Novare Announces Completion of 100th Single Port Laparoscopic Procedure Using RealHand™ High Dexterity (HD) Instruments

General Surgeons, Gynecologists and Urologists Have Performed 15 Different Types of Single Port Surgeries; Recent ‘First-Ever’ Procedures Include Single Port Nissen Fundoplication, Colectomy, Prostatectomy and Splenectomy.

Cupertino, CA –December 18th, 2007- Novare Surgical Systems announced the successful completion of the 100th Single Port laparoscopic procedure using RealHand HD instruments. These ‘hidden scar’ procedures require a single skin incision, and are performed entirely through the patient’s belly button, either with a single larger trocar or several smaller ones. The goal is to reduce post operative pain, speed recovery and improve cosmetic results for the patient. “This milestone has been achieved at a remarkably fast pace”, said Kerry Pope, Novare Surgical’s President and Chief Executive Officer. “It is hard to believe that it was only May 6th of this year when Novare announced the first ever Single Port Access (SPA) Lap Chole by Dr. Paul Curcillo of Drexel University School of Medicine. As single port surgery takes root in multiple specialties we view this as a validation of the approach and the RealHand technology.”

Over the last eight months there has been a succession of ‘first-ever’ single port procedures completed with Novare’s RealHand HD instruments. Just this month, Jihad H. Kaouk, M.D, Director of Robotic Urologic Surgery at Cleveland Clinic performed the world’s first radical prostatectomy and radical urinary cystectomy entirely through a single incision in the navel. This procedure follows the first single port urologic procedures reported by Jeffrey Cadeddu, M.D., Associate Professor of Urology at UTSW in Dallas, TX. “RealHand instruments have absolutely enabled this ground-breaking surgical approach,” Dr. Cadeddu added, “which I believe delivers important benefits to my patients.”

Several single port advancements have also occurred in general surgery. After performing the ‘first ever’ SPA colectomy in May 2007, Dr. Curcillo has continued a wide-ranging series of SPA surgeries. Additionally in October 2007, Alexander Rosemurgy, MD, professor of surgery at USF Health and Chief of Surgery at Tampa General Hospital, performed the first single incision Nissen Fundoplication procedure and utilized RealHand to carry out the case exclusively through the patient’s belly button. “Single incision laparoscopy will change the landscape of laparoscopy like laparoscopy changed the landscape of surgery in the early 1990’s” said Dr. Rosemurgy. “Single incision laparoscopy will be sought by patients and, thereby, must be available from laparoscopists.” Michael Albrink, MD, associate professor of surgery at USF Health has been actively performing single incision laparoscopic cholecystectomies, also at Tampa General Hospital in Tampa, Florida.

A growing series of single port gynecology procedures is also underway, with single port total laparoscopic hysterectomy (TLH) and oopherectomy (ovary removal) being offered at several institutions. Gerald Harkins, M.D., Chief of Minimally Invasive Gynecologic Surgery and Assistant Professor Obstetrics & Gynecology at Penn State-Milton S. Hershey Medical Center has been using RealHand HD instruments for single port ovary removals. "Single Port Access procedures are the new frontier in advanced laparoscopy” quoted Dr. Harkins. “Real Hand HD instruments are the essential tools that allow me to perform this ‘hidden-scar’ laparoscopic technique."

Contact:
Kerry Pope
President and CEO
Novare Surgical Systems Inc.
408/873-3161 | kpope@novaresurgical.com