Alesi Surgical

Alesi is a commercial-stage spin-out from the Welsh Institute of Minimally Invasive Surgery that has developed a novel technology, Ultravision, that manages surgical smoke created by electrosurgical tools. The hazards of smoke generated by electronic surgical tools are increasingly being recognised. Smoke reduces visibility and fogs cameras during keyhole surgery, interrupting workflow. It also creates health risks for theatre staff due to the presence of toxins and viruses in human tissue. Legislation has already been passed in 18 US states requiring a smoke management policy in all surgical procedures, with more expected to follow. However current techniques, such as extraction tubes which must be attached to surgical instruments, are cumbersome, noisy and unpopular with surgeons. Alesi’s system uses electrical filtration to remove surgical smoke from the atmosphere. Its first-generation Ultravision system was designed for laparoscopic surgery and has been used in over 40,000 procedures. Independent research has shown that it is 23 times better than alternative solutions at minimising smoke release during laparoscopies and that it captures and reduces the infectivity of viruses in the smoke. The latest version, Ultravision2, which is FDA approved, is a platform technology that can be integrated into surgical tools and existing theatre equipment. Its first integrated tool, for use in laparoscopic surgery, already has FDA approval and the launch of the IonPencil for routine surgery means it now offers smoke management solutions for all surgical procedures that create smoke. There are over 40 million such procedures performed in the USA, Europe, and Japan every year.