Professor Hashim Hashim, Director of the Urodynamics Unit at the Bristol Urological Institute at Southmead Hospital and a distinguished Consultant Urological Surgeon known for his expertise in female and functional urology, discusses the benefits that the Galaxy II® retractor has brought to the field. A world-renowned Functional Urological Surgeon and Honorary Professor of Urology with over 190 publications to his credit, Prof. Hashim has unmatched global experience in training surgeons as well as performing and teaching urodynamics and surgical techniques.
Prof. Hashim said: “Different people use different options, so it’s all about providing solutions that fit various techniques.”
Assistance and retraction
“The snowman-shaped retractor is particularly useful for vaginal procedures like mesh removal, fistulae repair and prolapse surgeries, where a lot of assistance and retraction is required.”
Hands-free illuminator
“The hands-free illuminator – Galaxy II® LUX Connect – can be very useful in pelvic procedures, as a head light cannot always be positioned adequately for these surgeries.
Many surgeons suffer from musculoskeletal problems due to bad head and neck postures during surgery and this can be exacerbated by headlamps, meaning, there must also be ergonomic benefits with this new approach especially when operating in the pelvis
or vagina.”
Prof. Hashim further discussed the advantages of using the 5 mm atraumatic Semi-Blunt Galaxy II® hooks in space-restricted urological procedures: “We needed an option that can grip tissue better without traumatising it and, equally important, not causing a sharp injury to the surgeon. These hooks have characteristic advantages for the entire surgical team, offering economy of time and movement for surgeons, and requiring less surgical assistance. They provide better exposure of the surgical site, helping both the surgeons to operate and the trainees to learn. I find them particularly useful for fistulae repair and mesh removal surgeries, as they are very easy to place. They were also useful during the pandemic as there was a shortage of staff and assistance in the operating theatre.”
The 5 mm Semi-Blunt hooks bring together the best of both worlds – a strong, elastic
hold and reduced tissue trauma. They combine a reliable hold with less sharp
penetration, staying where it is placed and allowing higher loads under more tension.
The 5 mm Semi-Blunt hooks bring together the best of both worlds – a strong, elastic hold and reduced tissue trauma. They combine a reliable hold with less sharp penetration, staying where it is placed and allowing higher loads under more tension.
Effective surgical instrumentation Prof. Hashim reiterated that learning from surgeons’ feedback and real-time theatre experience is imperative in understanding the importance of effective surgical instrumentation and developing appropriate
solutions.
“JUNE Medical has continued to procure solutions to match the needs of surgeons and their patients. I have been involved with JUNE Medical for many years, ever since the early development of Galaxy II®. Angela always listens to clinicians and healthcare providers and wants to improve things for patients. She has always been very receptive to the nuances of good retraction in an operative field, and takes feedback on board and uses it,” added Prof. Hashim.