First use of NiTi Surgical Solutions' ColonRing in China
14 January 2010
NiTi Surgical Solutions has announced that its ColonRing, what
it calls the first major advance in closure for gastrointestinal surgery
in more than 30 years, has been used for the first time in colorectal
surgery in China.
The ColonRing anastomosis device was launched in the United States in
May 2008 and has been successfully applied in thousands of patients.
Utilizing the ColonRing, Prof. Cai, Director of Colorectal Cancer
Center at The Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Hospital in China
performed a sigmoidectomy (anterior resection) on a 52-year old patient.
A sigmoidectomy is the surgical removal of part or all of the sigmoid
colon, usually to remove a malignant tumor. An X-ray performed on the
third day following the procedure showed that ColonRing had remained in
place. The ring was expelled ten days post-operation and the patient has
successfully recovered.
Prof. Cai commented, βThe ColonRing anastomosis device is a
significant breakthrough in colorectal anastomosis. Surgical staples
have been used for decades, with physicians believing that surgery
complications such as leakage, bleeding and stricture were simply
inevitable. Since ColonRing is expelled from the body following surgery,
I believe this new device is an exciting advance in colorectal surgery,
and has the potential to reduce the risk of these dangerous
complications. I look forward to working with NiTi on future ColonRing
research.β
NiTi Surgical Solutions' shape memory surgical rings, clips, and
appliers represent the next generation in internal tissue-closure
devices. These devices are designed for treatment of colorectal, gastric
and upper gastrointestinal disease requiring surgical anastomosis. The
products utilizes nitinol-based elements to press together the ends of
resected tissue, enabling natural reconnection and healing of the
intestine after removing a section as part of a surgery, such as in
colon cancer treatment. In clinical practice, the technology has
demonstrated durable anastomosis with encouraging results and fewer
complications than traditional staples reported in the literature.
"We are pleased with the success and market penetration ColonRing has
achieved since its launch last year, and working with surgeons in China
is a vital initiative as we seek to expand the use of ColonRing
globally,β said Itay Itzhaky, chief executive officer of NiTi Surgical
Solutions.
"We intend to follow up this first successful application of
ColonRing with a full-scale launch in China. By establishing a national
surgeon training center at Fudan University Cancer Hospital, one of the
top three cancer centers in China, as well as training workshop centers
throughout the country, we will expand the number of hospitals in China
utilizing this breakthrough device.β