Medical device and technology company Lazurite and Hospital for Special Surgery (HSS), an academic medical center focused on musculoskeletal health, announced a new collaborative relationship based on Lazurite’s ArthroFree Wireless Surgical Camera System, a surgical camera system that received market clearance from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for arthroscopy and general endoscopy.
Through the HSS Innovation Institute, HSS and Lazurite will collaborate to advance surgical technology and techniques, including evaluation of specific aspects of ArthroFree and potential co-development of new arthroscopic technologies. HSS will conduct training sessions at the HSS Simulation Learning and Training Center and may also work with Lazurite on the co-development of future technologies that leverage the ArthroFree wireless camera and proprietary Meridiem light technology.
“Given HSS’s substantial capabilities in research, including the experience and expertise of its medical staff and the volume of orthopedic surgeries performed there, we believe that HSS is a great partner to conduct the various non-clinical assessments and other collaborations outlined in the agreement,” says Lazurite Board Chair Mark Froimson, MD.
By eliminating conventional camera cables that tether surgeons to the surgical tower and hinder their movement, the ArthroFree System is expected to increase OR efficiency, improve OR safety and lower customer costs. With its solid-state, low-heat, high-efficiency Meridiem light technology, the system also promises to eliminate camera-related patient burns and OR fires. The modular system is designed to be drop-in compatible with existing patient data consoles, surgical displays and endoscopes found in minimally invasive operating rooms.
“HSS is excited to collaborate with Lazurite to evaluate the ArthroFree Wireless Surgical Camera System, provide insights into a next generation of the existing device, and potentially co-develop other medical device products utilizing this technology,” says Michael P. Ast, MD, chief medical innovation officer and a joint replacement surgeon at HSS. “As HSS physicians and innovators, our goal of continuously improving patient care and outcomes includes identifying and pursuing new technologies and developing partnerships that leverage HSS’s expertise and innovative spirit with cutting-edge industry advancements to drive new innovation forward.”