Cook Medical announced today that it has launched a streamlined portfolio of urological bipolar electrodes in the U.S.
The electrodes are for daily use in bladder and prostate procedures. The new portfolio includes seven products. Six have configurations for use in transurethral resection, ablation and soft tissue removal of the prostate and bladder, and where hemostasis is required.
The products include:
- A bipolar transurethral bladder loop, angled at 136° to accommodate the anatomy of the bladder;
- Four transurethral cutting loops — 12° and 30° options — each available in medium and large sizes;
- A bipolar transurethral needle electrode
The seventh product is the Bipolar Transurethral Plasma Disc. The Bipolar Transurethral Plasma Disc’s creators made it for electro-vaporization in urological procedures. It helps with the vaporization of the prostate and coagulation, according to Cook Medical. In addition, the patented concentric, multi-tiered disc design by Omnitech Systems provides concentrated current density to be more energy efficient while still supporting current flow and plasma ignition.
More about the urological bipolar electrodes
A platinum-iridium alloy makes up the distal wires of each electrode tip (except for the transurethral needle electrode). The material extends from the leading edge past the stabilizer. The platinum-iridium alloy gets crimped deep into the body of the electrode for durability. The electrodes have a shelf life of five years.
Rob Faulkner, senior director of Cook Medical’s Urology specialty, said the company listened to physicians about obstacles they were facing when trying to perform resection and ablation procedures. Think benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH).
“For example, we learned that most bladder loops on the market were difficult to use around the bladder, so we offer a bladder loop angled at 136° to improve efficiency of surgery,” Faulkner said. “With the seven products in the streamlined bipolar electrodes portfolio, we aim to help physicians focus on treating patients with products they use frequently.”