New surgical procedure for effective thermofusion and dissection of vessels
SurgRx and ERBE Elektromedizin sign international distribution agreement
The Californian company SurgRx and ERBE Elektromedizin of Tubingen, Germany, have negotiated an international distribution agreement for the EnSealTM PTC tissue sealing and hemostasis system.
Erbe Elektromedizin agreed to be the exclusive distributor in Europe for the sale of the EnSeal product, which will be powered by the ERBE VIO 300D electrosurgical system.
SurgRx will retain manufacturing rights and sell the EnSeal product to Erbe, which has the exclusive distribution rights in Europe. Both products have recently been shown with great success at Medica in Dusseldorf, the world’s largest medical trade show. EnSeal sales activities start at the beginning of December 2006.
SurgRx designs, manufactures and markets the EnSeal PTC tissue sealing and hemostasis system. The company is committed to the research and product development that provides effective, safe and cost-effective solutions for challenging surgical problems. Its system makes it possible for surgeons to seal and transect small and large vessels, large pedicles and tissue bundles while achieving surgical hemostasis.
SurgRx president and chief executive officer David Clapper said: ‘This agreement will combine two state-of-the-art technology components for optimal tissue sealing and hemostasis. We are proud to join Erbe to provide this quality combination to our customers across Europe.’
Erbe managing director Christian O. Erbe added: ‘The combination of the superior EnSeal instrument and the universal VIO 300D electrosurgical workstation provides our customers with an even wider range of applications and state-of-the-art tissue and vessel-sealing technology.’ Erbe Elektromedizin GmbH has been researching, developing and producing electrosurgical and other electromedical equipment and accessories for generations.
The EnSeal PTC (positive temperature control) combined with the intelligent regulation of the ERBE VIO electrosurgical system offers improved vessel-sealing quality. A US study has shown it is possible to thermofuse vessels up to 7mm diameter to create a seal capable of withstanding burst pressures of up to 900mmHG. Figures of this magnitude have not been achieved by any other comparable procedure to date.
The electrical resistance of the PTC electrodes embedded in the thermo-synthetic material of the jaw of the EnSeal changes depending on the temperature, thereby regulating the flow of current and the development of heat in the tissue.
This temperature regulation reduces lateral damage (thermal spread) to a minimum and spares adjacent structures. Irrespective of the individual properties of the tissue, the grasped tissue is homogeneously thermofused without carbonisation and with only minimal smoke plume. The operating surgeon has good visibility at the operative site and can carry out coagulations, preparations and dissections quickly and safely with a single instrument.
In addition to the thermoenergy advantages, the clamping/cutting function integrated in the jaw also contributes to the effective sealing of vessels and tissue. During subsequent dissection, injuries to adjacent structures are excluded. The embedded cutting mechanism (I-blade) severs the fusion seam exactly down the middle, leaving a homogeneous, identically fused margin on either side, creating a good safety margin.
When combined with the ERBE VIO system, the VIO’s BiClamp mode reacts dynamically to the quality of the individual tissue and automatically adjusts the current output. Once the optimal degree of vessel or tissue fusion has been achieved, the electrosurgical activation is automatically switched off - an additional safety factor.
High standards of tissue sealing are an important contribution to safety during applications - particularly in laparoscopic procedures - for an optimal surgical result and the wellbeing of the patient.
For more information:
www.erbe-med.de or www.surgrx.com
27.12.2006
