The New York Times: Chamberlain Group Announces New Uterine Robotic Surgery Training Device

Published: April 21, 2009
Reflects Robust Growth of Client Intuitive Surgical’s da Vinci(R) System

GREAT BARRINGTON, Mass., April 21 /PRNewswire/ — The Chamberlain Group, producers of anatomically accurate surgical trainers, today announced their new Uterine Robotic Surgery Trainer.

The trainer is a lifelike, full-scale model of the human uterus and vaginal canal. It is composed of Chamberlain’s proprietary polymer that looks and feels like living tissue, has appropriate elasticity and can be cut and sutured.

The Uterine Trainer has a replaceable uterus which permits unlimited practice. Chamberlain Group co-founder Lisa Chamberlain noted that while the trainer is primarily designed for robotic skill training, it may also be utilized for any abdominal approach training including laparoscopy. Highly accurate, mimetic tissue anatomical trainers provide a more realistic and costeffective alternative to traditional training in the operating room, with animals, or with cadavers.

Physicians using the new Uterine Trainer may practice robotic skills used in myomectomy (removal of uterine fibroid tumors), hysterectomy (removal of the uterus) and sacrocolpopexy (correcting vaginal vault prolapse). Following a practice myomectomy using the trainer, the physician may perform a colpotomy (separating the uterus from the vagina) which is a skill performed during a hysterectomy. The remaining vaginal canal may then be affixed to mesh and a sacrocolpopexy performed by attaching the mesh to the available sacral tissue.

According to Ms. Chamberlain, the Uterine Trainer was developed in direct response to the company’s client, Intuitive Surgical, Inc. (Nasdaq: ISRG), a recognized pioneer and leader in robotic surgery, for training on their da Vinci(R) Surgical System. In robotic surgery physicians use computer-assisted surgical instrumentation yielding greater precision, dexterity and control, the sum of which enables enhanced patient safety, reduced blood loss, less post-operative pain and discomfort, less risk of infection, shorter hospital stay, faster recovery and less scarring. Growth of hysterectomy procedures using the da Vinci(R) Surgical System is forecast at 150% per year and medical analysts estimate that approximately 600,000 hysterectomies are performed annually in the US alone.

About The Chamberlain Group

Founded in 1999, The Chamberlain Group is the worldwide leader in the development of a broad range of custom anatomically accurate surgical trainers that capture the consistency and response of living tissue. The models are used for cardiothoracic, vascular, general and gastrointestinal, reproductive, urological, and pulmonary training.

The Chamberlain Group works with more than 150 leading medical device manufacturers and teaching institutions in 40 countries. The company is based in Great Barrington, Massachusetts. www.thecgroup.com

About Intuitive Surgical

Intuitive Surgical leads the development and commercialization of robotic technology designed to extend the benefits of minimally invasive surgery. Intuitive’s products can provide surgeons with all the clinical and technical capabilities of traditional open surgery while enabling them to operate through tiny incisions.

Intuitive Surgical’s da Vinci(R) Surgical System combines a high definition 3D visualization for the surgeon along with the ability to precisely maneuver an endoscope, and a variety of articulating EndoWrist(R) Instruments using three or four robotic arms. All of this combined with an intuitive, ergonomic interface enables breakthrough surgical capabilities.

Intuitive Surgical(R) da Vinci(R), da Vinci(R)S, and EndoWrist(R) are trademarks or registered trademarks of Intuitive Surgical, Inc.

Contacts:
The Chamberlain Group
Lisa Chamberlain
Vice President/Managing Partner
413 528 7744
lisa@thecgroup.com

Original Article from: http://markets.on.nytimes.com