New Suturing Tool for Endoscopists Enables Less Invasive Procedures

Currently, endoscopists are limited in their surgical possibilities; as traditional endoscopes have the therapeutic channels ‘locked’ in the endoscope axis, leaving the endoscopist single-handed. Now, a new system designed for endoscopic placement of suture(s) and approximation of soft tissue in the gastrointestinal tract provides degrees of freedom comparable to the hands of a surgeon, enabling enhanced maneuverability.

The endomina system from Endo Tools Therapeutics (Gosselies, Belgium) is comprised of a triangulation platform and suturing units (TAPES). It can be affixed to various tested standard endoscopes, providing a bendable therapeutic channel that can move independently. Physicians will be able to perform suturing like a laparoscopic intervention but through a natural orifice, the mouth. The endomina is the only triangulation technology that can be assembled and disassembled at will inside the stomach for a greater working space and easy introduction of instruments into the esophagus.

The triangulation platform enables an endoscopist to position different instruments relative to one another. Forceps can be used to grab and pull tissue inside endomina to make a plication. With endomina, pairs of tissue plications can be approximated and stitched to one another. By extending reach through the endomina platform, an endoscopist will be able to perform suturing similar to a laparoscopic intervention, but through the mouth. The endomina system is CE marked and has received 510k clearance in the U.S. More than 500 procedures have already been performed with the company's devices globally.

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Endo Tools Therapeutics