Korea Hosts Global Uroendoscopy Scholars; Which Company Did They Focus On?
For the first time in Korea, the 41st World Congress of Endourology and Uro-Technology (WCET 2024) was held, attracting scholars from all over the world.
Alongside global medical device companies, Korean medical device companies also took this opportunity to actively participate in exhibitions and promotions, putting forth a concerted effort.
The scholars gathered showed particular interest in the 'URUS', the first Korean company that developed a single-use flexible ureteroscope with a 6 o'clock working channel, continually visiting the booth.
The World Society of Endourology held the 41st WCET at COEX from the 12th to the 16th, in cooperation with the Korean Society of Endourology and Robotics, marking the first time this conference was held in Korea at COEX.
WCET 2024 is internationally recognized as the most authoritative conference in the field of urological endoscopy, heldwith participation from scholars and experts from 90 countries.
Originally, this conference was set to be held in Korea for the first time in 2022 after a competitive selection during the 2018 conference in Paris, France, but was postponed for two years due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Many world-renowned scholars attended this event.
Professor John Denstedt visited Korea, and Fernando J Kim, the South-Central Section AUA President, attended the conference.
Additionally, professors such as Glenn M Preminger from Duke University Medical School and Dirk Lange, chairman of the World Society of Urological Stents, also attended, serving as chairpersons.
These individuals not only attended the conference sessions but also showed keen interest in the various corporate line-ups presented at the exhibition booths.
Particularly, the exhibition site of URUS by Dyne Medical Group drew attention due to its uniqueness of being the first domestic urological endoscope and having the working channel positioned in the 6 o'clock direction.
Professor Glenn Preminger of Duke University Medical School, when asked how he views the 6 o'clock working channel, responded that "It makes a lot more sense."
What are the advantages of the 6 o'clock working channel URUS? "Wide field of view and angle."
Many experts attended the semi-live surgery to see the actual technique through URUS.
At the conference, Professor Sung Yong Cho from Seoul National University Hospital conducted a semi-live surgery session on the advantages of URUS, which attracted attention. Professor Cho, chairman of the Asian Society of Urology & Technology at Seoul National University, cited the wide field of view and angle as advantages of URUS.
Additionally, he mentioned the ease of removal after stone extraction and the convenience during PCNL (percutaneous nephrolithotomy) as another strength.
Professor Cho noted, "Currently, all other ureteroscopes have working channels positioned at 3 and 9 o'clock, which leads to a lopsided field of view."
When the working channel is at 3 o'clock and the camera is at 9 o'clock, there is an inevitable grey area during procedures on the right kidney, and the same issue arises on the left kidney in the opposite case.
However, with URUS, the working channel is at 6 o'clock and the camera at 12 o'clock, allowing clear visibility and procedures without any grey area for both right and left kidneys.
Professor Cho added, "The devices at the 3 and 9 o'clock positions have so far required the surgeon to twist their wrist more to secure visibility, leading to higher fatigue. However, the 6 o'clock position, with a 270-degree rotation angle, eliminates the need for this, significantly reducing fatigue."
He especially mentioned the ease of access to the lower pole of the kidney as an advantage of URUS.
Many attendees flocked to the booth of Dyne Medical Group at this conference. The 3 and 9 o'clock positions only allow access from either the left or right, but the 6 o'clock position enables access from all directions.
Professor Cho Sung-yong said, "Especially the 6 o'clock working channel offers a very advantageous position for lower pole kidney stones, allowing easy access to the stones and more comfortable extraction through a balanced field of view."
He continued, "Especially during PCNL, when two endoscopes need to be inserted, there was previously a discrepancy when viewing the monitors from both the 6 o'clock and either the 3 or 9 o'clock positions. However, with the 6 o'clock working channel URUS, this issue has been completely resolved as the field of view is the same."
As soon as the first 6 o'clock working channel was introduced, various questions were raised.
Professor Fernando J Kim, who chaired the panel, asked if the 6 o'clock working channel also provides convenience in using tools (Basket) for stone removal after the procedure.
In response, Professor Cho said, "Based on various procedures, the approach using tools (Basket) at the 6 o'clock position was far more effective compared to having working channels at the 3 o'clock and 9 o'clock positions," adding, "This approach is very advantageous as the stone fragments fall into a field of view that is easily secured."
He continued, "From a clinician's perspective, I believe URUS is truly a game changer. It has addressed the drawbacks of endoscopy at the 3 o'clock and 9 o'clock positions and solved the durability issues of flexible endoscopes, also offering great advantages in lower surgeries and basket access," he added.
Korea Hosts Global Uroendoscopy Scholars; Which Company Did They Focus On?
For the first time in Korea, the 41st World Congress of Endourology and Uro-Technology (WCET 2024) was held, attracting scholars from all over the world.
Alongside global medical device companies, Korean medical device companies also took this opportunity to actively participate in exhibitions and promotions, putting forth a concerted effort.
The scholars gathered showed particular interest in the 'URUS', the first Korean company that developed a single-use flexible ureteroscope with a 6 o'clock working channel, continually visiting the booth.
The World Society of Endourology held the 41st WCET at COEX from the 12th to the 16th, in cooperation with the Korean Society of Endourology and Robotics, marking the first time this conference was held in Korea at COEX.
WCET 2024 is internationally recognized as the most authoritative conference in the field of urological endoscopy, heldwith participation from scholars and experts from 90 countries.
Originally, this conference was set to be held in Korea for the first time in 2022 after a competitive selection during the 2018 conference in Paris, France, but was postponed for two years due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Many world-renowned scholars attended this event.
Professor John Denstedt visited Korea, and Fernando J Kim, the South-Central Section AUA President, attended the conference.
Additionally, professors such as Glenn M Preminger from Duke University Medical School and Dirk Lange, chairman of the World Society of Urological Stents, also attended, serving as chairpersons.
These individuals not only attended the conference sessions but also showed keen interest in the various corporate line-ups presented at the exhibition booths.
Particularly, the exhibition site of URUS by Dyne Medical Group drew attention due to its uniqueness of being the first domestic urological endoscope and having the working channel positioned in the 6 o'clock direction.
Professor Glenn Preminger of Duke University Medical School, when asked how he views the 6 o'clock working channel, responded that "It makes a lot more sense."
What are the advantages of the 6 o'clock working channel URUS? "Wide field of view and angle."
Many experts attended the semi-live surgery to see the actual technique through URUS.
At the conference, Professor Sung Yong Cho from Seoul National University Hospital conducted a semi-live surgery session on the advantages of URUS, which attracted attention. Professor Cho, chairman of the Asian Society of Urology & Technology at Seoul National University, cited the wide field of view and angle as advantages of URUS.
Additionally, he mentioned the ease of removal after stone extraction and the convenience during PCNL (percutaneous nephrolithotomy) as another strength.
Professor Cho noted, "Currently, all other ureteroscopes have working channels positioned at 3 and 9 o'clock, which leads to a lopsided field of view."
When the working channel is at 3 o'clock and the camera is at 9 o'clock, there is an inevitable grey area during procedures on the right kidney, and the same issue arises on the left kidney in the opposite case.
However, with URUS, the working channel is at 6 o'clock and the camera at 12 o'clock, allowing clear visibility and procedures without any grey area for both right and left kidneys.
Professor Cho added, "The devices at the 3 and 9 o'clock positions have so far required the surgeon to twist their wrist more to secure visibility, leading to higher fatigue. However, the 6 o'clock position, with a 270-degree rotation angle, eliminates the need for this, significantly reducing fatigue."
He especially mentioned the ease of access to the lower pole of the kidney as an advantage of URUS.
Many attendees flocked to the booth of Dyne Medical Group at this conference. The 3 and 9 o'clock positions only allow access from either the left or right, but the 6 o'clock position enables access from all directions.
Professor Cho Sung-yong said, "Especially the 6 o'clock working channel offers a very advantageous position for lower pole kidney stones, allowing easy access to the stones and more comfortable extraction through a balanced field of view."
He continued, "Especially during PCNL, when two endoscopes need to be inserted, there was previously a discrepancy when viewing the monitors from both the 6 o'clock and either the 3 or 9 o'clock positions. However, with the 6 o'clock working channel URUS, this issue has been completely resolved as the field of view is the same."
As soon as the first 6 o'clock working channel was introduced, various questions were raised.
Professor Fernando J Kim, who chaired the panel, asked if the 6 o'clock working channel also provides convenience in using tools (Basket) for stone removal after the procedure.
In response, Professor Cho said, "Based on various procedures, the approach using tools (Basket) at the 6 o'clock position was far more effective compared to having working channels at the 3 o'clock and 9 o'clock positions," adding, "This approach is very advantageous as the stone fragments fall into a field of view that is easily secured."
He continued, "From a clinician's perspective, I believe URUS is truly a game changer. It has addressed the drawbacks of endoscopy at the 3 o'clock and 9 o'clock positions and solved the durability issues of flexible endoscopes, also offering great advantages in lower surgeries and basket access," he added.