New Study of Self-Forming Magnetic Anastomosis compared to Stapler Demonstrates Improved Anastomosis Healing Qualities in a Pre-Clinical Study

WESTWOOD, Mass., Jan. 5, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- GI Windows Surgical (GIWS), a clinical-stage, privately-held medical device company, announced today the recent publication of a groundbreaking study in the official journal of SURGERY that publishes major trends shaping general surgery and ranks among the most cited journals in its field. 

The peer-reviewed study, "Comparative Early Histological Healing Quality of Magnetic, Versus Stapled Small Bowel Anastomosis," demonstrated that the early healing properties of the self-forming magnets (SFM), when compared to conventional stapling technology, were superior in early anastomosis seal creation, less trauma, and lower bacterial infiltration leading to earlier healing of an anastomosis in preclinical models.  The full article can be found here online: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0039606022010030.
This is the third recent longitudinal pre-clinical comparison of SFM, Staplers, and Sutures. SFM has been demonstrated to be superior at six weeks in burst testing, reduction in fibrosis, and adhesions to conventional methods of anastomoses creation¹.

Dr. Evan Messaris, Chief of Colorectal Surgery at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, says, "There remains a big need in colorectal surgery to improve patient outcomes following the creation of an anastomosis. The early findings from this experimental study confirm the potential benefits of self-forming magnets in an animal model. We're looking forward to the results of the ongoing human clinical trials."  Dr. Messaris is the principal investigator in the FDA pivotal SEAM trial.

"We've spent years developing both the technology and the supporting science to bring this technology to market; it's great to see the premier journal of SURGERY recognizing the potential value here for the future of patient care," says Brian Tinkham, CEO of GIWS.

GIWS self-forming magnets are a novel sutureless compression anastomosis device that is less invasive, easily delivered and leaves no permanent foreign body. GIWS has enrolled patients in multiple global metabolic trials. In 2020 the FDA granted Breakthrough Therapy designation on GIWS self-forming assembling magnets for the pivotal trial SEAM (Sutureless End-end Anastomosis by Magnetic compression) for patients undergoing an ileostomy reversal. GIWS is a clinical-stage, venture-backed medical device company dedicated to engineering less invasive solutions for surgeons and patients. The company was spun out by Beacon Endoscopic (acquired by Covidien in 2014). GIWS is currently headquartered in Westwood, MA.

(1) Ore AS, Askenasy E, Ryou M, Baldwin T, Thompson CC, Messaris E. Evaluation of sutureless anastomosis after ileostomy takedown using the self-forming magnet anastomosis system in a porcine model. Surg Endosc. 2022 Oct;36(10):7664-7672. doi: 10.1007/s00464-022-09082-4. Epub 2022 Feb 14. PMID: 35157121.

Media contact: Dave Karasek, (414) 793-5336, [email protected] 

SOURCE GI Windows Surgical