Friday, May 14, 2010

Ethicon Endo-Surgery Introduces Two New Staplers for Open Surgical Procedures at ASCRS


MINNEAPOLIS, May 14 /PRNewswire/ -- Ethicon Endo-Surgery (EES) today announced the launch of two new surgical staplers designed to optimize efficiencies and compression during open surgery. The Ethicon Endo-Surgery Linear Cutter 55/75, engineered with novel staple technology and selectable staple heights in one cartridge, provides superior hemostasis(i) for patients and improved efficiencies to surgeons, nurses and facility administrations. The Ethicon Endo-Surgery Intraluminal Stapler (ILS), designed with a new tissue compression scale, provides surgeons improved flexibility and control so that they can address the individual needs of each patient. The products, which are the latest additions to the company's portfolio of solutions for colorectal surgery, will be featured at the Annual Meeting of the American Society of Colon and Rectal Surgeons (ASCRS), May 15-19, 2010 inMinneapolis.

Both surgical staplers were designed in collaboration with surgeons to be used in colorectal, bariatric and general procedures. The new products address the variability of tissue compression. Tissue compression—or the measurement of tissue density—prior to stapling is required with all surgical staplers to reliably deliver a staple line with proper staple formation. The optimal amount of compression is variable and affected by multiple factors such as the type, condition and thickness of targeted tissue. Tissue may vary in thickness and compressibility from patient to patient, as well as within an individual's GI tract. This variability extends to the amount of compression needed for effective hemostasis.

"The importance of stapling is a critical aspect of surgery that should not be underestimated. There are several variables that must be taken into account—sometimes during the procedure— in order to prevent post-surgical complications such as hemostasis," said Larry Sasaki, M.D.* at North Louisiana Surgery Center & Louisiana State University School of Medicine at Shreveport. "Advancements in stapling technology that secure tissue better and give surgeons the ability to make adjustments during the procedure based on varying tissue conditions is a welcome improvement over previous stapling instrumentation available for open surgery."

The EES Linear Cutter 55/75 (available in 55mm and 75mm lengths) employs an innovative and novel 3-D staple technology, which produces angled, parallel staple legs that overlap, unlike traditional surgical staples. In addition, the EES Linear Cutter 55/75 staples are deployed in a row of six instead of four. These innovations produce a unique staple line, delivering optimal tissue compression and superior hemostasis(i). The new EES Linear Cutter is also enhanced with:

  • a single cartridge that contains three different staple heights, enabling surgeons to select staple height during surgery – based on the individual tissue thickness of the patient - without switching cartridges.
  • an intermediate locking mechanism which allows for easier, one-handed tissue manipulation, allowing surgeons to gently interact with tissue.