Clinical

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"We have been impressed with the reduced tissue charring and the ability to work close to delicate and sensitive tissues with the PlasmaBlade, which is especially important in gynecologic procedures in which the bowel, ureter and ovaries are close by."
— Dr. Fermin F. Barrueto, chief of endoscopy and pelvic reconstruction at Mercy Medical Center in Baltimore.

Scientific Literature

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Research documenting the preclinical and clinical performance of the PEAK Surgery System has been published in major peer-reviewed journals and awarded podium presentations at international surgical conferences including the annual meetings of the American College of Surgeons, Plastic Surgery Research Council, American Society of Breast Surgeons, American College of Obstetrics and Gynecology, and the European Plastic Surgery Research Council. Below please find a list of our publications and recent presentations.

Peer-Reviewed Publications Describing the PEAK PlasmaBlade

  1. Ruidiaz ME, Messmer D, Vose JG, Kummel AC, Blair SL. Quantitative Comparison of Surgical Margin Histology Following Excision withTraditional Electrosurgery and a Low Thermal Injury Dissection Device. In Press. Journal of Surgical Oncology. 2011 Jul 8. doi: 10.1002/jso.22012. [Epub ahead of print]
  2. Fine RE, Vose JG.  Traditional electrosurgery and a low-thermal-injury dissection device yield different outcomes following bilateral skin-sparing mastectomy: a case report.  Journal of Medical Case Reports. 2011, 5:212.
  3. Ruidiaz ME, Messmer D, Huang EJ, Atmodjo DY, Vose JG, Rosenberg HL, Kummel AC, Gurtner GC.  Comparative Healing of Human Cutaneous Surgical Incisions Created by the PEAK PlasmaBlade, Conventional Electrosurgery, and a Standard Scalpel. Journal of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery. 2011; 128(1): 104-111. Chronic wound healing study conducted in subjects undergoing abdominoplasty.
  4. Chang EI, Carlson GA, Vose JG, Huang EJ, Yang GP.  Comparative Healing of Rat Fascia Following Incision with Three Surgical Instruments. E-Published, January 2011.  J Surg Res. 2011; 167(1): e47-54. Chronic wound healing study conducted in living rat model.
  5. Vose JG, Marieb M.  Reducing the Risk of Transvenous Lead Damage During Pacemaker and ICD Generator Replacement.  EP Lab Digest. 2010;1(10):28-31
  6. Punthakee X, Keller GS, Vose JG, Stout W.  New Technologies in Aesthetic Blepharoplasty and Brow-Lift Surgery.  Facial Plastic Surgery. 2010;26:260-265.
  7. Jacobson MT.  The Pulsed Electron Avalanche Knife: PlasmaBlade™. Expert Reviews in Obstetrics and Gynecology. 2010; 5(1):19-22.
  8. Vose JG, Berkowitz JM.  Reducing Scalpel Injuries in the Operating Room. Journal of the AORN. 2009; 90(6):867-872.
  9. Loh S, Carlson GA, Chang EI, Huang EJ, Palanker D, Gurtner GC.  Comparative Healing of Surgical Incisions Created by the PEAK PlasmaBlade, Traditional Electrosurgery, and a Scalpel. Plas Reconstr Surg. 2009; 124(6):1849-1859. Chronic wound healing study conducted in living porcine model.

Invited Podium Presentations

  1. Vose JG, Atmodjo DY, Weeks W.  A Randomized, Controlled Study of the PEAK PlasmaBlade TnA in Adult Tonsillectomy Compared to Traditional Electrosurgery.  American Academy of Otolarygology Annual Meeting, San Francisco, CA, September 11 - 14, 2011.
  2. Weisberg IL, Desai S, Davison P, Shah D, Baez-Escudero J, Beshai J, Burke MC, Knight BP. Effects of Pulsed RF Energy Compared to Standard Electrocautery on Transvenous Lead Insulation Materials.  Cardiostim Annual Meeting, Nice, France, June 18, 2010.
  3. Chang EI, et al.  Comparative Healing of Surgical Incisions in Rat Fascia Created by the PEAK PlasmaBlade™, Conventional Electrosurgery, and a Standard Scalpel.  Plastic Surgery Research Council Annual Meeting, San Francisco, CA, May 24, 2010.
  4. Gurtner GC, et al.  Results of the PRECISE Abdominoplasty Study: Improved Outcomes with the PEAK PlasmaBlade Compared to Scalpel and Traditional Electrosurgery.  American College of Surgeons Annual Meeting, Chicago, IL, October 20, 2009.
  5. Vose JG, et al.  A Randomized Controlled Trial of the PEAK PlasmaBlade vs. Scalpel and Traditional Electrosurgery in Abdominoplasty.  European Plastic Surgery Research Council Annual Meeting, Hamburg, Germany, August 22, 2009.
  6. Vose JG, Ihnken K, et al.  Comparison of Porcine Internal Thoracic Artery Harvest with the PEAK PlasmaBlade™ vs. Harmonic Scalpel and Traditional Electrosurgery.  Cardiothoracic Surgery Symposium, San Diego, CA, February 22, 2009.
  7. Chang KW, et al.  Evaluation of the PEAK PlasmaBlade™ for ENT Surgery.  American Academy of Otolaryngology – Head and Neck Surgery Annual Meeting, Chicago, IL, October 23, 2008.
  8. Keller G, et al.  Evaluation of the PEAK PlasmaBlade™ for Facial Plastic Surgery.  American Academy of Facial Plastic Surgery Annual Meeting, Chicago, IL, October 21, 2008.
  9. Loh SA, et al.  Comparative Healing of Surgical Incisions Created by Conventional Electrosurgery, a Standard Scalpel Blade, and the PEAK PlasmaBlade™.  Plastic Surgery Research Council Annual Meeting, Springfield, IL, May 28-31, 2008.
  10. Loh SA, et al.  Comparative Healing of Surgical Incisions Created by Conventional Electrosurgery, a Standard Scalpel Blade, and the PEAK PlasmaBlade™.  American College of Surgeons Annual Meeting, New Orleans, LA, October 9, 2007.

Peer Reviewed Posters/Abstracts

  1. Weisberg IL, Desai S, Davison P, Shah D, Baez-Escudero J, Beshai J, Burke MC, Knight BP. Effects of Pulsed RF Energy Compared to Standard Electrosurgery on Transvenous Lead Insulation Materials.  Heart Rhythm Society Annual Meeting, Denver, CO, May 12 – 15, 2010.
  2. Naruns P, Vose JG, Atmodjo DY, Sangoi A.  A Randomized Controlled Trial of the PEAK PlasmaBlade™ in Open Breast Biopsy Compared to Scalpel and Traditional Electrosurgery.  American Society of Breast Surgeons Annual Meeting, Las Vegas, NV.  April 28 – May 1, 2010.
  3. Ruidiaz ME, Martin DT, Ta CN, Cortes-Mateos MJ, Vose JG, Wang-Rodriguez J, Kummel AC, Blair SL.  A Prospective Controlled Trial of the PEAK PlasmaBlade™ in the Evaluation of Breast Cancer Surgical Specimens with Touch Prep. Presented at the American Society of Breast Surgeons Annual Meeting, Las Vegas, NV.  April 28 – May 1, 2010.
  4. Jacobson MT, Chang EI, Huang EJ, Carlson GA, Vose JG, Yang GP, Berek JS.  Evaluation of Midline Fascia Healing with the PEAK PlasmaBlade™ vs. Traditional Electrosurgery and Scalpel.  Presented at the American College of Obstetrics and Gynecology Annual Meeting, Chicago, IL.  May 2 – 6, 2009
  5. Comparison of Porcine Internal Thoracic Artery Harvest with the PEAK PlasmaBlade vs. Harmonic Scalpel and Traditional Electrosurgery.  Vose JG, Atmodjo DY, Schwartz SP, Ihnken K.  Cardiothoracic Surgery Symposium, San Diego, CA, February 22, 2009.
  6. Post-Surgical Incision Healing of Fascia and Skin: A Comparative Evaluation of the PEAK PlasmaBlade, Scalpel, and Traditional Electrosurgery.  Loh SA,  Chang EI, Jacobson MT, Huang EJ, Vose JG, Carlson GA, Gurtner GC, Yang GP, Berek JS.  Society of Gynecologic Oncology Annual Meeting, San Antonio, TX, February 5 – 8, 2009.
  7. Evaluation of the PEAK PlasmaBlade for Facial Plastic Surgery. Keller GS, Huang EJ, Carlson GA, Vose JG.  AmericanAcademy of Facial Plastic Surgery Annual Meeting, Chicago, IL, September 18-21, 2008.
  8. Evaluation of PEAK PlasmaBlade for Obstetric and Gynecologic Surgery vs. Traditional Electrosurgery. P Blumenthal, MT Jacobson, E Huang, GA Carlson, and JS Berek. American College of Obstetrics and Gynecology 2008 Annual Meeting, New Orleans, LA, May 3-7, 2008.
  9. Evaluation of the PEAK Electrosurgical Tool in Neurosurgery Applications Compared to Standard Electrosurgical Tools and Standard Scalpel Blade. Carlson GA, Taylor S, Shuer LM. Congress of Neurological Surgeons Annual Meeting, San Diego, CA, September 15-20, 2007.

Peer-Reviewed Publications Describing Other Uses of PEAK Technology

  1. Palanker DV, Vankov A, Huie P. Anterior Capsulotomy with a Pulsed Electron Avalanche Knife. Journal of Cataract Refractive Surgery. 2010 Jan; 36(1):127-32.
  2. Palanker DV, Vankov A, Jayaraman P. On Mechanisms of Interaction in Electrosurgery. New Journal of Physics. 2008 Dec;10: 123022.
  3. Palanker DV, Vankov A, Huie P.  Electrosurgery with Cellular Precision. IEEE Transactions on Biomedical Engineering. 2007 Feb;55(2 pt 2): 838-841.
  4. Priglinger SG, Palanker DV, Alge CS, Kreutzer TC, Haritoglou C, Grueterich M, Kampik A.  Pulsed electron avalanche knife: new technology for cataract surgery. British Journal of Ophthalmologyl. 2007 Jul;91(7):949-54.
  5. Vankov A, Palanker DV. Nanosecond plasma-mediated electrosurgery with elongated electrodes. Journal of Applied Physics. 2007;101: 124701
  6. Priglinger SG, Haritoglou C, Palanker DV, Kook D, Grueterich M, Mueller A, Alge CS,  Kampik A.  Pulsed electron avalanche knife for capsulotomy in congenital and mature cataract. Journal of Cataract and Refractive Surgery. 2006 Jul;32(7):1085-1088.
  7. Priglinger SG, Haritoglou C, Mueller A, Grueterich M, Strauss RW, Alge CS, Gandorfer A, Palanker DV, Kampik A. Pulsed electron avalanche knife in vitreoretinal surgery. Retina. 2005 Oct-Nov;25(7):889-896.
  8. Priglinger SG, Haritoglou C, Palanker DV, Alge CS, Gandorfer A, Kampik A. Pulsed electron avalanche knife (PEAK-fc) for dissection of retinal tissue. Archives of Ophthalmology. 2005 Oct;123(10):1412-18.
  9. Miller JM, Palanker DV, Vankov A, Marmor MF, Blumenkranz MS.  Precision and safety of the pulsed electron avalanche knife in vitreoretinal surgery. Archives of Ophthalmology. 2003 Jun;121(6):871-877.
  10. Palanker DV, Marmor MF, Branco A, Huie P, Miller JM, Sanislo SR, Vankov A,  Blumenkranz MS.  Effects of the pulsed electron avalanche knife on retinal tissue. Archives of Ophthalmology. 2002 May;120(5):636-640.
  11. Palanker DV, Miller JM, Marmor MF, Sanislo SR, Huie P, Blumenkranz MS. Pulsed electron avalanche knife (PEAK) for intraocular surgery. Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci. 2001 Oct;42(11):2673-78.

Other Publications

  1. Stoker R, Vose JG. Advances in Electrosurgery: Safety and Economic Benefits for Patients, Surgeons, and Hospitals. Managing Infection Control Magazine. 2009; 9(8): 42-47. (PDF article)

Internal Testing References

  1. Farless B, Carter J, Vose JG. Two Retrospective Reviews of Unilateral Total Knee Arthoplasty with the PEAK PlasmaBlade compared to Scalpel and Traditional Electrosurgery. Texas Health Research and Education Institute Institutional Review Board; study completed December 2010. Summary report VR-00083 available upon request.
  2. Gupta A, Pollack L, Downey D, Vose JG. A randomized, controlled trial of the PEAK PlasmaBlade in Bilateral Breast Reduction. Study completed August 2011. Summary report VR-00065 available upon request.
  3. Data generated by internal testing in chicken breast at PEAK Surgical, Inc. Temperature profile report ETR-00023, available upon request.
  4. Data generated by internal testing in porcine skin at PEAK Surgical, Inc. Thermal damage study report ETR-00127, available upon request.

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