Ethicon Endo-Surgery Showcases Innovative "Learning Journey," Procedure-Focused Educational Presentations and Key Product Innovations at the American College of Surgeons (ACS) Conference

First-of-Its-Kind EESeducation.com Web Resource Offers Customized Learning Pathways for Surgeons, Residents, Nurses and Other Healthcare Professionals, Reinforcing EES' Ongoing Commitment to Advancing Open and Minimally Invasive Surgical Training

CINCINNATI, Oct. 21, 2011 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- As part of its nearly 20-year commitment to providing surgeons, residents, nurses and other healthcare providers the information and training they need to keep up with rapid advancements in surgical procedures and technology, Ethicon Endo-Surgery (EES) today introduced a new interactive web resource, EESeducation.com, at the 97th Annual Clinical Congress of the American College of Surgeons (ACS) in San Francisco, October 23-27, 2011. 

EESeducation.com is a first-of-its-kind online tool that enables healthcare providers to customize their learning journey, allowing them to select the content, format and educational environment that best meets their objectives and busy schedules.

In addition to EESeducation.com, the EES exhibit booth (#1129) at ACS also will feature hands-on demonstrations of three additional first-of-a-kind innovations:  

• ECHELON FLEX™ Powered ENDOPATH® Stapler – The industry's first powered endocutter with enhanced system-wide compression and stability. Developed in collaboration with surgeons worldwide, Powered ECHELON FLEX™ allows greater instrument stability with at least 63 percent reduction in tip movement during tissue cutting and stapling compared to the Endo GIA™ Ultra and the Endo GIA™ Universal. (1)*
• The Ethicon Endo-Surgery Generator – The first system to combine ultrasonic and advance bipolar power into one simple generator design, allowing surgical teams more time to focus on the patient rather than the technology.
• The ENSEAL® G2 Super Jaw Tissue Sealer – The first next-generation advanced bipolar energy device specifically designed for open procedures. It is designed to improve surgeon confidence in tissue affect by providing seal consistency through uniform compression for vessels up to and including 7mm in diameter.

EES also will feature educational presentations in its booth theater, led by surgeons and providers. There will also be an invitation-only Surgical Simulation event for General Surgery Residency Program Directors.

"With the ever-increasing demands on surgeons' time and the explosion of new surgical devices and procedures, more targeted and convenient learning resources are needed to ensure the best possible care for patients," said David Venner, EES Vice President of Commercial Operations. "EES is committed to fulfilling that need and serving as an education leader for our customers through the Learning Journey approach to professional education, accessible at EESeducation.com."

EESeducation.com – Convenient, Targeted Surgical Education
The EES Learning Journey, accessible via EESeducation.com, matches learners with appropriate content and offers users the choice of several learning environments to suit their needs. By registering on EESeducation.com, surgeons, residents and other healthcare professionals can embark on a customized, step-by-step journey to build awareness, knowledge, skills and confidence in the effective use of technologies across a spectrum of procedures. A dashboard enables users to track their progress towards their learning goals at a glance.

EES Professional Education and Sales staff will be available at ACS and year- round to help tailor the Learning Journey to the specific interests, specialties and education objectives of each registered user. To deliver the most engaging learning experience possible, EESeducation.com offers a comprehensive library of surgical education materials featuring rich digital media such as cognitive simulations, interactive exercises, 3-D animations and more. It also provides self-paced learning resources focused on the latest surgical methods, technologies and best practices. Users may also opt to incorporate in-person educational courses and events into their journey at the Endo-Surgery Institute in Cincinnati, Ohio, or other convenient U.S. locations.

Educational Sessions in the EES Booth Theater

• "Nuts & Bolts of Laparoscopic Colectomy" – Scott Steele, M.D. FACS, FASCRS,
  Oct. 24, 1:15 to 2:00 p.m.
• "A Hospital Administrator's View: Connecting the Dots between Quality & Patient Safety in a Pay for Performance World" – Drew Banks, President/CEO, DBS Healthcare Consulting, Oct. 24, 3:00 to 4:00 p.m.
• "The Future Gets Smaller – Clinical and Economic Benefits of Microlap" – Keith Zuccala, M.D., FACS, Oct. 25, 11:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.
• "Sleeve Gastrectomy: Advanced Techniques to Improve Patient Outcomes" – Raul J. Rosenthal, M.D., FACS, FASMBS, Oct. 25, 1:30 to 2:30 p.m.
• International Presentation: "Laparoscopic Colectomy" – Dr. Wang Ziqiang (China), Oct. 26, 11:15 a.m. to 12:15 p.m.

Other EES Sponsored/Hosted Activities

• Platinum Sponsor of the Association of Women Surgeons (AWS) meeting during ACS at the Westin St. Francis hotel, Oct. 23-25
• Residents Hour – surgical residents are encouraged to visit the EES booth on Oct. 26, 12:30 to 1:30 p.m.

About Ethicon Endo-Surgery
Ethicon Endo-Surgery develops and markets innovative advanced medical devices for minimally invasive and open surgical procedures, focusing on procedure-enabling devices for the interventional diagnosis and treatment of conditions in general and bariatric surgery, as well as gastrointestinal health, gynecology and surgical oncology. For more information, visit www.ethiconendosurgery.com.

(1) Benchtop testing on porcine stomach (2.5-4mm thick). Surgeons (n=19) fired each instrument/reload once: PSE60A/ECR60G, 030449/030459, and EGIAUSTND/EGIA60AMT. Distal tip motion measurement during the firing cycle showed at least 63 percent reduction in tip movement of PSE60A/ECR60G vs. the other two devices.

*The third-party trademarks used herein are trademarks of their respective owners.

SOURCE Ethicon Endo-Surgery