WOW Rik, thanks for posting this VKNG review...some very helpful 'inside scoop' from one who has actually used the system. I bolded some of the juicy parts below:
A member of the Reviews in Obstetrics & Gynecology editorial board reviewed the following devices. The views of the author are personal opinions and do not necessarily represent the views of Reviews in Obstetrics & Gynecology or MedReviews®, LLC.
Companies can submit a product for review by e-mailing Merilee Croft ( mcroft@medreviews.com).
Design/Functionality Scale
1 = Poor design; many deficits
2 = Solid design; many deficits
3 = Good design; few flaws
4 = Excellent design; few flaws
5 = Excellent design; flaws not apparent
Value Scale
1 = Added cost with limited benefit
2 = Added cost with some benefit
3 = Added cost but significant benefit
4 = Marginal added cost but significant benefit
5 = Significant cost savings
Overall Scale
1 = Don’t bother
2 = Niche product
3 = Worth a try
4 = Must try
5 = Must have
Design/Functionality: 4
Innovation: 5
Value: 4
Overall Score: 4.5
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BackgroundDid you ever want the technology in your hospital’s operating room to be as cutting edge as what your kid could purchase any day at your local Best Buy®? Now you can get a little closer with the Viking 3DHD Vision System (Viking Systems, Inc., Westborough, MA) that allows surgeons the depth perception afforded by seeing in three dimensions with just a little more equipment than a traditional two-dimensional (2D) laparoscopic setup.
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Design/FunctionalityFor surgeons who remember the original Viking 3D helmet that seemed more reminiscent of the Gjermundbu helmet than a piece of modern technology, this is a whole new thing. This system is a full three-dimensional (3D) 1080p high-definition (HD) ensemble that delivers an amazingly crisp and clear picture. The 3D camera head and laparoscope come in a standard 10-mm configuration and there is a 5-mm 2D camera head and laparoscope that can also be used with the system for situations in which a 5-mm camera is better suited. The system can toggle back and forth between 2D and 3D and the required 3D glasses are lightweight and as comfortable as a standard eye shield.
On the whole, the system is amazing! Perhaps the hardest part of using the new Viking 3D system is getting used to looking “through the screen” rather than at it. But once that mental adjustment is made, the addition of depth perception to traditional laparoscopy opens the potential for a whole new string of procedural advances. On the downside, the camera head is a bit heavier than a traditional camera and repetitive rapid movements of the scope tend to be visually bothersome. Also, it would have been nice to have more interchangeability between the Viking system and other manufacturers’ systems, but it is the others who are lagging so it probably is not fair to blame the leader for its followers.
Design/Functionality Score: 4
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InnovationHaving used the old-style 3D helmet and conventional consumer-store, battery-powered 3D glasses, I think this newer iteration seems like a huge leap. In addition, the combination of 3D with true 1080p HD is tremendous. This is a game changer.
Innovation Score: 5
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ValueFor me, separating cost and value is always hard. At $125,000 for a complete setup, the Viking 3DHD Vision System is not cheap, especially when one adds in the extra cameras and scopes that will be needed to be truly operational. Then again, neither is a brand new Storz OR1 2D system and both are peanuts compared with a daVinci robot. In fairness to Intuitive Surgical, this is only a visualization system and does not offer the articulation, fine calibration, and multiple arms of the robot, but if it is only the 3D and the 1080p you want, this is a super value.
Value Score: 4
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SummaryThe Viking 3DHD Vision System is one of the most exciting new products I have had an opportunity to try. The visualization is stunning. How this new 3D technology will change minimally invasive surgery is still unclear to me, but I am pretty sure we will all be 3D pretty soon. Rather than perseverate on anticipating this new technology’s advantages, perhaps we should be asking ourselves why we would prefer to operate in 2D when 3D is here now. Hmmm?
Overall Score: 4.5 |
