Ethicon Endo-Surgery introduces the Echelon Flex Endopath Stapler at the 95th ACS Congress

Oct 12 2009

Ethicon Endo-Surgery today announced the launch of the Echelon Flex(TM) Endopath® Stapler, which delivers system wide compression in a novel way through the first and only articulating mechanical endocutter designed to be fully operated with one hand. The one-handed design of the device, which builds upon other proven Echelon(TM) Endopath® products with the addition of a wider jaw and natural articulation, is intended to provide surgeons with improved access and precision in placing the device during surgery to help reduce tissue damage and surgical instrument exchanges. The endocutter is used to cut and staple tissue in a variety of surgical procedures, including bariatric, thoracic, colorectal, gynecologic, urologic and general surgery. The company unveiled the new product at the 95th Annual Clinical Congress of the American College of Surgeons (ACS).

"There has been a strong desire among surgeons for a one-handed, articulating mechanical stapler, so the Echelon Flex(TM) Endopath® has the potential to fill that demand," said Alan Wittgrove, M.D., laparoscopic gastric bypass surgeon of the Wittgrove Bariatric Surgery Center and former president of the American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery. "For me, this latest device from the Echelon product line is the most intuitive stapler I've used. A surgeon's ability to gently and precisely manipulate tissue is a critical component when evaluating the overall success of a surgery. Improved access through articulation in an endocutter can help improve the surgical experience for the surgeon."

As surgical devices have evolved to enable minimally invasive surgery, a surgeon's physical interaction with tissue has increasingly become more complex and to some degree, indirect. To help surgeons reduce tissue damage associated with the use of an endocutter, tissue dynamics, and the way in which devices interact with tissue, were at the forefront in the design and development of the Echelon Flex(TM) Endopath® Stapler.

The Echelon Flex(TM) Endopath® Stapler is equipped with a wide proximal-to-distal jaw to provide easy tissue positioning and facilitate gentle manipulation. The natural articulation capabilities of the endocutter, combined with the one-handed operation of the device, represent a significant advancement when compared to traditional lever-based, two-handed endocutters. Surgeons will gain greater access to transection sites that are difficult to reach and increase their precision in placing the device. As with the entire Echelon(TM) line, system wide compression may provide more consistent staple formation for hemostasis in a wide variety of tissue thickness. Proper staple formation is critical to providing hemostasis and avoiding leaks.

The ability to operate the Echelon Flex(TM) Endopath® Stapler with one hand may also reduce instrument exchange between surgeon and surgical team, decreasing interruptions and enhancing focus on the surgical field. The one-handed operation capabilities are complemented by a shorter grip span intended to improve comfort and ease of use for surgeons.

The Echelon Flex(TM) Endopath® Stapler, designed in collaboration with surgeons, is the latest offering from the company's Echelon(TM) Endopath® line of surgical stapling products, which have been uniquely developed to grasp, hold and manipulate tissue without the use of a second device. As with all Ethicon Endo-Surgery products, the Echelon(TM) Endopath® line is designed to enable the surgeon to attain the desired patient outcome. Understanding tissue dynamics and the effects of surgery upon the tissue is at the foundation of product development at Ethicon Endo-Surgery.