Healthcare Professional View
Shaping the Future of Surgery
Delivering Meaningful Innovation
Unpredictable tissue type and thickness are common during bariatric revision surgeries. The ECHELON FLEX GST System controls tissue movement to transect as you intend, even on challenging tissue.1*
Transforming Business Models
Over the last 20 years, Ethicon has significantly invested in the treatment of obesity and related diseases. Through a combination of enabling technologies, research, education and training, patient education, and policy initiatives, Ethicon is looking to shape the future of bariatric surgery.
Responding With a Caring Spirit
Care4Today is a Digital Care solution connecting the health care team and patients, ensuring a seamless flow of communication before and after bariatric & metabolic procedures, engaging and educating patients, reassuring and supporting them throughout the entire obesity treatment journey.
At Ethicon, weʼre focused on improving health outcomes for patients and helping solve the greatest health challenges… with only meaningful innovation. The kind that led to the creation of the first sutures, that helped revolutionize surgery with minimally invasive procedures, and that elevates standards of care around the world.
1887 — Sterile Sutures
Johnson & Johnson’s mass production of sterile sutures and other products ushered in the widespread practice of modern antiseptic surgery that dramatically raised survival rates.
1960 — SURGICEL Original
SURGICEL made history as the first oxidized regenerated cellulose hemostat introducing new options for clinicians to manage surgical bleeding.
1969 — PROLENE Polypropylene Suture
The first synthetic sterile suture, PROLENE Polypropylene Suture remains the gold standard for cardiac bypass surgery for its strength, secure knotting and biocompatibility.
1978 — PROXIMATE Disposable Skin Stapler
This game-changing skin stapler introduced disposable instruments to the OR. The success of disposable PROXIMATE opened the door to new innovations for open and minimally invasive procedures.
1979 — Coated VICRYL (polyglactin 910) Suture
Used by surgeons around the world today for general surgery use, Coated VICRYL (polyglactin 910) Suture balances the surgeon’s need for slide with knot security in achieving reliable approximation and closure.
1988 —Laparoscopic Cholecystectomy
First Laparoscopic Cholecystectomy and development of Minimally Invasive solutions
1993 — Ethicon Endo-Surgery
Founded in Ohio, Ethicon Endo-Surgery brought surgical technologies and solutions including staplers, energy devices and trocars.
1995 — Telesurgery
Our pioneering live telesurgery, Dr. J. Barry McKernan performed a laparoscopic cholecystectomy at the American College of Surgeons’ annual meeting introduced clinicians to the possibilities of distance learning.
1998 — DERMABOND Topical Skin Adhesive
DERMABOND Topical Skin Adhesive paved the way for replacing sutures with a new generation of skin closure solutions.2
1998 — HARMONIC Shears
Our launch of the first 5mm HARMONIC shears allowed surgeons to dissect, cut and coagulate with one ultrasonic energy device that could also reduce thermal damage and preserve tissue function.
2000 — Fighting Obesity
Committed to shaping the future of surgery in the fight against obesity and metabolic diseases and helping to elevate the standard of care through research and evidence, best-in-class education and training, innovative products and expanding patient access to care.
2003 — PLUS Sutures
The first commercially available antibacterial suture, Coated VICRYL Plus Antibacterial (polyglactin 910) Suture broke new ground in addressing a known risk factor for surgical-site infections (SSI) by preventing bacterial colonization of the suture.
2011 — ECHELON FLEX Powered ENDOPATH Stapler
The first powered endocutter with system-wide compression and stability helped to fuel the revolution to minimally invasive approaches. Virtually effortless firing reduces unwanted movement of distal tip, potentially reducing damage to target and surrounding tissue and organs compared to manual stapler firings.3-5†
2015 — VERB Surgical Partnership
Verb Surgical, founded in 2015, is developing a digital surgery platform built with technology from Verily (formerly Google Life Sciences) and Ethicon Endo-Surgery, Inc. Verb’s platform will include robotics, visualization, advanced instrumentation, data analytics, and connectivity.
2016 — NEUWAVE Medical Acquisition
Ethicon acquires NeuWave Medical, Inc., a company that manufactures and markets minimally invasive soft-tissue microwave ablation systems. This acquisition is consistent with the strategy of advancing innovation and investing in areas of unmet medical needs such as surgical oncology.
2017 — MEGADYNE Acquisition
The acquisition of Megadyne’s innovative portfolio of electrosurgical tools represents a major step forward in Ethicon’s goal to deliver the most comprehensive suite of intelligent energy solutions that enhance precision and efficiency in the operating room.
World Class Education for a Worldwide Problem
Ethicon and the Johnson & Johnson Institute welcomed about 250 delegates to the sixth annual EMEA Bariatric & Metabolic Surgery Symposium.
The program featured a world-renowned faculty of 22 experts from 16 different countries, who shared the latest science and innovation advancing surgery in the fight against obesity and metabolic diseases.
Take Control
Even in Unpredictable Situations
Bariatric revision surgeries demand predictable performance. The Ethicon Bariatric Revision Surgical Solution offers a portfolio of products from a company you know and trust to provide precision, efficiency and hemostasis.
Introducing MEGA SOFT Universal Plus Patient Return Electrode
Universal Plus is the newest addition to the MEGA SOFT family. It is a lightweight pressure reduction pad6-8i for easy handling in the OR. MEGA SOFT Universal Plus was designed with more cushion to increase patient comfort,7ii to decrease pressure7ii and to be more durable 7,9ii as compared to MEGA SOFT Universal.
We are proud to share that MEGA SOFT has been used in over 100 million procedures worldwide. 10
Peer-Reviewed Evidence in Thoracic Surgery
Your Choice of Stapler Matters
ECHELON FLEX Powered Staplers have been associated with improved clinical and economic outcomes compared to Medtronic non-powered staplers.11iii
ECHELON CIRCULAR Powered Stapler
The ECHELON CIRCULAR Powered Stapler reduced leaks by 61% at the staple line without compromising perfusion compared to the Covidien (Medtronic) manual DST Series EEA Stapler.12‡
HARMONIC HD 1000i Shears
Increased sealing speed, multi-functionality, and simplified steps for use allows for optimal efficiency.13#
ENSEAL X1 Large Jaw Tissue Sealer
ENSEAL X1 Large Jaw had significantly less bleeding at the distal tip vs LigaSure Impact in thick tissue. 14§
ECHELON FLEX GST System
The ECHELON FLEX GST System controls tissue movement to transect as you intend, even on challenging tissue.15**
*Challenging tissue - thick, fragile, and varying thickness and density
† Benchtop testing of distal tip movement with Powered Echelon Flex™ vs manually fired devices. Based on similarity of relevant design features between Powered Echelon Flex and subsequent Powered ECHELON Devices, no significant difference in performance is expected. (040706-150921)
i Compared to Mega Soft
ii Compared to Mega Soft Universal
iii Review of 3,006 cases between 2012 and 2016 from the US Premier Healthcare Database. Data assessed included length of stay, total hospital cost, supply cost, room & board cost, incidence of transfusion, and incidence of hemostasis-related complications; all p ≤ 0.05.
‡ Benchtop testing in porcine tissue ≤30mmHg (26mmHg average pressure experienced during intra-operative leak test), comparing Ethicon CDH29P to Medtronic (Covidien) manual EEA2835 (p<0.001) and preclinical perfusion model, in which perfusion was not significantly different between devices.
# Based on a pre-clinical study on seal reliability and average time to transect 150mm of porcine jejunum, device measurements based on a metrology study, engineering study of average device tip grasping force and a porcine study comparing sealing times of HARMONIC™ ACE+7™ and HARMONIC™ HD1000i.
§Preclinical test of distal tip bleeding (ENSEAL™ vs. Impact-LF4318) in thick porcine mesentery base (p<0.001).
**Challenging tissue - thick, fragile, and varying thickness and density
