ESTECH Begins Totally Closed-Chest Cardiac Surgery Procedures in U.S.; Using Patented Remote Access Perfusion Catheter Technology.

Business Editors/Health & Medical Writers

DANVILLE, Calif.--(BW HealthWire)--Aug. 2, 2001

ESTECH, Inc. announced that surgeons at New York's Columbia Presbyterian Hospital repaired a congenital heart defect without opening the patient's chest using a surgical robot and the ESTECH Remote Access Perfusion (RAP) Cannula. The procedure was performed by Michael Argenziano, M.D. and Mehmet OZ, M.D. Dr. Argenziano said, "The ESTECH Remote Access Perfusion Cannula allowed us to support the patient during the robotic procedure through a small incision in the leg, and is critical technology for enabling closed chest and less invasive heart surgery techniques."

The ESTECH RAP Cannula is designed to deliver oxygenated blood to patients undergoing "stopped heart" surgical procedures without requiring an opening through the chest. The RAP Cannula is inserted through a small access site in the femoral artery at the groin. The Cannula is then guided into the ascending aorta, close to the heart. Also, instead of mechanically clamping the aorta to block blood flow during the procedure, as in conventional procedures, the ESTECH RAP Cannula occludes the aorta by simple inflation of an atraumatic balloon.

ESTECH CEO Art Bertolero commented, "ESTECH's patented RAP Cannula technology permits less invasive heart surgery and thereby reduces the pain and recovery time. We have also demonstrated reduced complications including stroke."

In less than one week after the surgery, the patient appeared on Good Morning America with Dr. Argenziano. The patient stated that she felt "wonderful" and was "back to normal doing all my chores and everything." When asked if she felt like she had an operation, she replied "no" and added "I can't believe how good I feel." She stated that she "just wanted it done the easiest way for me, with the fastest recovery time. I can't believe I have no pain or anything. It's just great."

Diane Sawyer, on Good Morning America, introduced the story by saying, "When we think of heart surgery, of course we think 10 inch incisions in the chest, and breaking the bone in the center of the chest, and lots of time spent recovering. Well, for the first time in the United States, doctors have repaired a hole in the heart totally by using a robot. With three tiny, tiny, pencil-size incisions, that's all it took. In fact, the woman says that she was up within hours, and picking up her children."

This point was also reiterated when Dr. Argenziano told the reporter that, "(for) the average patient having a median steronomy, where the breast bone is split in half to do an operation on the heart, it takes up to 6 to 12 weeks to recover and most don't even feel well until about three months after surgery. Susan was up out of bed the first day after surgery, picking up her child in two days."

About ESTECH

ESTECH, Inc. is a private company headquartered in Danville, California, and offers a complete system of products for "Least Invasive Cardiac Surgery"(R) (LICS) for both beating heart and stopped heart surgical approaches. The company began marketing the RAP Cannula in late 2000. The company's beating heart products have been used in more than 20,000 procedures. Information on ESTECH is available at www.estechlics.com.

Note to Editors: ESTECH, Inc. and "Least Invasive Surgery" are trademarks of Endoscopic Technologies, Inc.