Cutting-edge surgical Instruments

The Manila Times

Cutting-edge surgical Instruments  Surgeons around the world always seek better instruments for their life-saving procedures. Some of these world-class medical devices are actually made in tiny Japanese factories. One example is the world's thinnest surgical needle. Just 0.03 mm in diameter, this needle made it possible to suture the smallest nerves and blood vessels. Another factory in Tokyo produces cutting-edge surgical scissors used by brain surgeons worldwide. This factory revised their artisan-relied production system to meet its growing demand. Surgical instruments and their production continues to evolve along with the medical care itself.  VIDEO BY MINISTRY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS OF JAPAN  Subscribe to The Manila Times Channel - https://tmt.ph/YTSubscribe  Visit our website at https://www.manilatimes.net  Follow us: Facebook - https://tmt.ph/facebook Instagram - https://tmt.ph/instagram Twitter - https://tmt.ph/twitter DailyMotion - https://tmt.ph/dailymotion  Subscribe to our Digital Edition - https://tmt.ph/digital  Check out our Podcasts: Spotify - https://tmt.ph/spotify Apple Podcasts - https://tmt.ph/applepodcasts Amazon Music - https://tmt.ph/amazonmusic Deezer: https://tmt.ph/deezer Stitcher: https://tmt.ph/stitcher Tune In: https://tmt.ph/tunein  #TheManilaTimes #DailyNews #Japan #SurgicalInstruments #Production #Medical #Surgery

Transcript

00:00 [ Music ]

00:06 The surgeon's mission is to save lives.

00:09 A mission requiring not only immense skill,

00:12 but also exquisitely precise and delicate instruments.

00:16 Surgeons around the world consider instruments made

00:20 in Japan to be among the very best.

00:23 For example, this is the world's smallest surgical instrument

00:28 developed by a Japanese manufacturer.

00:33 So small, you can barely see it.

00:35 This is the thinnest surgical needle ever made.

00:38 [ Music ]

00:43 0.03 millimeters wide, it's narrower than a human hair.

00:49 Since the thinnest needles used to be 0.1 millimeters

00:52 over three times thicker, it dramatically improved the ability

00:56 of surgeons to suture extremely small blood vessels and nerves.

01:01 [ Music ]

01:04 Here in the back street of Taitoku in downtown Tokyo,

01:08 is a small family factory that's made a name for itself worldwide.

01:12 [ Music ]

01:15 Since 1905, this factory has been making surgical equipment

01:19 to support each new advance in medical care.

01:22 [ Music ]

01:29 Their main product is surgical scissors.

01:33 Neurosurgery requires micro-level precision,

01:36 and these scissors have blades with edges as narrow as 0.08 millimeters.

01:41 A special feature is the shape of the blades.

01:46 They're slightly curved, so they cross over each other.

01:50 [ Music ]

01:55 This ensures they always press together firmly

01:58 for a smooth, precise cut.

02:01 [ Music ]

02:04 Neurosurgeons, always seeking finer instruments,

02:08 quickly realized this back street Tokyo factory was making the best

02:12 scissors for their work.

02:14 These scissors are very sharp, but they cut extremely gently.

02:20 It's essential to be gentle when working on the brain,

02:23 nerves, and blood vessels.

02:25 Nothing is more dangerous than a blunt blade.

02:27 If it doesn't cut properly, you need to use strength,

02:29 and that easily damages tissue.

02:32 And that, of course, causes harm to the patient.

02:36 This is the reason why we neurosurgeons are always looking

02:40 for better instruments.

02:42 [ Music ]

02:45 Most of the workers in this small factory are young technician types.

02:50 [ Applause ]

02:52 This is unusual in Japan's metalworking industry,

02:56 where veteran skilled artisans make everything by hand.

03:00 [ Music ]

03:03 The level of medical care is advancing year by year,

03:07 and we have to adapt our manufacturing methods in order

03:10 to keep up with changing requirements.

03:13 That means continually introducing the latest manufacturing technology.

03:18 The factory originally operated in the traditional way,

03:22 with artisans relying on experience and sense of touch,

03:25 rather than blueprints and diagrams.

03:28 But this old way of working was reaching its limits.

03:32 This was clear to Takeyama Ryushi when he took

03:34 over his family firm 20 years ago, and he decided to change everything.

03:40 To achieve higher quality,

03:43 he introduced a new precision manufacturing process

03:46 that no longer relied solely on the skill

03:49 and intuition of individual artisans.

03:52 [ Music ]

03:55 And by employing modern machinery, he reduced the need for manual labor

03:59 and dramatically improved productivity.

04:02 [ Music ]

04:06 Japan's small family factories are renowned for advanced technical skills,

04:10 but they struggle to produce in large quantities.

04:14 Takeyama had found a solution

04:15 that let him maintain quality while supplying an expanding market.

04:19 Today, his instruments are used by neurosurgeons around the world.

04:25 Surgical instruments are used inside people's bodies, so safety is paramount.

04:30 Our products must meet extremely high standards.

04:36 Easier for surgeons to use, safer for patients.

04:41 With instruments that achieve both,

04:43 this factory has gained a worldwide reputation.

04:47 Each new advance in medical treatment brings with it an evolution

04:51 in surgical equipment manufacture.

04:53 [ Music ]

04:55 [ Silence ]

05:01 [ Music ]

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