Laparoscopic Surgery
NEW TECHNOLOGY for Our Patients' Safety

Guillermo Ponce De Leon, MD, FACS, is board certified through the American Board of Surgery. To schedule an appointment with Dr. Ponce De Leon, call 888-253-1668.

Methodist Sugar Land Hospital has aquired the latest technology for protecting patients undergoing laparoscopic surgery. It is the first hospital in Fort Bend County to convert to active electrode monitoring (AEM) instrumentation, a monitoring system that shields the patient from harmful electrosurgical burns.

Identifying Risks
Becky Chalupa, MS, RN, CNOR, director of surgery, explains, "During laparoscopic surgery, electrical currents run through insulated instruments to cut and vaporize tissue. Unintentional burns to tissue can occur when electricity leaks or comes in contact with other instruments or tissue."

Without AEM technology, it is difficult to identify instruments that could potentially leak dangerous electric current. Although rare, the outcome of a burn to an internal organ can cause serious injury. In these uncommon cases, complications of a burn may go unnoticed or be mistaken for normal postsurgery pain or sickness, further compounding the risk for severe infection and/or irreversible tissue damage.

Protection with AEM Technology
Because of these serious safety concerns, Methodist Sugar Land Hospital invested in AEM technology. "AEM laparoscopic instruments have built-in monitoring technology that detects insulation failure," Chalupa says. "The monitor continually counts the electrons that leave and return to the instruments. An alarm sounds and the electrosurgical unit automatically shuts down if fewer electrons return than
are released."

Guillermo Ponce De Leon, MD, FACS, adds, "At Methodist Sugar Land Hospital, we perform approximately 500 laparoscopic procedures annually. The AEM technology does not compromise the surgeons' techniques or lengthen time spent in the operating room. It helps us create a safer surgical environment for every patient. I am so pleased with the decision to purchase this technology."

In Good Hands
Since implementing the technology at Methodist Sugar Land Hospital, there have been no reported cases of electrical burns during laparoscopic surgery. AEM technology meets The Joint Commission standards for patient safety and is recognized by the Emergency Care Research Institute.

"AEM technology is emerging as a standard of care in minimally invasive surgery," says Dr. Ponce De Leon. "The hospital's initial and ongoing investment in this technology shows a commitment to make patient safety the highest priority."