title: A novel device for cleaning the camera port during laparoscopic surgery.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Poor visualization of the operative field due to an obscured camera lens is a problem frequently encountered while performing laparoscopic surgery. Little has been published about the prevention of lens obstruction specifically due to a contaminated camera port used for laparoscopic surgery. The aim of our study is to develop a new device, the Endowiper, for cleaning the laparoscopic port.
  
  
  METHODS
  The new cleaner for the port's valve is made from rolled gauze. To simulate a surgical environment in the laboratory, we have used pseudo-blood to smudge the port's valve.
  
  
  METHODS
  In order to demonstrate the efficacy and safety of the Endowiper, we compared our method using this device with three previously reported port cleaning methods. These methods included use of gauze tightly wrapped around an endoscopic dissecting cramp, a small piece of gauze grasped by an endoscopic dissecting cramp, and a swab. We repeated the performance tests 280 times, 240 using a 12-mm trocar port and 40 with a 5-mm port.
  
  
  RESULTS
  With the 12-mm port, the complete port clearance rate achieved was 83.3% by Endowiper, 56.7% by wrapped gauze, 36.7% by small gauze, and 40.0% by swab. Trouble rate encountered during the procedure was 0% by Endowiper, 1.7% by wrapped gauze, 15% by small gauze, and 90% by swab. For the 5-mm port, the complete port clearance rate was 85% by Endowiper and 20% by sterile swab. The trouble rate was 0% by Endowiper and 30% by swab. Endowiper had a significantly superior result related to clearance rate than the other three methods in both the 12- (p < 0.001) and 5-mm (p < 0.001) ports. For trouble rate, Endowiper had a significantly superior result in both the 12- (p < 0.001) and 5-mm (p < 0.01) ports.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This Endowiper will be an inexpensive device with a benefit to laparoscopic surgeons.
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Osaka University Graduate School of Medicine, 2-2 Yamadaoka, Suita, Osaka, 565-0871, Japan. ekobayashi@gyne.med.osaka-u.ac.jp.
authors.forename: Eiji
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Kobayashi
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Osaka University Graduate School of Medicine, 2-2 Yamadaoka, Suita, Osaka, 565-0871, Japan.
authors.forename: Mamoru
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kakuda
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Osaka University Graduate School of Medicine, 2-2 Yamadaoka, Suita, Osaka, 565-0871, Japan.
authors.forename: Yusuke
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Tanaka
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Osaka University Graduate School of Medicine, 2-2 Yamadaoka, Suita, Osaka, 565-0871, Japan.
authors.forename: Akiko
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Morimoto
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Osaka University Graduate School of Medicine, 2-2 Yamadaoka, Suita, Osaka, 565-0871, Japan.
authors.forename: Tomomi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Egawa-Takata
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Osaka University Graduate School of Medicine, 2-2 Yamadaoka, Suita, Osaka, 565-0871, Japan.
authors.forename: Shinya
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Matsuzaki
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Osaka University Graduate School of Medicine, 2-2 Yamadaoka, Suita, Osaka, 565-0871, Japan.
authors.forename: Toshihiro
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Kimura
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Osaka University Graduate School of Medicine, 2-2 Yamadaoka, Suita, Osaka, 565-0871, Japan.
authors.forename: Yutaka
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Ueda
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Osaka University Graduate School of Medicine, 2-2 Yamadaoka, Suita, Osaka, 565-0871, Japan.
authors.forename: Kiyoshi
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Yoshino
authors.affiliation: Department of Gastrointestinal Surgery, Osaka University Graduate School of Medicine, 2-2 Yamadaoka, Suita, Osaka, 565-0871, Japan.
authors.forename: Kiyokazu
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Nakajima
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Osaka University Graduate School of Medicine, 2-2 Yamadaoka, Suita, Osaka, 565-0871, Japan.
authors.forename: Tadashi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Kimura
mesh_terms: D006801:Humans; D010535:Laparoscopy / Q000295:instrumentation*; D007909:Lenses
keywords: Camera port cleaner; Clear surgical image; Hindrance during surgery; Laparoscopic surgery; Surgical device