Washington, D.C. — Cook Medical, a world leader in minimally invasive medical device technology, has launched its new Otolaryngology/Head and Neck Surgery (OHNS) clinical division to bring the benefits of the company’s devices for non-surgical procedures to a new group of physicians and the patients they treat.
Recognizing the need for specialized minimally invasive devices in otolaryngology, Cook OHNS is researching and developing alternatives to open surgery for treating conditions across several traditional ear, nose and throat (ENT) specialties.
Cook officially unveiled the new clinical division and a selection of its current and upcoming products —salivary duct access tools, stone extractor set, Biodesign® dural advanced tissue graft, Hercules® 3 Stage Wire Guided Balloon and the Chiba EchoTip® Biopsy Needle—at the American Academy of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery (AAO-HNS) conference in Washington, D.C., this week.
The division’s initial six practice areas of focus are soft tissue repair, salivary gland disease, chronic sinusitis, vocal cord paralysis, obstructive sleep apnea, and interventional airway and esophageal procedures. There is great potential within these six areas to bring new treatment options, many of which are alternatives to open surgery, to millions of patients in the U.S. and globally, Cook officials said.
“We started Cook OHNS to pioneer ways to provide patients with diseases affecting the head and neck with less traumatic alternatives to surgeries. As we met with physicians, we heard loud and clear that they saw many opportunities for minimally invasive medical devices in this field,” said Thomas Cherry, global leader for Cook Medical’s OHNS division. “At our core, we’ve always solved problems for clinicians over Cook’s entire history. So now, Cook OHNS is taking proven interventional tools and techniques and applying them to the emerging science of minimally invasive otolaryngology and head and neck surgery.”
Cook will showcase the following products at AAO-HNS:
Salivary Duct Access Products: Intended to reduce trauma for the patient and reduce the need for open surgery, the tools in this product line help physicians perform minimally invasive sialendoscopy procedures. The devices, which include a wire guide, dilator set, Kolenda introducer sheath and the NGage® and NCircle® salivary stone extractors, help enable physicians to gain access to stones and remove them in the physician’s office without surgery.
Hercules 3 Stage Esophageal Balloon: The Hercules 3 Stage Esophageal Balloon is designed to treat abnormal narrowing of the digestive tract that can interfere with eating, swallowing and digestion. The device is made with proprietary P.E.T. Flex™ technology, a material that optimally combines the high tensile strength and flexibility necessary for a strong balloon that inflates to three distinct and increasing diameters.
Chiba EchoTip Biopsy Needle: The high-visibility EchoTip biopsy needle allows physicians to perform thyroid biopsy with a needle that can be easily seen under ultrasound. High visibility results in more accurate needle placement and reduces the number of needle passes needed to obtain a sufficient sample. The Chiba EchoTip biopsy needle design provides enhanced visualization of needle tip when used with ultrasonic imaging equipment to ensure a strong, hyperechoic reflection and clearly visible images.
“There is a definite need for true out-of-the-box thinking around minimally invasive medical technology for OHNS,” said Patrick Melder, M.D., of ENT Associates of North Georgia and a presenter at the AAO-HNS conference. “Cook Medical has a solid and lengthy track record in innovating minimally invasive technologies, and has the ability to help transform the way we may approach such things as reducing post-tonsillectomy pain or advancing our understanding of the treatment of sinusitis.”
“For months, Thomas Cherry kept saying we could help a large group of patients if we could make our products available to them, and he was right. He was doing what Cook has always done; listened to physicians, heard what they needed and given them the tools to treat patients in a better way,” explained Pete Yonkman, executive vice president of strategic business units for Cook Medical.
OHNS is Cook’s 10th active clinical division. The company currently operates Aortic Intervention, Critical Care, Endoscopy, Interventional Radiology, Lead Management, Peripheral Intervention, Surgery, Urology and Women’s Health divisions as well. Dr. Melder is a paid consultant to Cook Medical with respect to its medical devices.
About Cook Medical
A global pioneer in medical breakthroughs, Cook Medical is committed to creating effective solutions that benefit millions of patients worldwide. Today, we combine medical devices, drugs, biologic grafts and cell therapies across more than 16,000 products serving 41 medical specialties. Founded in 1963 by a visionary who put patient needs and ethical business practices first, Cook is a family-owned company that has created more than 10,000 jobs worldwide. For more information, visit www.cookmedical.com. Follow Cook Medical on Twitter and LinkedIn.