Ethicon, Inc. Announces Availability of ETHICON SECURESTRAP™ 5mm Absorbable Strap Fixation Device

SOMERVILLE, N.J., May 10, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Ethicon, Inc., a worldwide leader in surgical care, today announces the availability of ETHICON SECURESTRAP™ 5mm Absorbable Strap Fixation Device in the U.S., the first fixation device to feature an absorbable "strap" design.  This product provides secure mesh fixation in laparoscopic (minimally invasive) and open hernia repair procedures.

(Photo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20110510/NY99050)

The spring-loaded ETHICON SECURESTRAP™ Fixation Device deploys absorbable fixation "straps" to fasten hernia mesh to soft tissue. The unique strap design utilizes two points of fixation to straddle mesh pores and fibers, including large-pore meshes, delivering consistent and secure mesh fixation.

Unlike other fixation devices, the ETHICON SECURESTRAP™ Fixation Device design allows for secure tissue capture and penetration at various deployment angles to provide excellent holding strength. The strap's low profile minimizes foreign material exposure to the viscera.

"In hernia repair, secure mesh fixation is crucial to positive patient outcomes and reduced recurrences," said William S. Cobb, MD, Director of Minimally Invasive Division of Department of Surgery and Co-Director of the Hernia Center, Greenville Hospital System, Greenville, SC.* "ETHICON SECURESTRAP™ Fixation Device provides secure mesh fixation from multiple angles, even when using a large-pore mesh, which offers me flexibility in surgery without compromising holding strength."

Ethicon is committed to delivering innovative solutions for hernia repair and offers a wide portfolio of products to help surgeons meet their patients' needs. For more information about hernia repair and Ethicon's portfolio of hernia solutions products, including Instructions for Use (IFU) for ETHICON SECURESTRAP™ Fixation Device, please visit www.herniasolutions.com, www.ethicon360.com, or call 1-800-4ETHICON.

About Hernia Repair

A hernia is a weakness or tear in the abdominal muscles. The inner lining of the abdomen pushes through the weakened area of the abdominal wall to form a small balloon-like sac. A loop of intestine or abdominal tissue can push into the sac, which may cause a noticeable bulge under the skin. The pressure of tissue pushing through the weakened area can cause significant pain and discomfort. Surgery is the only way to treat a hernia. During a typical hernia repair procedure, a surgeon uses a fixation device to hold a piece of synthetic mesh over the weakened or torn abdominal muscle helping to repair the hernia. According to the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services (HHS), hernia procedures are the sixth most common outpatient surgery in the U.S. with more than one million Americans having the surgery each year.

About Ethicon, Inc.

Ethicon, Inc. is a trusted, worldwide leader in surgical care. For over a century, Ethicon has continuously introduced innovations in wound closure, general surgery, wound management, women's health and urology and aesthetic medicine that fulfill the company's vision: restoration of body and of life. For more information, visit www.ethicon.com.

* William S. Cobb, MD, is a paid consultant to Ethicon, Inc.

SOURCE Ethicon, Inc.