Aragon Surgical Launches Novel LapCap Laparoscopic Device at SLS Meeting.

LapCap Receives Prestigious Innovation of the Year Award

PALO ALTO, Calif. -- Aragon Surgical, Inc., a venture backed surgical device start-up company, announced today that it has introduced the LapCap at the Society of Laparoendoscopic Surgeons (SLS) meeting in San Francisco. The LapCap is the first Pneumoperitoneum Creation Assist Device (PCAD[TM]), an entirely new category of laparoscopic enabling products.

"We are very excited to be launching the LapCap at such a unique and respected surgical meeting," said Dr. Peter Edelstein, a surgeon and President and CEO of Aragon Surgical. "SLS is unique in that its membership includes both general surgeons and gynecologists, all of whom share a commitment to advancing minimally invasive surgical techniques in order to benefit their patients."

As the initial step in the majority of laparoscopic procedures, general surgeons and gynecologists blindly pass a 12cm-long needle through the patient's abdominal wall and into the abdominal (peritoneal) cavity, guided only by subtle, tactile feedback. A correctly positioned needle then serves as the conduit for instillation of carbon dioxide gas into the cavity, creating a "pnuemoperitoneum." This gas-filled abdominal cavity is the space within which laparoscopic surgery is performed. Unfortunately, blind needle passage is an inconsistent maneuver associated with risk of needle injury (to intestines and vessels), patient death, and failure to initially correctly position the needle (requiring additional patient risk and operative time for needle repositioning or re-passage).

With the Aragon Surgical LapCap, blind needle passage is safe, simple, rapid, and predictable. The novel device utilizes simple suction to elevate the abdominal wall up and away from the intestines and blood vessels, creating a "safe space" within the peritoneal cavity into which the Veress needle is fully advanced.

The potential impact of the LapCap for surgeons and patients was demonstrated when the Society honored the LapCap with the Innovation of the Year Award. This prestigious award is bestowed only upon significantly innovative laparoscopic products which benefit both general surgeons and gynecologists.

In addition, Dr. Rene Charles, a gynecologic laparoscopist at Selma (CA) Community Hospital, presented the results of the LapCap clinical trial which supported FDA clearance of the device. His presentation, "A Novel Pneumoperitoneum Creation Assist Device," also won an award, Honorable Mention for Multi-Specialty Scientific Papers. In the clinical trial, LapCap use led to initial successful needle positioning in 100% of subjects, with no associated device or needle-related injuries or deaths.

"We are very proud that our product and first abstract have both received awards from SLS," said Christine Cunningham, Aragon Surgical's Vice President of Marketing and Business Development. "And we are most excited that, with this launch, the LapCap is now available to benefit general surgeons, gynecologists, and laparoscopic patients."

About Aragon Surgical, Inc.

Located in Palo Alto, California, Aragon Surgical is a venture backed, market driven surgical device company that is developing and commercializing a variety of surgical instruments intended to reduce operative time and improve patient safety, benefiting both patients and surgeons. Aragon Surgical was founded in 2005 with investments from Delphi Ventures and ONSET Ventures. Please visit us at www.aragonsurgical.com or call Customer Service toll free at [phone].