Covidien has unveiled an absorbable wound closure device that allows surgeons to close dermal lesions without tying knots.
Deemed a “breakthrough” product by the firm, the V-Loc surgical device consists of a loop and barb combination that distributes tension across a wound and facilitates the simultaneous closure of multiple layers, according to a news release about the product. Covidien claims the self-anchoring, absorbable device is the first of its kind to feature unidirectional barbed technology, a feature that helps make this tool the most significant advance in its field since absorbable sutures.
“The V-Loc device is a breakthrough in dermal wound closure technology, and the feedback we are getting from surgeons who have tested the device is overwhelmingly enthusiastic,” said Michael Tarnoff, M.D., Covidien’s chief medical affairs officer for surgical devices. “Knotless surgery through our V-Loc device is a solution that can help hospitals and surgeons deal effectively with a number of issues that impact patient outcomes.”
One of those issues is speed. By eliminating the need to tie knots in soft tissue, the V-Loc expedites closure time. Studies show that V-Loc closures are 30 percent to 50 percent faster than those using conventional sutures, according to Covidien. Such speed could help reduce the amount of time patients spend in the operating room and minimize knot-related complications, company officials said.
Besides hastening closure time, the V-Loc device also requires little adaptation by surgeons because there are no new wound closure techniques associated with the product, Covidien executives noted. In addition, the device can be used in laparoscopic surgical procedures where stapling or tying knots in soft tissue can be challenging.
Evenly spaced barbs throughout V-Loc’s monofilament strand provide secure dermal wound closure. These features help make the device ideal for plastic reconstructive, open and laparoscopic dermal wound closure procedures.
Covidien showcased its V-Loc device at AdvaMed 2009 in Washington, D.C. It unveiled the product earlier this week at the American College of Surgeons 95th Annual Clinical Congress in Chicago, Ill.
For more information about V-Loc, please visit the company’s Web site, www.covidien.com/v-loc.
Based in Dublin, Ireland, Covidien manufactures, distributes and services healthcare products worldwide. The company has its U.S. headquarters in Mansfield, Mass. Last year, Covidien reported revenues of $10 billion, with medical device sales comprising more than half of that revenue, or $6.8 billion.