explained Dr. Peter Benkö, team leader for visualization. The light source plays an important role as an important quality factor of this turn-key solution. The latest light cables with LED technology are therefore highly compatible with for the transmission of light used in the 4K version. The light emissions keep pace with the increase in resolution. The LED light does not undergo any change in power and no perceptible change in the color temperature over the essentially maintenance-free lifecycle. Richard Wolf is committed to comprehensive in-house expertise in this field of technology.

Richard Wolf is using a newly developed, generative production process for the ergonomically contoured and lightweight camera head that is manufactured by a metallic camera casing through a 3D printing process. This change in technology allows the combination of a new design and a different material, enabling the camera head to be autoclaved and used without a camera cover.

Richard Wolf has also reached a new level of efficiency by reducing the power consumption in various areas of device use. The new LED technology demonstrates significant savings over the previous gas discharge lamps. At the same time, the company has succeeded in using more powerful and very efficient electronic components in the camera head. As a result, 30 percent less electricity is used, and this is evident in the significantly lower output of heat on the camera head.

The advantages of this single source system continues through the camera head since the high-performance signal handling processes maintain the 4K signal in the original resolution. Cables, connectors and controllers are designed so that the significantly expanded data volumes are free of loss. Richard Wolf uses its own signal processes, and chips necessary for this programming. The system is also calibrated using proprietary algorithms.

“The high development effort we invested in the entire image processing pipeline has paid off. Our system delivers image quality on the surgical monitor that reproduces reality very accurately” says Jens Rennert, Vice President for Research and Development. At the same time, Richard Wolf has the experience and the knowledge to generate additional benefit from the surveyed data, i.e. the highlighting or weakening of image content permitted by the image software, enabling less easily identifiable structures to be visualized. This means that nerves or fine vessel structures are visible even if they are hardly perceptible in the original image.

System blue – The new system for Photodynamic Diagnostics (PDD)

Early identification plays a key role in the treatment of bladder tumors. Photodynamic Diagnostics (PDD) enable a contrast medium which has been selectively enriched in the tumor tissue to be visualized even at an early stage. Richard Wolf Systems have contributed to reliable and simple early identification in this area for more than 20 years. The new “System blue” now uses extremely innovative technology and ideally matched components to open up new pathways with the blue light application.

The new ENDOLIGHT LED blue is the first PDD light source based on LED lamps in the world and offers the maximum color contrast for clearer tumor differentiation. A direct resection of the tumor tissue can be carried out by the bright, high-resolution and contrast-rich visualization under blue light without any restriction. Visualization versions selectable at the camera controller also facilitate the application and provide the surgeon with more opportunities and certainty.

Another feature of the system is a special fiber light cable which is now autoclavable and highly flexible by virtue of the latest technology. A special PENDUAL blue HD camera head and matching blue endoscopes enable the individual constituent elements to be integrated in an impressive turn-key system. Interested customers will find comprehensive information online at: http://systemblue.richard-wolf.com/.

ENDOCAM Flex HD – The innovative camera concept

Hospitals are compelled to become more efficient from increased pressure on rising costs within institutions.

The new ENDOCAM Flex HD system solution is the innovative camera concept which meets all the requirements for a cost-effective and space-saving unit - and it is easy to operate. The small, compact and affordable camera solution enables hospitals and private physicians to carry out endoscopic investigations flexibly and also supply the systems at prices that give value for money.

Flexible sensor endoscopes specifically matching the ENDOCAM Flex HD Camera have been designed to cover the comprehensive area of application in urology. The BOA vision EF is ideally suited for a number of urological interventions in the area of ureterorenoscopy as a result of the unique small diameter. Conversely, the COBRA vision EF is the only flexible 2-channel sensor URS on the market to have been specially designed for stone therapy.

The new flexible vision EF Sensor Cystoscope meets all the requirements for a contemporary and patient-friendly system. Particular features are the slim line, highly flexible sheath with a high level of image quality and the homogeneous illumination provided by two distally installed, high-power LEDs. Thanks to this integrated LED lighting and resulting automatic light control and focusing there is no requirement for an additional light source. This means that the user can carry out interventions based on the “plug & play” principle without having to white balance in advance.

ENDOCAM Flex HD combined with the new flexible bronchoscopes with distal sensor and LED lighting from Richard Wolf are the perfect combination for first-class visualization of the respiratory tract. The system delivers optimum results in routine interventions like biopsies, and additional complex interventional procedures across pulmonology.

The ENDOLIGHT Flex LED is the perfect complement to the ENDOCAM Flex HD as a low-maintenance LED light source. It expands this area of application through enabling a camera system on a flexible endoscope without integrated lighting and rigid endoscopy. The two instruments provide a perfect unit with a compact design and simple handling. Richard Wolf provides more comprehensive information at: http://endocamflexhd.richard-wolf.com/.

New Holmium YAG Laser MegaPulse 70+

The new MegaPulse 70+ from Richard Wolf has a maximum power of 70 watts and offers the option of carrying out two interventions in a single powerful instrument – lithotripsy and enucleation.

The high frequency and power enables the instrument to carry out fast and effective stone therapy, and; therefore presents the user with a high-speed system for stone lithotripsy. A special laser fiber delivers power up to 30 watts with a fiber diameter of 200 µm. Automatic laser fiber recognition using an RFID antenna provides the user with very convenient and efficient identification of the laser fiber size. Identification can also be carried out in the packaged sterile status of the laser fiber.

In combination with endoscopic instruments – particularly in the area of lithotripsy – the new MegaPulse 70+ laser is used for fragmenting bladder, ureteral, kidney and gall stones. The laser can also be used for slitting stenoses and strictures for ablation or vaporization of tumors and condylomas.

Holmium Laser Enucleation of the Prostate (HoLEP) can also be carried out efficiently as a result of the high power of 70 watts. The wide-ranging area of application of the Holmium YAG Laser enables it to be applied for open, laparoscopic and endoscopic procedures involving incision, cutting, resection, ablation, vaporization, coagulation and hemostasis of soft tissues across multiple disciplines.

X-Base - Endobronchial navigation

The “X-Base” advanced endobronchial navigation system from Richard Wolf offers users new opportunities in diagnostic bronchoscopy. The combination of optical and electromagnetic navigation technologies enables targets located in the periphery of the lungs to be navigated and accessed. The user-friendly planning software permits precise targeting through an overlaying of information produced directly in the endoscopic image.

Core nova – Operating room integration in every standard

The network-based system for operating room integration grows with new requirements in the O.R. Thanks to the fully scalable components, a wide range of paradigmatic characteristics is possible through this comprehensive, mobile solution capable of full integration in an O.R. The IT infrastructure available in the hospital can be used so installation is carried out quickly and affordably. A dedicated technology room is no longer required therefore reducing the space and energy required for the functionality of the core nova system.

Convenient media management encompasses a number of features including the possibility of documentation of all integrated video sources. Presets can be stored specifically for defined users. Genuine process optimization offers synchronized and independent touchscreens for carrying out functions in parallel. The system is presented at the Richard Wolf exhibition booth in its full functional scope within a realistic operating room scenario.

ENDOCAM Logic 3DHD

The human eye and brain have been primarily designed for sensory perception in three dimensions. If laparoscopy is being carried out, the image is visualized for the surgeon on a monitor in 2D by means of the endoscope, camera head, and camera controller. Surgeons working laparoscopically must therefore learn to carry out laparoscopic interventions with the missing third dimension – i.e. without any perception of depth.

For some time, camera systems have existed which bring 3D technology into the operating theater. Richard Wolf has already launched a system of this nature on the market with the Epic 3DHD Camera. The major advantage is as follows: The third dimension enables more precise spatial orientation. This means that structures and their spatial positioning can be envisioned more easily and realistically during an operation. Therefore, hand-eye coordination is made simpler. Richard Wolf is currently in development to enhance the 3D system, and this will also be presented during the 2016 MEDICA.