Closure System for Laparoscopic Surgery

A new closure system is designed to ensure complete wound closure after laparoscopic surgery and prevent postsurgical herniation in obese patients, a common complication among those patients.

Herniation, or a rupture of muscle tissue, is a relatively common complication of laparoscopic surgery, and obese patients have a greater risk of developing hernias at an incision site. Full-thickness closure of the four layers of the abdominal wall prevents this problem. Hand suturing is especially difficult in obese patients, and the new closure system puts full-thickness closure within reach of these patients. Called the Carter-Thomason Closure System XL, the system was named the 2004 Innovative Product of the Year by the Society of Laparoendoscopic Surgeons.

The new system was developed by Inlet Medical, Inc. (Eden Prairie, MN, USA) and is based on the company's Carter-Thomason CloseSure system, which has been marketed since 1998. The number of U.S. bariatric procedures is increasing rapidly. In 2002, 63,000 were performed, of which 15% were laparoscopic. In 2006, an estimated 250,000 procedures will be performed, with 85% completed laparoscopically.

"As the number of obese patients increases, physicians require specialized surgical tools to ensure the best possible outcomes for this challenging patient group,” said Lee Jones, president and CEO of Inlet Medical. "With this surgical system, physicians can close incisions completely, prevent herniation at the site, and improve outcomes without extending surgical time.”





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