Novare Announces First Ever Single Port Total Laparoscopic Hysterectomy (TLH) Procedure Using RealHand(TM) HD Instruments

Scar Hidden as Procedure Performed Through the Belly Button; Announcement

Follows First Single Port Oopherectomy

    CUPERTINO, Calif., July 25 /PRNewswire/ -- Novare Surgical today
 announced the successful completion of what is believed to be the first
 ever total laparoscopic hysterectomy procedure that left no visible scar.
 The procedure, termed a Single Port TLH was performed by Dr. Kate O'Hanlan,
 F.A.C.O.G., F.A.C.S. Dr. O'Hanlan carried out the laparoscopic procedure
 through a single entry point -- the belly button -- with RealHand High
 Dexterity (HD) instruments, leaving the patient with no visible scar.
     "This is a breakthrough surgical technique for women who must undergo a
 hysterectomy procedure," said Dr. O'Hanlan. "With the introduction of
 RealHand instrumentation, we are now able to address the procedure through
 a single entry point. This approach incorporates the clinical benefits of a
 total laparoscopic procedure with the advantages of improved patient
 comfort and cosmetic results." In the course of the procedure, Dr. O'Hanlan
 was also successful in removing the patient's appendix utilizing the Single
 Port Access (SPA) technique. The patient, a 39-year-old woman, is
 recovering well and was delighted with her surgery, claiming no
 post-operative pain and lack of a visible scar from the procedure. On a
 related note, 100 GYN surgeons are expected to attend Dr. O'Hanlan's Total
 Laparoscopic Hysterectomy symposium scheduled for July 26th in San
 Francisco, CA.
     This case comes on the heels of Monday's announcement from Drexel
 University College of Medicine where the first ever SPA bilateral
 oopherectomy (ovary removal) procedure was performed by Dr. Stephanie King.
 Dr. King, who has subsequently performed two additional SPA oopherectomies,
 employed the technique developed at Drexel using RealHand HD instruments.
 According to Dr. King, the 54 year-old patient is doing exceptionally well.
     "This is a truly exciting development in the field of women's surgery,"
 said Kerry Pope, Novare Surgical's President and Chief Executive Officer.
 "Women who are candidates for these and other gynecologic procedures can
 now receive surgical treatment with the important potential benefits of
 less post operative pain and no visible scar. It is important to note that
 the operative time for Dr. O'Hanlan's case was 65 minutes, well within the
 range of typical laparoscopic hysterectomy surgery. This is also an
 important milestone for Novare as RealHand HD instruments now play a
 pivotal role in single port surgery for both general and gynecologic
 surgery, two specialties with very large patient populations."
     About RealHand(TM) High Dexterity (HD) Instruments for Minimally
 Invasive Surgery
     RealHand HD instruments are the very first full range of motion
 hand-held laparoscopic instruments. Developed with the EndoLink(R)
 mechanism, RealHand technology is designed to mirror the surgeon's hand
 direction with the added benefit of tactile feedback. As such, when the
 surgeon's hand moves in one direction, the instrument tip exactly follows.
     Unlike standard laparoscopic instrumentation, RealHand offers complete
 7 degrees of freedom of movement in a hand-held instrument and with no need
 for additional hardware. Moreover, RealHand will enable surgeons to perform
 more difficult maneuvers that otherwise cannot be completed with
 traditional rigid instruments. RealHand HD instruments make it easy to
 actively manipulate and complete tasks regardless of whether the instrument
 is positioned over, under, or around structures.
     RealHand HD instruments will provide for greater dexterity and control
 around critical structures and vasculature. The increase in range of motion
 will lead the way for development of new surgical approaches and
 techniques. RealHand instruments have received FDA 510(k) clearance.
     About Novare Surgical Systems
     Based in Cupertino, Calif., Novare Surgical Systems was originally
 founded in 1999 to develop, manufacture and market devices for cardiac
 surgery. RealHand was developed entirely at Novare Surgical and represents
 a shift in the company's focus toward devices for minimally invasive
 surgery. For more information, visit the company's web site at
 http://www.novaresurgical.com.
 
 

SOURCE Novare Surgical Systems