Do I need costly single-use material for each surgical intervention?
No, the only thing required is a highly affordable sterile cover for the arm. In the development phase, one of our focuses was to do without disposables as far as possible.
Does the joystick have to be replaced after every application?
No; the joystick is autoclavable at 134°C. Minimum service life: 250 applications.
Which surgical interventions can be carried out with the SOLOASSIST?
The SOLOASSIST can be used in all laparoscopic interventions in the fields of visceral surgery, gynaecology and urology. In general surgery, the SOLOASSIST can be used, for example, for the following interventions:
- cholecystectomy
- appendectomy
- hernia surgery
- fundoplicatio*
- *sigma resection
- partial liver resection
Please contact us for further details.
How is the SOLOASSIST operated?
The SOLOASSIST is operated with the aid of a small joystick which is fastened to your instrument. You look at the image displayed on the monitor while you are working and push the joystick in the direction in which the image is to be moved.
Which motions does the SOLOASSIST allow?
The image section visible on the screen can be set at will via the SOLOASSIST. The image can be shifted or zoomed at the push of a button.
Do I need special instruments to attach the joystick?
No, adapters are available for all conventional instruments
Does the SOLOASSIST have to be calibrated before its use?
No, calibration is not necessary. However, prior to each intervention, the position of the patient in relation to the device must be registered once. This procedure is very simple and takes less than 1 minute to complete.
Intra-abdominal pressure sometimes falls rapidly. Does this affect the function of the device?
No, the cardan suspension of the endoscope allows the endoscope to follow all movements of the abdominal wall. Correction of the image section may be necessary.
Can I only move the image to the left, to the right, up or down?
No, you are free to set the image section at will. You can, for example, move downwards diagnonally, zooming simultaneously if necessary.
Why do you not offer voice control?
Speaking – especially as regarding formulating fixed commands – is a conscious and thus not an intuitive process. Voice control is slow to respond and spontaneous changes of the field of vision thus complex. Control with the joystick developed by us is far more effective and simpler to use.
What benefits does use of the SOLOASSIST offer me?
The SOLOASSIST offers surgeons absolutely stable and long-term wobble-free images.
In complex interventions, the assistant has an additional hand free with which he can intervene if support is needed. Simple interventions can be performed without an assistant being required at all.
In time-consuming interventions in which assistants previously had stance-related and fatigue-related problems, you obtain a stable image long-term which in turn helps improve quality.
We are a teaching hospital and must therefore use assistants. Can I integrate the SOLOASSIST to improve the quality of training?
Due to the fact that the assistant does not have to control the camera, he or she can listen more attentively to your instruction.
Can you offer alternatives to purchase?
Besides direct purchase, we also offer the “Pay per use” option in line with the requirements of the individual clinic in question. You fix a minimum case number together with us and pay a fixed sum per intervention, without additional ancillary costs.
Which costs can I calculate per intervention?
As the SOLOASSIST is designed to do without costly single-use materials, its application for e.g. 500 interventions per year costs less than € 59,- per intervention. These costs result from the sterile cover, allocation of the investment costs and processing costs for the re-usable parts of the SOLOASSIST. We would be pleased to draw up an individual amortization plan for your requirements.
Does the SOLOASSIST require regular maintenance?
The SOLOASSIST is maintenance-free on principle. An annual safety check is necessary in line with the statutory provisions.
We recommend that you have this performed by us within the framework of a maintenance agreement which also gives you access to product improvements and an extended warranty period for its duration.
What advantages does the SOLOASSIST offer compared with passive holder arms?
Numerous passive holder arms fixed manually or pneumatically are available and can also be used to hold an endoscope within minimally invasive interventions. However, this means putting the instrument down every time the surgeon wishes to alter the camera setting.
Experience shows that the setting is changed every 60-90 seconds, which means that you have to put an instrument down every 60 seconds to change the image, maybe even more frequently if readjustments are necessary. This is extremely time-consuming.
The SOLOASSIST enables you to change the image intuitively while you are working, without having to remove the instruments from where work in progress.
To clean the endoscope, do I have to exit the trocar fully via the zoom function?
No, thanks to a quick-closure device, the endoscope can be removed and cleaned very quickly. When it is replaced the same image section is immediately available again
