Diverse News 2008®

NEWS FEEDS
New Surgical Device Saves Lives and Limbs on Iraq's Front Lines
  Canica Inc.'s ABRA(R) Dynamic Wound Closure System earns high marks from
                              combat surgeons

    BAGHDAD, May 9 /PRNewswire/ -- Results of an independent clinical study
conducted by U.S. Army combat support surgeons in Baghdad show that a new
medical device used to close a type of surgical wound more quickly is
saving lives and limbs of soldiers and civilians.

    A team of battle zone surgeons led by Maj. Niten Singh, M.D. working in
the 28th Combat Support Hospital in Baghdad during Operation Iraqi Freedom,
used Canica(R) Inc.'s ABRA(R) Surgical Skin Closure System to successfully
implement a new surgical regimen called dynamic wound closure (DWC).
Described in a paper published in The American Surgeon, the procedure
applies gentle but continuing tension uniformly across a wound for a period
of a few days to gradually but completely close it. Skin grafting is
eliminated.

    A surgeon sometimes must make a long incision to perform a fasciotomy
-- usually on a badly injured arm or leg -- to relieve dangerous swelling
and pressure due to fluid buildup. Fasciotomies must often be performed
quickly following trauma and can mean the difference between loss of life
or limb, but result in long, gaping wounds which can be difficult to close.
More than 16,000 are performed in U.S. hospitals annually.

    "Because of the swelling that occurs with the muscles, these wounds
cannot typically be closed with sutures," explained Dr. Singh, who is based
at Madigan Army Medical Center, Tacoma, Wash. "Traditionally, surgeons have
left these wounds open and covered them with skin grafts. This results in
an additional wound from harvesting the graft, potential failure of the
skin graft and unsightly scars."

    "Using Canica's system, we were able to close fasciotomies in an
average 2.6 days -- several times faster than other techniques," said Dr.
Singh. "Canica's system is designed for early placement and our findings
indicate early placement is key to success, allowing skin approximation to
occur faster. Overall, we do believe this is a superior technique."

    Dynamic Wound Closure: beginnings of a new standard of care

    Another recent study supports Dr. Singh's belief that beginning dynamic
wound closure as early as possible saves more lives and limbs. The
research, published in The Journal of Trauma Injury, Infection, and
Critical Care concluded that performing fasciotomies in battlefield
hospitals -- rather than waiting to perform them hours or days later at
Landstuhl Regional Medical Center (LRMC) in Germany -- resulted in 3 times
fewer deaths and reduced the rate of amputations by half. Using dynamic
wound closure, these early fasciotomies can now be rapidly and reliably
closed, and secondary surgical procedures can be avoided.

    Faster healing minimizes complications, patients leave the hospital
sooner and civilians require less home care. This results in considerable
cost savings.

    "Dynamic wound closure using our devices can reduce total costs from
surgeries like these by more than 40%," noted Alden Rattew, Canica's
executive vice president. "It has highlighted the fact that increased
patient benefit and reduced healthcare costs can be realized simultaneously
if wounds can just be closed quickly."

    The really good news is that dynamic wound closure can be used on many
types of wounds, not just fasciotomies. In addition to closing other
extremity wounds, Canica makes dynamic wound closure systems for a wide
range of wounds, from skin lacerations to large abdominal eviscerations.
Its dynamic technology is also used in devices that protect wounds from
re-opening, and those used for babies born with cleft lip -- gradually
pulling the cleft lip segments together in preparation for repair surgery.

    "Military surgeons are reporting substantial improvements in care by
using Canica's wound closure systems," Rattew said. "As more civilian
surgeons learn about dynamic wound closure and our easy-to-use devices,
millions of patients everywhere will benefit."
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