Ethicon Shapes the Future of Surgery in the Fight Against Obesity and Metabolic Disease at IFSO 2015

VIENNA, Austria, Aug. 26, 2015 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Ethicon, a leader in advancing bariatric and metabolic surgery  for over 20 years, highlighted the company's products and solutions, and commitment to addressing obesity and related diseases at the 20^th World Congress of the International Federation for the Surgery of Obesity and Metabolic Diseases (IFSO 2015).

The World Health Organization has stated that obesity is one of today's most blatantly visible, yet most neglected, public health problems.[1]  Nearly 30 percent of the world's population – 2.1 billion people – is overweight or obese, which costs the global economy $2 trillion annually. [2] Obesity is a medical disease, not a lifestyle choice, and bariatric surgery is recognized as the most effective therapy available for severe obesity[3] and has resolved weight-related health conditions in up to 80 percent of people.[4] ^,[5]

Ethicon continues to drive global initiatives to raise awareness of obesity as a chronic disease, and this week at IFSO, Ethicon is showcasing: the latest innovation/ enabling technology, new and ongoing clinical and economic evidence, and a focus on increasing access to surgery for appropriate patients around the world.

Ethicon IFSO 2015 highlights:

• Enabling Technology: Ethicon provides best-in-class product solutions for the most demanding bariatric procedures, to help achieve the best surgical outcomes for patients. At IFSO, surgeons will have the opportunity to experience Ethicon's signature products that are designed for the toughest surgical jobs in bariatric surgery. Product demonstrations include:  
  • ECHELON FLEX™ GST System:  Uniquely designed with better grip to provide the least tissue slippage of any Endocutter for unsurpassed stapling performance in bariatric surgery.
  • HARMONIC ACE®+7 Shears with Advanced Hemostasis: Provides the multi-functionality needed to improve procedural efficiency and minimize instrument exchanges when mobilizing the stomach.  Through Adaptive Tissue Technology, Advanced Hemostasis Mode modulates the energy based on the tissue properties to provide reliable and secure hemostasis on short gastric vessels.
  • STRATAFIX™ Knotless Tissue Control Devices: Bariatric patients present unique challenges due to their thicker and dense tissue, comorbidities such as diabetes and other patient factors. As a result surgeons often choose to oversew the staple line to gain additional security.  STRATAFIX^TM Knotless Tissue Control Devices provide more strength and security compared to interrupted suturing without knot related complications.[6]^{,[7],[8],[9],[10]}
• Advanced scientific research, clinical studies, and economic evidence: As part of its commitment to addressing obesity and metabolic disease, Ethicon is making long-term investments in scientific research to demonstrate the benefits of bariatric surgery through clinical and economic evidence. The following initiatives will be highlighted at IFSO:
  • Ethicon's Metabolic Applied Research Strategy (MARS): Ethicon is offering a mini-MARS course, led by the esteemed Lee Kaplan, MD, PhD, Director, Obesity, Metabolism and Nutrition Institute, Massachusetts General Hospital, designed to help participants gain a better understanding of the latest science and its impact on bariatric surgery. This half day session explores the latest research and its potential to redefine the management of obesity.  In addition to onsite education, Ethicon also offers formal courses at global surgical training institutes around the world designed to enable superior patient outcomes.
  • "Time to Act on Obesity" commitment: Ethicon is funding research to better understand which patients can benefit most from bariatric surgery for the treatment of diseases including obesity and Type 2 Diabetes, and from which specific bariatric procedures. Ultimately, this data may help support expanded access to bariatric and metabolic surgery for patients who qualify around the world. As part of this commitment, surgeons and healthcare professionals are invited to meet with Ethicon's clinical and health economics teams to learn about current research studies funded by Ethicon and submit their own ideas for future studies. 
• Global initiatives to drive global access to obesity and metabolic care: Ethicon is leading the way in increasing access to effective treatment by developing solutions to breakdown significant barriers to accessing care globally, addressing:  waiting times, complex patient pathways, inadequate funding and reimbursement, limited understanding of cost-efficacy, and infrastructure and training support. 

Through its "Time to Act on Obesity" outreach efforts in Europe, Ethicon has partnered with experts to address the growing social and economic burden of obesity with policy-makers and providers.  The aim is to advance government policies, beyond prevention alone, and increase access to metabolic intervention for appropriate patients.

At the booth, learn more about:

• "Medicalizing Obesity- How to activate stakeholders in the fight against obesity," This exclusive one-hour session will consist of presentations and discussion with the following speakers Professor Francesco Rubino M.D., Chair of Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery, King's College of London, Professor Francois Pattou M.D., Head of General and Endocrine Surgery, University Hospital Lille, France and Professor Carel le Roux, M.D., Clinical Senior Lecturer and Honorary Consultant, Imperial College London.
• Ethicon's economic-focused initiatives, including reimbursement and affordability solutions through real-world economic modeling research,  shared decision educational tools to provide a roadmap for joint decisions by the healthcare professional and the patient on the patient's next best course of treatment, and support of  consensus treatment advocacy across clinical and nonclinical stakeholders.

"Ethicon continues to shape the future of surgery and lead the way in addressing the burden of obesity and other metabolic diseases for patients and healthcare systems worldwide," said Michael del Prado, Company Group Chairman, Ethicon. "Through research, best-in-class technology, and signature programs and initiatives, Ethicon is committed to reversing the trajectory of obesity to save and improve more lives."

About Ethicon*

From creating the first sutures, to revolutionizing surgery with minimally invasive procedures, Ethicon has made significant contributions to surgery for nearly 60 years. Our continuing dedication to Shape the Future of Surgery is built on our commitment to help address the world's most pressing health care issues, and improve and save more lives. Through Ethicon's surgical technologies and solutions including sutures, staplers, energy devices, trocars and hemostats and our commitment to treat serious medical conditions like obesity and cancer worldwide, we deliver innovation to make a life-changing impact. Learn more at www.ethicon.com/obesity, and follow us on Twitter @Ethicon.

MEDIA CONTACT:

Michelle Parker
Office: 513-337-3590
[email protected]  

Ann Leibson
Office: 513-337-8180
[email protected]

* Ethicon represents the products and services of Ethicon, Inc., Ethicon Endo-Surgery, LLC and certain of their affiliates.

[1] World Health Organization Website. http://www.who.int/nutrition/topics/obesity/en/. Accessed August 12, 2015

[2] Ng M, et. al. Global, regional, and national prevalence of overweight and obesity in children and adults during 1980–2013: a systematic analysis for the Global Burden of Disease Study 2013. The Lancet. 2014. Volume 384, Issue 9945: 766-781. http://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736(14)60460-8/abstract.

[3] While rates of obesity have increased significantly over the X years, the estimate of Bariatric Surgery Numbers by ASMBS has remained constant, highlighting that greater education of and access to the procedure is needed.

[4] Buchwald H, Estok R, Fahrbach K, et al. Weight and type 2 diabetes after bariatric surgery: systematic review and meta-analysis. American Journal of Medicine. 2009. 122:248-56 e5.

[5] Buchwald H, Avidor Y, Braunwald E, et al. Bariatric surgery: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Journal of the American Medical Association. 2004. 292:1724-37. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15479938.

[6] Data on file, Ethicon, Inc.: STRATAFIX Claims Matrix SFX-308-12. 2013.

[7] Moran ME, Marsh C, Perrotti M. Bidirectional-barbed sutured knotless running anastomosis v classic Van Velthoven suturing in a model system. J Endourol. 2007;21(10):1175-1178.

[8] Rodeheaver GT, Pineros-Fernandez A, Salopek LS, et al. Barbed sutures for wound closure: in vivo wound security, tissue compatibility and cosmesis measurements. In: Transactions from the 30th Annual Meeting of the Society for Biomaterials; Mount Laurel, NJ; p. 232.

[9] Vakil JJ, O'Reilly MP, Sutter EG, Mears SC, Belkoff SM, Khanuja HS. Knee arthrotomy repair with a continuous barbed suture: a biomechanical study. J Arthroplasty. 2011;26(5):710-713.

[10] Boutros S, Weinfeld AB, Friedman JD. Continuous versus interrupted suturing of traumatic lacerations: a time, cost, and complication rate comparison. J Trauma Injury Infect Crit Care. 2000;48(3):495-497.

SOURCE Ethicon