Integrated Endoscopy, a medical device company pioneering the development of high-definition, low-cost single-use endoscopes for the arthroscopic surgery market, today announced it has begun the international pilot launch of its NUVIS® (pronounced “nu-vee”) Single-Use Arthroscope technology via placement in centers of medical excellence around the world.
News of the international roll out comes on the heels of Integrated Endoscopy’s clearance from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to market NUVIS, a first-of-its-kind endoscope designed for use in arthroscopic surgical procedures, in the United States.
NUVIS is a unique battery-operated arthroscope that is designed to provide high definition visualization via a proprietary optical design, while directly addressing key safety and sterility issues associated with traditional, reusable arthroscopes. The single-use nature of the technology provides surgeons with an affordable way to eliminate bio-burden and risk of infection and disease transfer due to lapses in instrument reprocessing; eliminates the need for the traditional light source and the associated heat; and can be used on existing video systems in the marketplace.
As part of this global strategy, Integrated Endoscopy has been working with a number of key hospitals and surgeons around the world, introducing the NUVIS technology. Among the early adopters globally are various centers located in the United Kingdom, France, India, Australia and a number of locations in the US.
“The NUVIS scope is very lightweight and easy to use,” said Dr. Benjamin Hope, a shoulder surgeon based in Brisbane, Australia. “Not having the light cord made it much easier to hold, and navigating the shoulder was really easy as it makes the camera head more balanced and ergonomic.”
“Battery operated and cost-effective, NUVIS is user friendly, with no set-up time required,” said Dr. Amit Kale, an Orthopedic Surgeon at the Dr. D.Y. Patil Medical College, Hospital & Research Centre in Pune, India. “It has high definition image quality which is equivalent to reusable scopes. This scope is key to address sterility issues and hence ideal for infectious and immunocompromised procedures.”
“The NUVIS scope is an innovative and disruptive concept that enhances the surgeon’s experience by eliminating the light cord, which contributes to the clutter on the field and is a source of contamination and heat,” said David S. Bailie, MD, President of the Arizona Institute for Sports Knees and Shoulders, LLC. “The scope helps to improve efficiency in the OR by eliminating waiting or downtime associated with current reusable scopes when defective, damaged or scratched. The image quality is on par with any conventional scope I have used and the single use packaging ensures a sterile product on every case. This product enhances our existing equipment and adds value to the everyday processes in the surgery center.”
“We’re excited to be sharing our NUVIS technology with surgery thought leaders around the world,” said Brad Sharp, Integrated Endoscopy’s CEO. “The response has been overwhelmingly enthusiastic, and it’s gratifying to be able to provide the international surgical community a technology we believe will be a superior, less expensive and safer new gold-standard in arthroscopic surgery. With NUVIS, we can provide surgeons with an out-of-the-box, battery-operated, single-use endoscope with high-definition image quality at a price point well below that of reusable scopes. Couple that with our patented, low temperature, embedded LED light source, and we believe we can significantly impact a global market opportunity that exceeds $4 billion.”
Sharp added that Integrated Endoscopy’s NUVIS arthroscope is now available to various select markets around the world, with plans of full global availability by early 2020. With over 16 million arthroscopic procedures worldwide, the NUVIS single-use arthroscope represents a significant opportunity for the company while improving efficiency and safety and reducing costs in operating rooms and surgery centers worldwide.
Source: Company Press Release
