Alesi Surgical, a pioneering company in the field of surgical technology dedicated to combating surgical smoke in operating theatres, has announced that it has completed a £7 million funding round led by IW Capital and supported by existing shareholders IP Group and Mercia Ventures.
Surgical smoke is produced in around 90% of surgical procedures, which are estimated to number 266 million per year. The smoke impairs surgeons’ visibility and exposes healthcare staff and patients to harmful aerosols and particulates. Although 95% of surgical smoke consists of water, the remaining 5% may contain viruses, bacteria and harmful chemicals. This poses both a short-term risk of infection and a long-term risk of toxicity to operating theatre staff.
Historically, the adoption of smoke management solutions has been limited by bulky extraction systems that disrupt the surgical workflow. However, growing regulatory momentum, led by the United States – where 20 states have now passed legislation – is driving a shift towards smoke-free operating theatres, which are becoming the standard of care.
The proprietary technology behind Alesi’s Ultravision platform offers an innovative alternative to existing products. It uses electrostatic precipitation to actively remove smoke as soon as it is generated, rather than relying on mechanical suction and filtration. The first-generation Ultravision system has already been used in over 50,000 laparoscopic and robotic mini-incision procedures in Europe, the United States and Japan, and independent industry studies have shown that, in laparoscopic surgery, smoke is removed from the atmosphere up to 225 times faster than with competing technologies. There are also a host of benefits for patients. The technology reduces the strain on the body by allowing surgeons to operate at lower abdominal pressure during laparoscopic and robotic procedures, reducing CO₂ usage by up to 82% whilst maintaining a clear surgical field. This approach is associated with shorter operating times, as well as better patient outcomes and faster recovery, at a lower cost per procedure compared to other advanced technologies available.
In addition to minimally invasive procedures, the new-generation Ultravision2 system, recently approved by the regulatory authorities, can also be used in open surgery procedures, where current solutions have proved unpopular, described by surgeons as inefficient, bulky, uncomfortable, cumbersome and noisy. The Ultravision2 system also offers users the option of using Alesi’s surgical instruments, which combine its advanced smoke management capabilities with tissue dissection functionality. The funding will support the international commercial expansion and further development of Alesi’s Ultravision2 platform, against a backdrop of tightening regulations on smoke control.
Dominic Griffiths, founder and CEO of Alesi Surgical, said in a statement: “Electrosurgical instruments have transformed modern surgery, but they also generate surgical fumes that compromise the quality and efficiency of procedures and pose risks to operating theatre staff. For years, available solutions have required a trade-off between effectiveness and disruption to workflow, slowing adoption across the industry. As awareness grows that smoke management is an integral part of surgical safety and efficiency, solutions that tackle smoke at source, such as the FDA-approved and CE-marked Ultravision2, are becoming increasingly important in supporting the next generation of minimally invasive and robotic procedures.”
Isobel Egemole, Head of Investments at IW Capital, says: “Surgical smoke is becoming an increasingly important priority for hospitals, which face challenges relating to both visibility and safety in the operating theatre, driven by a growing regulatory and compliance environment.” Solutions that integrate seamlessly into surgical workflows will shape the next phase of adoption. Alesi Surgical offers a fundamentally different approach to smoke management that tackles the problem at source. As the industry moves towards the standardisation of smoke-free operating theatres, Ultravision2 is well-positioned to play a key role. (Photo by Navy Medicine on Unsplash)
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