I recently received a gratifying email from the United States Patent and Trademark Office informing me that my invention of a novel device for use in surgery was granted a U.S. Patent. If you are familiar with the patent process, you may know it is a long journey. The new device, Non-Provisional Patent Serial No. 15/838,057, H & H Reference No. (88537.0006), is designed to improve the sleeve gastrectomy procedure, a metabolic surgery that reduces the risk of life-threatening weight-related health conditions, including type 2 diabetes.
A Solution to Sleeve Gastrectomy Complications
I first began working on a new way to reduce the risks of stomach surgery many years ago when studying the main complications of sleeve gastrectomy: namely, leaks and stenosis. A leak is just as it sounds — the staple line closure springs a leak and the bacteria inside the stomach leak out, causing a serious infection. Stenosis means “narrowing,” and it occurs over time as scar tissue forms, creating a tight area of the stomach – think of an hourglass.
In our studies of the granular details of these potential events, we learned that there are zones of increased pressure within the newly configured stomach that lead to the problems. I set about creating a device that would solve these problems entirely by preventing any irregularities in the sleeve to avoid the high pressure zones.
Unlike previous devices, the sleeve tube takes its shape from the natural contours of the body and curvature of the stomach, enabling each surgeon to perform each procedure in a manner that conforms to the human body and produces a more natural result.
Making Sleeve Gastrectomy Safer, Simpler, More Effective
The sleeve tube is the culmination of years of tests in simulators and then in cadavers to make sleeve gastrectomy safer, simpler and more effective. As the medical director of a nationally accredited center for metabolic and bariatric surgery, I feel confident that my team and I have produced a breakthrough in reducing the leak rate to 0.0% in over 2,500 consecutive sleeve gastrectomy procedures.
Metabolic surgery today is a 45-minute procedure with four Band-aids that is safer than an appendectomy. More importantly, it is the safest and most effective treatment of type 2 diabetes.
If you’re considering sleeve gastrectomy, step one is learning the benefits and risks. And with breakthroughs such as this newly-patented sleeve tube, those risks are increasingly minimal, while the benefits speak for themselves. The team here at Nevada Surgical is here to answer your questions about sleeve gastrectomy — contact us today to schedule a telemedicine appointment.
