The ECHELON FLEX™ GST System Will Now Feature A 45mm Endocutter With Exclusive Gripping Surface Technology Reloads

CINCINNATI, Jan. 23, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Building on the success of the ECHELON FLEX™ 60mm Powered Plus Stapler with Gripping Surface Technology (GST), Ethicon*, a leading global provider of medical devices, today announced that the ECHELON FLEX™ GST System¹ (45mm) has received 510(k) clearance from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. With this addition, the ECHELON FLEX™ GST System now offers both 45mm and 60mm endocutters with exclusive reloads.

The importance of endocutters continues to grow as more complex surgeries are being performed through minimally invasive approaches. The ECHELON FLEX™ GST System controls tissue movement to ensure surgeons transect exactly as intended, which is especially important when dealing with the most challenging tissue. The ECHELON FLEX™ GST System (45mm) represents performance improvements across several specialties including thoracic, colorectal and bariatric, enhancing Ethicon's portfolio of advanced endoscopic staplers.

"Ethicon is committed to bringing innovative products to market that are designed to reduce complications in the most challenging oncology and metabolic surgical cases." says Tom O'Brien, Vice President, Global Endomechanical Platform Leader. "The ECHELON FLEX™ GST System controls tissue movement with pre-compression and Gripping Surface Technology², which is 7 times more likely to completely capture mucosa in the staple line vs. the other leading endocutter on the market³, optimizing tissue for healing."

About Ethicon
From creating the first sutures, to revolutionizing surgery with minimally invasive procedures, Ethicon, part of the Johnson & Johnson Medical Devices Companies (NYSE: JNJ), has made significant contributions to surgery for more than 60 years. Our continuing dedication to Shape the Future of Surgery is built on our commitment to help address the world's most pressing health care issues, and improve and save more lives. Through Ethicon's surgical technologies and solutions including sutures, staplers, energy devices, trocars and hemostats and our commitment to treat serious medical conditions like obesity and cancer worldwide, we deliver innovation to make a life-changing impact.  Learn more at www.ethicon.com and follow us on Twitter @Ethicon.

^*Ethicon represents the products and services of Ethicon, Inc., Ethicon Endo-Surgery, LLC and certain of their affiliates.

¹System components include ECHELON FLEX™ Powered Plus Stapler and ENDOPATH ECHELON™ Reloads with Gripping Surface Technology.

²GST System Blue and Green Reloads compared to Endo GIA with Tri Staple™ Technology Purple Reloads evaluated via gross observations of firings in 1.5mm to 3.0mm thick animate porcine ileum.  Average apposition ratings 2.81 (GST60B) and 2.56 (GST60G) vs 3.23 (EGIA60AMT), p=0.001.

³Mucosa is 7 times more likely to be fully (or completely) captured in the staple line when using the ECHELON™ GST System vs Endo GIA with Tri Staple™ Technology, leading to better mucosal apposition.

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SOURCE Johnson & Johnson