VirtaMed News

Tuttlingen, Germany / Schlieren, Switzerland

The endoscopy specialist KARL STORZ realized the significance of medical training and further education from the start. As a medical product manufacturer steeped in the tradition of endoscopy, the company from Tuttlingen has long initiated and supported training events for medical professionals. Today the KARL STORZ course directory includes 3000 training events in various medical disciplines. High-tech simulators now complement this comprehensive range of courses.

A cooperation with VirtaMed AG, Schlieren (Switzerland) brings an entirely new dimension to the quality of medical training. Simulators developed by KARL STORZ in conjunction with the Swiss experts in virtual reality enable medical practitioners to acquire surgical skills and manage complications in a highly realistic training environment using original endoscopes and instruments. This has led to long-lasting improvements in the quality of medical simulation and hence in the training of surgical procedures. Consequently, the specialist knowledge in endoscopy from KARL STORZ combined with the highly innovative know-how from VirtaMed allow medical training and education to benefit from these tremendous developments in virtual reality simulation.

"It has always been our objective to combine our extensive expertise in minimally invasive surgery with the possibilities offered by virtual reality training“, says Dr. Peter Solleder, Executive Director, New Applications at KARL STORZ. "We are happy to have found a partner in VirtaMed AG that allows our specialist knowledge to be consolidated with the technical possibilities and developments in virtual reality simulation for the benefit of medical training and education."

This technology and distribution partnership aims to provide an even more refined and sophisticated training of physicians in handling KARL STORZ equipment. It is also an excellent opportunity for VirtaMed to optimize medical training and the quality of patient care. Dr. Stefan Tuchschmid, CEO VirtaMed AG: "KARL STORZ is a well-established global company that has always been committed to the training and education of surgeons and medical professionals. Together we now have the opportunity to offer the best possible training and to catapult surgical training into the 21st century! “

Three simulator models are currently available for the specialties gynecology, urology and arthroscopy, all adapted to instruments from KARL STORZ. These systems are designed for use in medical training centers as well as clinics. "Each simulator is optimized to the specific demands of each medical speciality and endoscopy. This makes the training of physicians more efficient and offers ideal preparation for managing complications in a completely risk-free environment", explains Dr. Peter Solleder.

Contact

KARL STORZ GmbH & Co. KG
Mittelstr. 8, 78532 Tuttlingen
Deutschland
www.karlstorz.com

simulation@karlstorz.com
Tel.: +49 7461 708-0
Fax: +49 7461 708-105 VirtaMed AG
Rütistrasse 12, 8952 Schlieren, Zürich
Schweiz
www.virtamed.com

Asta Breitenmoser
Director Marketing & Communications
breitenmoser@virtamed.com
Tel: +41 44 500 96 91
Fax: +41 44 500 96 94

About KARL STORZ GmbH & Co. KG
KARL STORZ GmbH & Co. KG, Tuttlingen (Germany) is one of the leading global suppliers of endoscopes, endoscopic instruments, and devices for more than 15 specialties in human medicine. The company also offers solutions for veterinary medicine and for industrial applications. KARL STORZ designs and manufactures products with an emphasis on visionary design, precise workmanship, and clinical effectiveness. The family company was founded by Dr. med. h. c. Karl Storz in Tuttlingen in 1945. KARL STORZ currently employs almost 2000 people at the company headquarters in Tuttlingen and a total of 7100 in 42 countries worldwide. The most recent KARL STORZ developments are in digital documentation systems and comprehensive operating room concepts. In April 2014, the business magazine Wirtschaftswoche deemed to be the most innovative among German small and medium-sized companies. For further information please visit www.karlstorz.com.

About VirtaMed AG
VirtaMed is a Swiss company with an interdisciplinary background in medicine and engineering. Our mission is to develop state-of-the-art training tools for endoscopic surgery of highest possible realism, all with the ultimate goal to improve the quality of patient care. VirtaMed’s virtual reality simulators provide instructional teaching and training of different diagnostic and therapeutic endoscopic interventions. The simulator family includes VirtaMed HystSim™ for hysteroscopic interventions, -VirtaMed UroSim™ for prostate resection, laser BPH and bladder tumors, VirtaMed ArthroS™ for knee and shoulder arthroscopy and VirtaMed PelvicSim™ for IUD insertion and hysteroscopy. Teaching institutions and medical device companies use VirtaMed’s simulators globally for education and hands-on training. For more information on upcoming events and demo opportunities please visit www.virtamed.com.