Patient Safety

What is one of the most severe complications in laparoscopic surgery?

  • Internal burns from stray monopolar energy, cause damage to patient’s organs and tissue every 90 minutes in the USA.
  • Many of these burns manifest into fecal peritonitis, followed by sepsis, which causes to 1 -2 deaths per day in the USA.

Why do these intra-operative patient injuries occur?

  •  These burns are not due to surgeon technique –they are caused by the technology used in unshielded monopolar instruments, which cannot control the energy they transmit.

  • “Monopolar Energy Use Can Directly Result in Unintended Patient Burns from Capacitive Coupling and Intra-Operative Insulation Failure.”
    – FDA Safety Communication

What is the burden on hospitals and the OR Team?

  • Patient injuries and deaths leave lasting scars on patients, their families, and the OR Team.
  • Hospital financial consequences can run into the millions. They include read missions, re-operations, medico-legal, and the CMS HAC Reduction Program Penalties.

 Up to 1 IN EVERY 3 SURGEONS may have a patient injury each year, from preventable stray energy burns*

How can these patient injuries be prevented?

  • AEM® Shield™ Laparoscopic Instruments eliminate burns from intra-operative insulation failure and capacitive energy.
  • The AORN electrosurgery safety guidelines recommend to “use an Active Electrode Monitoring (AEM®) and Shielding Device” during Minimally Invasive Surgery.

Is it easy to implement AEM® Shield™ Instruments?

  • Yes! There is no change in surgical technique and capital equipment is not required.
  • You only need to replace the 3 “hot” monopolar instruments (hook electrode, Maryland and scissors) to improve patient safety.
  • Free clinical evaluations are available for your team, starting today.

Do AEM® Shield™ Instruments reduce OR expenses?

  • Yes! The cost per procedure is low and can be reduced further with reposable 2x Scissors.
  • Your hospital can save millions, by eliminating these life-threatening complications.4

How AEM® Shield™ Instruments Eliminate Patient Injuries