The Peak

Featured Stories

At Our Core

Overcoming Fear and Predispositions of Invincibility

This Black History Month, Olympus is spotlighting equity in healthcare through the voices of our African American Colleague Affinity Network (CAN) members. Hear from Jules Murrary, Video Clinical Specialist, as he discusses what he believes is at the root of health inequities in the African American community.

For Tanisha Heard, It’s OK to Talk about a Colonoscopy, Even Better to ‘Get to it’

Like so many, Tanisha was shocked by the untimely passing of Chadwick Boseman in 2020 at 43 years of age, widely known for his Black Panther superhero role. “He was this virile, handsome man who looked like the picture of health, and the next thing you know he’s gone. And to hear he was battling [colon cancer] for four years, and he didn’t tell anybody!” except for immediate family.
“That’s why I said, ‘if there is anything wrong, I would rather know and then deal with it.’”

Medical Technologies

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Laparoscopic Option for Live Liver Donations Offers Donor Benefits

“[Living donor hepatectomy liver transplant] is one of the most complex surgeries that can be done laparoscopically,” Dr. Kwon said in the article posted on the Cleveland Clinic site. In the U.S., laparoscopic surgery and liver transplant are two separate disciplines and few pursue both, he observed.

Exclusive Q&A with Newly Appointed Director of Olympus Innovation Ventures

Abby Hunter-Syed has always been fascinated with innovation, particularly how technologies are leveraged to improve lives. That is one of the reasons why she’s so thrilled to be appointed Director of Olympus Innovation Ventures (OIV), the $50 million venture capital arm of Olympus Corporation of the Americas. OIV does any-stage deals in emerging medical devices, diagnostics, and digital health.

COPD Explained

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that approximately 16 million people in the United States suffer from COPD, and millions more are undiagnosed. COPD is a chronic inflammatory lung disease that obstructs airflow in the lungs. Chronic lower respiratory diseases, including COPD, are the sixth leading cause of death. Although COPD cannot be cured, the symptoms can be treated.

Research Round-Up

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Lung Cancer Biomarkers: Closing the Gap from Discovery to Practice (Part 2)

Dr. Silvestri reviewed the evolving landscape of biomarker research and clinical practice guidelines. In 2013, guidelines were issued based on evidence that ALK and EGFR testing is beneficial to identify patients with these mutations who would benefit from targeted therapy.

Unsettling Statistics about Infection Prevention

In May 2022, the World Health Organization (WHO) released its first global report on infection prevention and control (IPC). This report elaborated on the fight against infection and antimicrobial resistance in addition to the impact to both patients and healthcare workers on a global scale.

Killer Stats: Thoracic Oncologist Speaks to Olympus About Lung Cancer Screening, Disparities (Part 1)

As a society, Dr. Silvestri noted that we can prevent lung cancer, or at least catch it at an earlier—and more treatable—stage through screening. He took a deep dive into the evidence supporting U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) screening guidelines, and the disparate uptake in underserved populations.

Patient Experience

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So Many Men Have This Issue, and Nobody Wants To Talk About It

When Mario Elia was in his 40s, he said he began experiencing a weakened urine stream due to what physicians deemed a “lazy urethra.” The Toronto resident didn’t experience any other symptoms generally associated with benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH), commonly known as an enlarged prostate, so it was little more than a nuisance he learned to live with for years.

Jim's iTind™ Experience

Jim has been receiving treatment for enlarged prostate, or benign prostatic hyperplasia, for almost 10 years. For most of that time, he was taking prescription medication, but when the drugs began to lose their effect, Jim and his urologist began discussing other options for treatment.

Four-Year-Old Girl with Brain Tumor Benefits from New Technology Investment at Akron Children’s Hospital

The ORBEYE™ exoscope was used during a life-saving procedure of a four-year-old girl at Akron Children’s Hospital, the first independent children’s hospital in the U.S. to purchase the ORBEYE.

At Our Core

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Medical History: A Story Worth Sharing with Family

“It’s fascinating to me to think that we might get more time to spend with my husband because of a polyp that was found in a colonoscopy case,” said Stevi. The potential benefit of prevention or the chance for early treatment justifies the vigilance to her.

4 Topics to Talk About During CRCA Month

March is Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month, a time when the discussion of colonoscopies and early screening is at its peak. Each year, Olympus Corporation produces a strong campaign internally and externally to help raise awareness of the benefits of early screening, listening to symptoms, and being proactive with your health.

What Bugs You? 7 Facts You May Not Know About Microorganisms in Endoscopy

For those of us outside these specialties, it’s still worth knowing a bit about these sometimes ubiquitous bugs that are relevant to endoscopy and other healthcare settings. Test your knowledge below, based on content curated by Olympus infection prevention specialists, available at Overview of Relevant Microorganisms in Endoscopy (olympus.com). This A-to-Z list is complete with sourced links and additional reads!

Inside Olympus

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Olympus San Jose Celebrates New State-of-the-art Site

On Friday, November 18th, Olympus Corporation of the Americas (OCA) had the opportunity to commemorate the relocation of its San Jose, CA, operations to a larger, newly designed, state-of-the-art facility. This 100,000 square-foot building features approximately 40,000 square feet of production space, 535 parking spaces, and 24 conference, training, huddle, and focus rooms with a sweeping view of Silicon Valley.

Making A Difference One Product At A Time

When Inna Brockman first came to Olympus, it wasn’t due to Olympus’ reputation in the medical device industry, but an opportunity that inspired her.
“I always heard about Olympus,” she explained. “But I stumbled on [the job listing] by accident… [and it] kind of spoke to me.”

Spotlight on Talent: Scott Pfeifer

The development of single-use bronchoscopes and navigational tools and instruments requires top software talent, and Scott says his team is amazing to work with.

Overcoming Fear and Predispositions of Invincibility

For Tanisha Heard, It’s OK to Talk about a Colonoscopy, Even Better to ‘Get to it’

Pancreatic Cancer: From Knowledge Comes Strength

GI Societies Respond to Northern European Colonoscopy Study