Exero Medical, developer of a wireless sensor for early detection of anastomotic leaks following GI surgery, today announced it has completed the first human implantation of its sensor. The implant procedure was part of an ongoing clinical trial conducted at Rabin Medical Center led by Prof. Nir Wasserberg, chairman of the Israel CRS society and director of colorectal division.
The study team reported the successful placement of the sensor and data collection during low anterior resection surgery for rectal cancer.
“The initiation of clinical data collection is a critical step towards providing a reliable detection tool for surgeons” explained Prof. Wasserberg. “The fear of anastomotic leak is the one that keeps GI surgeons up at night and one that represents a true clinical need. Exero’s sensor is designed to provide surgeons with insight on patients’ healing processes so they can determine the best course of action and improve clinical outcomes.”
Dr. Erez Shor, CEO of Exero Medical stated: “We are extremely encouraged by this successful first case and the technical performance of the device in the operating room. This is a significant milestone for Exero Medical. We look forward to developing a reliable anastomotic leak detection system, that will save lives, reduce suffering and address a challenge currently costing billions of dollars for payers and providers.”
The surgeons involved in the trial have also reported positive feedback on the Exero sensor’s easy integration into the patient workflow during the procedure. As a result of the sensor’s design and materials, surgeons are able to add the sensor implantation to current operating procedure with minimal added time and negligible added risk to the patient.