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First Prize Awarded For Dr. Palter's New " X-Ray" Vision Surgical System
Dr . Palter was awarded First Prize at the 2006
American Society for Reproductive Medicine (ASRM) meeting
click here for the press release
Further Details and video images available at Dr. Palter's medical technology blog
Description of how system works
Video of endometriosis with system
Overview of the System
The new “keyhole” surgery technique enables surgeons to see tumors and other pathologies, including endometriosis not otherwise visible. In traditional laparoscopy, the telescope provides the same view as would be seen with the naked eye. In the new method, highly specific filters are incorporated into the light system and telescope so that surgeons can see the tiny amounts of fluorescent light that all living human tissues give off when illuminated, a phenomenon called “autofluorescence”.
Normal and diseased tissues give off different amounts of light. Areas of disease that block fluorescence are seen as dark indigo areas, whereas those that emit fluorescence glow like a firefly. With this new surgical technique I can see disease that is otherwise invisible and treat the patient more effectively.
My study reported on the use of the autofluorescence system for the diagnosis of endometriosis, a potentially debilitating disease that affects 5.5 million women in the United States, causing infertility and chronic pelvic pain. We found additional disease using the system in more than 70% of women examined.
The system, manufactured by Karl Storz Endoscopy-America, is based on technology that has previously been used to detect lung cancer. This study represents its first use for laparoscopic examination of the pelvic and abdominal cavities in the US. It is not yet approved for general use in the US. The next step I have planned are further ther studies to evaluate the system as a potential diagnostic tool for ovarian cancer and its metastases – a silent killer of women.
I am also delighted to have just found out that two of my follow-up studies of this system were awarded a Golden Laparoscope Award for Video and the Kott Award for best new Instrumentation by the AAGL. These awards will be presented at the 35th Annual Global Congress of Minimally Invasive Gynecology to be held November 5th 9th 2006 in Las Vegas, Nevada.
