OREANDA-NEWS. March 21, 2012. Olympus Medical Systems Corporation will release the EVIS EXERA III platform, a next-generation video endoscopy system. The product will launch on April 1, 2012, in Europe, the United States and Oceania. Future releases are planned for Asia, the Middle East, Africa and other regions, excluding Japan and the UK, as legal compliance requirements are satisfied in each country. The EVIS EXERA III platform will be available internationally for use in endoscopic surgery and bronchoscopy, etc as well.

For the global gastrointestinal endoscopy market, where Olympus has approximately 70% share (according to our own research), the EVIS EXERA III platform the latest state-of-the-art system to be released internationally, including Europe and the United States, for approximately seven years.
 The new system has been designed for higher image quality to provide enhanced observation performance, for greater ease-of-use for physicians and medical staff, and less patient discomfort during scope insertion. Meanwhile, new data management functions will help improve operational efficiency at healthcare facilities.

Outline of the products

Product Name
VIDEO SYSTEM CENTER OLYMPUS CV-190
XENON LIGHT SOURCE OLYMPUS CLV-190
EVIS EXERA III GASTROINTESTINAL VIDEOSCOPE
 OLYMPUS GIF-HQ190, GIF-H190, GIF-XP190N
EVIS EXERA III COLONOVIDEOSCOPE
 OLYMPUS CF-HQ190L/I, CF-H190L/I, PCF-H190L/I, PCF-PH190L/I

Product Background

Cancer is a curable disease if detected and treated early, and endoscopic examination has contributed to the early detection of cancer. As a result, the incidence and mortality of cancer have gradually decreased since the late 1980s in Europe and the United States. However, it is expected that the number of examinations will increase in the future as the population grows.

 Moreover, in recent years, use of optical diagnostic techniques is being considered as a way to reduce healthcare costs in Europe and the United States. It is anticipated that healthcare costs could be reduced compared with existing diagnostic methods (whereby not only cancer tissues but all suspicious lesions are collected and subjected to histological examination) through the selective use of endoscopy for morphological diagnosis when evaluating lesions. Studies on this subject have been published, mainly in Europe and the United States.

 Recognizing this potential, Olympus developed the next-generation EVIS EXERA III endoscopic system to have the higher image quality and performance required by physicians to support diagnosis, detection, and treatment of even smaller lesions including cancer. As a leader in the field of gastrointestinal endoscopy, Olympus will continue working towards a medical environment that can care for the bodies and minds of people around the world by developing state-of-the-art endoscopes that reflect the needs of physicians and healthcare workers, and by providing the high level of medical effectiveness and efficiency expected by healthcare workers.
Main Features

1. Enhanced image quality supports early detection of minimal disease, including cancer
 A proprietary Olympus technology called "Narrow Band Imaging" (NBI) enhances visualization of the capillary network and mucosal morphology by taking advantage of two narrow wavelengths of light (blue and green) that are easily absorbed by hemoglobin in the blood during endoscopic observation. This results in highlighted capillaries on mucosal surfaces and mucosal microstructural patterns. The EVIS EXERA III system incorporates a new xenon lamp as its light source. Brightness during NBI observation has also been improved by a combination of enhancements, including noise reduction processing in the Video System Center and increased CCD sensitivity.

 Furthermore, all models except the GIF-XP190N upper slim gastroscope are HDTV compatible, which is the highest video standard used on our scopes. This has enhanced our product range with models that offer even higher image quality. In addition, the GIF-HQ190 and CF-HQ190L/I models have a "Dual Focus" function that lets physicians perform more detailed observation of suspected lesions by allowing them to switch from normal mode to near focus mode at the press of a button.

Ease-of-use and better patient comfort achieved through improvement in colonoscope insertion
 In three colonoscope models, a "Passive Bending" which is flexible and is designed to aid with insertion around bends and a "High Force Transmission" which aides in almost one-to-one torque transmission, transfers pushing and pulling force to distal end more efficiently, and improves the overall column strength of the insertion tube. These technologies make it easier to insert the colonoscope in situations that require advanced techniques, resulting in patients experiencing less discomfort during endoscopy.

 Unlike a conventional active bending section which can be bent in any direction by manual operation, the Passive Bending section bends naturally. The overall flexible section, which includes both conventional bending sections and Passive Bending sections, has been designed so that the curvature becomes more gradual from the tip towards the flexible tube. The aim is to improve insertability and reduce the discomfort felt by patients with adhesions between intestinal loops or between the intestine and other organs. The High Force Transmission, meanwhile, makes it easier to transmit forces from the hand to the tip of the scope. This helps achieve smooth insertion during colonoscopy where the length and shape of the large intestine sometimes make it difficult to insert the scope because force exerted by hand is dissipated by looping and twisting along the scope.

Another new feature is the One-touch Connector, a fully waterproof connector that requires only one point of contact to the system minimizing the effort required for setup from pre-examination setup to washing and disinfection after examination, and reduces the chance of human error.

3. Improving operational efficiency in healthcare facilities

 In combination with Olympus IT systems, the EVIS EXERA III system will, in the future, make it possible to consolidate and centrally manage data records, including the operational status of the endoscopy units, reservation list, endoscopy results, and scope cleaning records, as well as data on examination times, utilization, and the number of times each scope is used. By integrating with the hospital's overall system, these data support more efficient operation of the endoscopy units and greater operational efficiency at the healthcare facility.

4. EVIS EXERA III also works with multiple cameras heads and videoscopes
 EVIS EXERA III accommodates the requirements of all specialties; from HD autoclavable 1CCD / 3CCD cameras head to video laparoscopes (EndoEYE), surgical flexible endoscopes and bronchoscopes in all its forms. A true Universal Platform.
*The company names and product names specified in this release are the trademarks or registered trademarks of each company.