TissuGlu Surgical Adhesive Has the Potential to Eliminate Drains, Improving Patient Recovery
Cohera Medical, Inc., a leading innovator and developer of absorbable surgical adhesives and sealants, announced it has completed a series of mastectomy procedures in Munich and Berlin, Germany using TissuGlu® Surgical Adhesive without drain placement. With this innovative adhesive technology, surgeons were able to eliminate the need for closed-suction drains on breast cancer patients undergoing mastectomy procedures.
“Surgeons have recognized the limitations in using closed suction drains in mastectomy procedures for some time,” says Prof. Blohmer of the Sankt Gertrauden-Krankenhaus, Berlin. “German plastic surgeons have already demonstrated the use of TissuGlu to eliminate drains in other reconstructive methods. Using this surgical adhesive in no-drain mastectomy procedures will increase patient comfort and ease the healing process.”
According to the Susan G. Komen Foundation there will be more than 232,000 new cases of invasive breast cancer in the U.S. this year. Most people with invasive breast cancer undergo a mastectomy to remove their breast. Surgical drains are used in this procedure to help the healing process. The surgical drains must be attended to properly and can become blocked by fluid at the surgical site. Left untreated, this accumulation may cause infection and/or delayed healing.
“TissuGlu has the potential to transform the healing process following a mastectomy procedure,” said Patrick Daly , president and CEO of Cohera Medical. “We are excited to use this technology in no-drain mastectomies, providing breast cancer patients with a more natural healing process that has a reduced risk for complications.”
Cohera Medical received CE Marking approval for TissuGlu and began selling product to hospitals and surgeons in Germany in September 2011. An earlier no-drain study of 30 patients was successfully completed in Germany in July 2012. In the U.S., Cohera recently completed enrollment of a clinical trial for TissuGlu. TissuGlu has been used successfully in over 600 various surgical procedures by leading surgeons.
About Cohera Medical
Cohera Medical, Inc.® is a leading innovator and developer of absorbable surgical adhesives and sealants. The Company’s first product, TissuGlu® Surgical Adhesive, is an internal surgical adhesive for large flap surgeries, such as abdominoplasty (tummy tuck), that eliminates or reduces fluid accumulation and the need for post surgical drains. TissuGlu’s chemical composition is resorbable, non-toxic, forms a strong bond between tissue layers and allows for natural healing, which ultimately may enable faster recovery. TissuGlu has received CE Marking approval to be sold in the European Union (EU). Cohera Medical is also developing a unique and proprietary bowel sealant, and a strong adhesive for mesh fixation. Outside of the EU, TissuGlu and the other Cohera products are currently indicated for investigational use only and have not yet been approved for medical use by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in the U.S. or in any other market. For more information, visit www.coheramed.com.