The WILD Group supplies various areas of multi-functional, high-tech operating theatres with a wide array of applications. Moreover, the Group is working together with customers on solutions for the surgery of tomorrow.

The operating theatre is one of the most sensitive areas in a hospital. Surgery is thus considered a supreme discipline among physicians and medical device manufacturers alike. Today‘s intelligent, multi-media operating theatres are full of high-tech equipment. These devices meet the most stringent quality requirements and incorporate technical innovations that make operations less taxing for surgeons and safer for patients. From hardware, such as floor stands for microscope swivel arms, to active disposables and lighting in the operating theatre: as a highly specialised all-rounder, the WILD Group supplies a plethora of devices and applications for operating theatres. Behind all this is an enormous development potential, a strong partner network, and expertise in electronics, optics, precision mechanics and software that almost no other company can cover at such a high level.

FUNDAMENTALLY STABLE
Let‘s start our journey through the operating theatre with an area considered essential for greater precision: optimal visibility of the area of intervention. This can be achieved through a combination of state-of-the-art microscopes and reliable floor stands, like the ones  manufactured by WILD. WILD supplies a stand for one of the leading manufacturers on the market which allows for a long reach and thus greater freedom of movement at the operating table, high flexibility when positioning it inside the operating theatre and utmost stability against vibration.

INTELLIGENT SURGERY LIGHT
Photonic produces one of the light sources for this system. Their surgery competence, however, reaches far beyond that. Whenever light is required on the operating table, the WILD Group‘s lighting specialist delivers customised solutions in different wavelengths. For instance, Photonic adapts high-power LED modules for endoscopy, surgical microscopy and fluorescence imaging specifically to the customer‘s
requirements so that they can be integrated into any existing lighting system. Light quality, however, also plays a crucial role in the  operating theatre itself. Performing concentrated visual examinations for hours on end is a mental and physical feat for physicians, during which they rely on optimal and, at the same time, flexible illumination. It makes a great difference whether the area of intervention is right under the physician‘s eyes or whether they have to navigate on screen during minimally invasive procedures. Too much light would cause disturbing reflections on the screen. In invasive surgery, however, a high colour rendering index and optimum illumination are required.
Photonic managed to meet both these requirements in a single surgery light. ”In ENDO mode, the light is reduced to a minimum to place the focus on the video signal of the endoscope camera, while keeping the surgical site visible for the assisting staff“, Stefan Zotter explains.

ACTIVE MEDICAL DEVICES
The fact that medical interventions today are becoming ever quicker and more precise can also be attributed to the use of complex,  powerful assist devices for computer-aided surgery. When products of this kind are used in direct contact with the patient, two key factors are decisive: They must be designed to operate correctly even after multiple sterilisation cycles, and it is also essential to choose the correct sterilisation method. The procedure becomes complex when active instruments are involved. WILD has proven a competent partner in these cases, with many years of experience in the development and manufacturing of active medical devices. ”In many projects, we are already involved in the design phase, where we contribute our expertise to the selection of the right surfaces and materials and support our  customers in making their products fit for cleanroom serial production“, says Alfred Michalek, Head of Quality Management at WILD.

3D PRINTERS FOR STATE-OF-THE-ART MEDICINE
An innovative 3D printer manufactured and assembled completely by WILD for an Austrian customer is specifically tailored to the  conditions of medical and dental applications. The device can manufacture top-quality components that possess outstanding biocompatible properties and allow for an almost unlimited range of geometries. This 3D printer combines industrial scalability and reliable compliance with medical specifications, for anything ranging from mandibular implants to perfectly tailored dental crowns. The great advantage of this modular device lies in its speed: at 150 layers per hour, it allows for cost-efficient serial production of high-performance ceramics.

MEDICAL ROBOTICS: THE FUTURE IS HERE
Higher requirements such as time and innovation pressure, physical and cognitive stress, lack of staff or the constant influx of new technological developments make working in operating theatres an increasingly complex task for medical staff. Several modern operating theatres are already using medical robotics systems as a solution to this problem. These offer unbeatably stable hands, they sew more precisely than humans, minimise blood loss and give physicians an unprecedented view of the surgery process. ”Robotics is one of the major future topics in surgery and WILD‘s experience and expertise in electronics, mechatronics, kinematics and software makes us an important partner for the development and implementation of innovative medical technology in the future“, believes Manfred Gallé, Head of Business Unit Medical Technology at WILD.