一種新型閉合系統被設計用來確保腹腔鏡手術之后的傷口閉合，并防止肥胖患者手術后形成手術切口疝，這是肥胖患者中很常見的一種并發癥。

疝，或者肌肉組織斷裂，是腹腔鏡手術時相當常見的并發癥；而肥胖患者手術切口部位形成疝的危險更大。腹壁四層組織全層閉合可以防止這個問題出現。在肥胖患者進行手工縫合十分困難，這種新型閉合系統則為這種類型患者解決了全層閉合問題。叫做Carter-Thomason閉合系統XL，該系統被腹腔鏡外科學會提名為2004年度創新產品。

這種新產品是由Inlet醫學集團(Eden Prairie, MN, USA)研制開發的，以該公司的Carter-Thomason CloseSure系統為基礎的，這種系統自1998年就已經上市。美國肥胖患者進行手術的數字正在快速增加。在2002年有63000例，其中15％是腹腔鏡手術。2006年估計將有250000例患者進行手術，其中85％是腹腔鏡手術。

Inlet醫學公司的總裁兼首席執行官Lee Jones說：“當肥胖患者數字不斷上升的時候，醫生需要專門的手術工具以確保這個充滿挑戰群體的患者獲得更好的預后。使用我公司的外科系統，醫生能夠完全閉合切口，防止手術切口處形成疝，無需延長手術時間即可獲得更好的預后。”
 
Closure System for Laparoscopic Surgery
 
A new closure system is designed to ensure complete wound closure after laparoscopic surgery and prevent postsurgical herniation in obese patients, a common complication among those patients.

Herniation, or a rupture of muscle tissue, is a relatively common complication of laparoscopic surgery, and obese patients have a greater risk of developing hernias at an incision site. Full-thickness closure of the four layers of the abdominal wall prevents this problem. Hand suturing is especially difficult in obese patients, and the new closure system puts full-thickness closure within reach of these patients. Called the Carter-Thomason Closure System XL, the system was named the 2004 Innovative Product of the Year by the Society of Laparoendoscopic Surgeons.

The new system was developed by Inlet Medical, Inc. (Eden Prairie, MN, USA) and is based on the company’s Carter-Thomason CloseSure system, which has been marketed since 1998. The number of U.S. bariatric procedures is increasing rapidly. In 2002, 63,000 were performed, of which 15% were laparoscopic. In 2006, an estimated 250,000 procedures will be performed, with 85% completed laparoscopically.

“As the number of obese patients increases, physicians require specialized surgical tools to ensure the best possible outcomes for this challenging patient group,” said Lee Jones, president and CEO of Inlet Medical. “With this surgical system, physicians can close incisions completely, prevent herniation at the site, and improve outcomes without extending surgical time.”