KARL STORZ IMAGE1 STORZ Professional Image Enhancement System named Innovation of the year by Society of Laparoendoscopic Surgeons

EL SEGUNDO, CA (December 18, 2014) – KARL STORZ Endoscopy-America, Inc., a leader in endoscopy and operating room integration technologies for nearly 70 years, is pleased to announce that their IMAGE1 STORZ Professional Image Enhancement System was recognized as a 2014 Innovation of the Year by the Society of Laparoendoscopic Surgeons (SLS). Recipients of the honor were announced during the MINIMALLY INVASIVE SURGERY WEEK Annual Meeting & Endo Expo 2014 in Las Vegas.

KARL STORZ creates video solutions to enhance surgeons’ capabilities so they can more readily deliver exceptional levels of care to patients. Our new IMAGE1 STORZ Professional Image Enhancement System represents our latest solution for giving surgeons superior views of challenging anatomical areas during complex surgeries, ranging from skull base and orthopedic to gynecologic, urologic and thoracic.

Combined with new FULL-HD three-chip camera heads, IMAGE1 STORZ Professional Image Enhancement System includes the CLARA and CHROMA apps that activate proprietary image enhancement algorithms.  CLARA automatically identifies and brightens dark image areas of an image — without lag time. This addresses common problems encountered when some anatomical areas are illuminated better than others, requiring overall brightness to be increased or the scope to be moved closer to visualize darker areas. Increasing the brightness level, however, prompts tissue in the foreground to reflect light and cause glare. Moving the scope closer narrows the visible area, making it difficult to manipulate instruments and can result in mucus or blood obscuring the lens. Now, by using CLARA, dark areas are adjusted in real time. This avoids overexposure and reflections, providing a clear view of both bright and dark regions.

Additionally, surgical interventions can be made more efficient if clear differentiation of key tissue areas is possible. CHROMA helps accomplish this by intensifying color contrast levels, enabling surgeons to more easily discern blood vessels and other critical anatomy. Clearly visible structure surfaces are emphasized while retaining the natural color perception of the image.

“What really makes this new technology distinctive is CLARA, which enhances the brightness of dark areas to more evenly illuminate different parts of the endoscopic images,” says Thomas Prescher, PhD, Director of Upstream Marketing, KARL STORZ. “The software app addresses a common problem in laparoscopy whereby the camera illuminates some parts of the tissue more than others, especially in deep or ‘keyhole’ surgical approaches. The system also includes CHROMA, which enhances the video image’s red color contrast in tissue to enable surgeons to better visualize blood vessels. And, for many types of surgical procedures, selecting the CLARA plus the CHROMA settings combines both apps to offer an optimal viewing experience for use in those specific applications.”

About the Society of Laparoendoscopic Surgeons
The SLS was established as an educational, nonprofit organization to help ensure the highest standards for the practice of laparoscopic, endoscopic and minimally invasive surgery. With a membership of more than 6,000 surgeons, the society serves surgeons from various specialties and other health professionals interested in advancing their expertise. Each year, the organization recognizes the most innovative products of the previous 12 months that have multidisciplinary applications in minimally invasive surgery. The SLS notes that products recognized as Innovations of the Year are selected for informational purposes only. The society does not endorse or approve any products, and surgeons should investigate any new equipment for safety and suitability for their particular practice and needs.

About KARL STORZ Endoscopy-America
KARL STORZ Endoscopy-America, Inc., is an affiliate of KARL STORZ GmbH & Co. KG, an international leader for nearly 70 years in reusable endoscope technology, encompassing all endoscopic specialties. Based in Tuttlingen, Germany, KARL STORZ GmbH & Co. KG is a family-owned company that designs, engineers, manufactures, and markets all its products with an emphasis on visionary design, precision craftsmanship and clinical effectiveness. For more information, call (800) 421-0837 or visit the company’s Web site at www.karlstorz.com.