T Fasteners for Upper GI Bleeding ("T Fastener Gun")

The T Fastener Gun delivers small metal fasteners at the end of an endoscope. We believe that our T Fastener Gun can provide full-thickness stomach wall suturing for control of gastric bleeding. Existing devices apply energy or clips that are often too superficial, resulting in rebleeding. The T Fastener suture end is tightened, and because it is full thickness bite, a larger amount of tissue will compress the bleeding vessel.

Novel Surgical Fasteners for Hernia Repairs and Other Surgical Procedures ("Surgical Fasteners")

This Surgical Fastener is an absorbable staple with a stapler for the repair of inguinal or groin hernias. The staples are utilized to fix mesh in place. The mesh helps prevent the recurrence of a hernia. The absorbable nature of the staples will reduce the incidence of chronic postoperative pain, which affects approximately 20% of patients. The staples will also decrease operative time as they are easier and faster to apply.

Novel Devices for Natural Orifice Transluminal Endoscopic Surgery ("NOTES")

Natural Orifice Transluminal Endoscopic Surgery or NOTES is a new method of operating in the abdominal cavity without making an incision in the abdominal wall. This surgery is also referred to as NO SCAR surgery. The natural orifices used in this type of procedure are the mouth and the rectum and, in females, the vagina. If the mouth is used, instruments are passed through this natural orifice out of the stomach and into the abdominal cavity.

NOTES includes surgeries for gallbladder removal, appendectomy, tubal ligation, removal of intestinal and reproductive organ cancer and hernia repair, all through the gastric or vaginal walls as indicated above. Surgery utilizing the NOTES approach requires stabilization of long flexible instruments and the organs to be operated upon. SafeStitch has a magnetic gallbladder retractor that would enable improved operative exposure for gallbladder removal as well as a method and instrument to open and close the gastrotomy necessary for NOTES.