SurgiQuest granted FDA marketing clearance for AnchorPort Single Incision Laparoscopy Kit device

May 21 2010

SurgiQuest, Inc., announced today that it has received 510(k) clearance from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration ("FDA") to market the Company's new line of advanced 5mm AnchorPort® Trocars indicated for use as a Single Incision Laparoscopy Kit (SILK).

SurgiQuest pioneered the world's first and only trocar with an integrated elastomeric, stretchable cannula system that goes in elongated and self adjusts to accommodate the patient' abdominal wall thickness. Because the elastomeric cannulas have a softer outer skin it is gentler on tissue thereby minimizing tissue trauma.

The AnchorPort® Cannula's distal tip softly anchors in place within the abdominal cavity and does not pull out prematurely like rigid, fixed-length conventional trocars from other manufacturers.  Conventional rigid and fixed length trocars protrude into the abdominal cavity which can cause crisscross hand instrument "sword fighting" which severely limits operating maneuverability.  The AnchorPort® SILK device offers surgeons unprecedented freedom of movement for increased accuracy and efficiency during single incision laparoscopic surgery.

"We believe that this is breakthrough for single incision surgery," said Mr. Kurt Azarbarzin, SurgiQuest's Founder and CEO, "Every surgeon who has used the AnchorPort® SILK device to date has told us that they prefer it because it makes the single incision procedure that much easier to perform."

AnchorPort® SILK device is the only Single Incision Laparoscopy system that offers bladeless, optical entry to provide the surgeon direct visualization of all tissue layers during abdominal entry for enhanced patient safety.  During the procedure the surgeon makes a 1 inch skin incision through which three or more tiny cannula ports are placed strategically apart to provide optimal intra-abdominal access.  After the procedure the patient is left with a 1-inch belly button scar that becomes essentially invisible after healing. Additionally, AnchorPort® 5mm trocars are also ideal for GYN and pediatric patients."