Fiber Optics in the Operating Room
The rapidly aging world population is spurring demand for colonoscopies, orthopedic implants, bariatric surgeries, and gastrointestinal endoscopy, which are all procedures performed by the expert surgeons of Surgical Associates of Marshall County in the office locations of Albertville and Guntersville, Ala.
All of these procedures require the use of endoscopes and other medical instruments which utilize medical fiber optics. Endoscopes represent the largest end-use market for medical fiber optics, supported by the growing popularity of minimally invasive surgeries. Miniaturization of medical instruments is a key trend encouraging the use of small and efficient optical fibers.
The introduction of High Definition (HD) systems is expected to accelerate the use of fiber optics in minimally invasive surgical devices, such as endoscopes.
The market also is benefiting from the increasing use of high-resolution imaging technologies, such as, Optical Coherence Tomography (OCT), Photo-Acoustic Tomography (PAT), and Near Infrared Spectroscopy (NIRS), for the diagnosis and treatment of ophthalmic and cardiovascular conditions.
Intensive R&D activity in the field of fiber optics is giving rise to technological advancements, such as smart pills that aid in generating accurate anatomical imaging; force-sensitive catheters with applications in laser ablation procedures; and optical fiber arrays that aid in positioning high-precision robotic arms.
Increasing sophistication of medical equipment and the development of high-speed networks are prompting healthcare service providers to seek options for combining remote monitoring and treatment domains.
The ability of fiber optics to rapidly transmit large blocks of information is expected to make long distance medical consultations simple and commonplace in the future. In response to the evolving needs of the medical industry, a range of specialty optical fibers have been introduced in the recent years, featuring improved damage thresholds at high power levels and tight bend radius that minimizes optical loss.
Lasers represent the fastest growing end-use application for medical fiber optics, with growth in this market supported by the increasing use of fiber-lasers in medical applications, ranging from skin resurfacing to microsurgery.
Surgical Associates of Marshall County have the latest technology for minimally invasive surgery. Having gallbladder or colon surgery? Our laparoscopic specialists, Dr. John Groves, Dr. Stephen Britt and the rest of the surgical team can get you back to normal in no time. Give us a call 256-840-5547 at our Albertville location or call 256-571-8734 to contact our Guntersville facility.