Opinion: Strengthening Teams in the OR

In an opinion in SLS MIS Today, Misty Tuttle, lead surgical technologist at Cone Health, Wesley Long Hospital, in Greensboro, wrote: “As a surgical technologist, I have seen less experienced technologists struggle to control the scope and light cord during complex or lengthy procedures. When surgery produces significant smoke, blood, or grease that repeatedly impair visibility, necessitating repeated scope removal and cleaning, newer technicians might take more time for cleaning or find it difficult to return to the same angle and view after cleaning. To maintain visibility without interruptions, we recently tried an in-abdomen lens cleaning device (ClickClean, Medeon). A biocompatible transparent film covers the scope lens, and the surgeon or surgical technician clicks a trigger to advance the film and get a clean, clear view. The technology elevates the performance of newer technicians, whose inexperience is less taxing for the surgeon when we eliminate scope removal and cleaning.”