Patents and References

• Cost-per-case analysis. This analysis includes amortized capital, sterilization costs, disposable/replaceable items, and service-contract costs. The projected 20% is based upon 30 arthroscopic procedures per week. Lazurite LLC. 22-015R. Cost-per-case analysis of surgical camera systems: The wireless ArthroFree™ system vs. conventional wired systems vs. disposable surgical camera systems. 2022.

• Cost-per-case analysis. See above.
• Efficiency. In a recent study, 82% of respondents (n=84) indicated that they expect the ArthroFree System to improve safety, and 84% (n=85) indicated that they expect it to improve efficiency. In a comparative simulation study, the set-up, take-down, and processing times of the ArthroFree System were found to be lower than respective times of a conventional camera system.
  • Lazurite LLC. Human factors summative usability studies. 2021-2022.
  • Lazurite LLC. 21-073R. Simulated OR wireless versus wired arthroscopic camera set-up and take down: Summary report. 2022.

  Safety. Tests of the Meridiem light engine used in the ArthroFree wireless surgical camera indicate that, even under heavy use, its heat production is minimal: 43°C. 3M™ indicates that their Ioban™ 2 antimicrobial incise drapes have a flash point of 121.1°C. Spradling et al. (2015) measured the peak temperature of a flexible fiber-optic ureteroscope, connected by fiber-optic cable, to be 194.5°C. Smith and Soham (2008) found that fiber-optic light cables can melt polypropylene surgical drapes. Fire prevention guidelines from the American Society of Anesthesiologists, the Anesthesia Patient Safety Foundation, the Emergency Care Research Institute, and the Society of American Gastrointestinal and Endoscopic Surgeons have led many facilities to establish a fire-risk assessment during the surgical “time-out” ahead of each procedure (Jones et al. 2019).

  • Lazurite LLC. 21-046R. External temperature validation. 2021.
  • 3M. “Safety Data Sheet: 3M Ioban 2 antimicrobial incise drapes 6035, 6040, 6048, 6050, 6051, 6640EU, 6648EU, 6650EU, 6651EU.” Document group: 08-3227-9. Version: 12.02. June 17, 2020. https://tinyurl.com/d7hny72r.
  • Spradling K, Uribe B, Okhunov Z, et al. Evaluation of ignition and burn risk associated with contemporary fiberoptic and distal sensor endoscopic technology. Journal of Endourology. 2015;29(9): 1076-82. https://doi.org/10.1089/end.2015.0048.
  • Smith L, Soham R. Fire/burn risk with electrosurgical devices and endoscopy fiber-optic cables. American Journal of Otolaryngology. 2008;29(3): 171-176. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.amjoto.2007.05.006.
  • Jones T, Black I, Robinson T, Jones E. Operating room fires. Anesthesiology. 2019; 130:492–501. https://doi.org/10.1097/ALN.0000000000002598.
    • See also: Cowles CE Jr, Culp WC Jr. Prevention of and response to surgical fires. BJA Education. 2019; 19(8):261-266; the 2018 recommendations by the US Food and Drug Administration for reducing surgical fires and patient injuries: https://tinyurl.com/33red762.
• Healthcare-acquired infections. Statistics on annual healthcare-acquired infections come from the Center for Disease Control (www.cdc.gov/hai/index.html). In recent years, efforts to reduce HAIs has yielded some positive news (www.cdc.gov/hai/data/portal/progress-report.html).
• The Joint Commission. “Preventing light source-related burns from laparoscopy, thoracoscopyand arthroscopy.” Quick Safety (Issue 69), April 2023. https://tinyurl.com/JC-light-source-burn-report

• Safety and value. On the question of safety, see above. In terms of value and market opportunity: hospital lighting requires more than 10% of a facility’s energy consumption. Lighting, too, generates heat, and thereby boosts the demand for cooling. Healthcare remains a key market for energy-efficient lighting.
  • Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy. Integrating Health and Energy Efficiency in Healthcare Facilities. US Department of Energy. June 2021. https://www.energy.gov/sites/default/files/2021-06/integrating-health-ee-healthcare-facilities.pdf.

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