Unique Biomerix Biomaterial Mimics the Nature and Function of the Extracellular Matrix
Wednesday, April 13, 2011 — Medline Industries, Inc., the nation's largest privately held manufacturer and distributor of healthcare supplies, announced today that REVIVE® and ASSURE® soft tissue repair mesh has been added to their national agreement with Premier Purchasing Partners for surgical mesh biomaterials. The three-year agreement makes the products available to the more than 2,500 U.S. hospitals and 73,000 healthcare sites that are members of the Premier Healthcare Alliance.
REVIVE is constructed of the Biomerix Biomaterial™, a proprietary, biointegrative synthetic tissue scaffold. This unique structure is designed to play a role similar to that of the body's extracellular matrix, supporting organized tissue in growth. The device is designed for repair and reinforcement in a variety of soft tissue procedures such as inguinal (or groin) hernias.
Inguinal hernias, which account for approximately 700,000 hernia operations annually in the U.S.1 Statistically, the lifetime chance of having an inguinal hernia is 27 percent for men and 3 percent for women.2 The surgical operation is intended to repair a protrusion of abdominal-cavity contents occurring through the inguinal canal.
ASSURE has two distinctly different sides, one with Biomerix Biomaterial and the opposite side a resorbable lactide caprolactone copolymer film designed to minimize tissue attachment to the device in case of direct contact with the viscera. It's indicated for use in both open and laparoscopic ventral hernia repairs, soft tissue deficiencies and for the temporary bridging of fascial defects.
Ventral hernia repairs account for approximately 420,000 hernia repair operations annually in the U.S.3 When a ventral hernia occurs, it usually arises in the abdominal wall where the muscle has weakened or where a previous surgical incision was made.4
References:
1 Rutkow I M. et al. Demographic, classificatory and socioeconomic aspects of hernia repair in the United States. Surg Clin North Am. (1993); 73: 413–426. [PubMed]
2 John T Jenkins, Patrick J O'Dwyer (2008). "Inguinal hernias". BMJ 336: 269–272. doi:10.1136/bmj.39450.428275.AD.
3 U.S. Markets for Soft tissue repair 2008. September 2007. Millennium Research Group.
4 Patient Information for Laparoscopic Ventral Hernia Repair from SAGES. Mar. 2004. Society of American Gastrointestinal and Endoscopic Surgeons (SAGES). 7 June 2010 http://www.sages.org/publication/id/PI10/.
About Premier Healthcare Alliance
Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award recipient Premier is a performance improvement alliance of more than 2,500 U.S. hospitals and 73,000-plus other healthcare sites using the power of collaboration to lead the transformation to high quality, cost-effective care. Owned by hospitals, health systems and other providers, Premier maintains the nation's most comprehensive repository of clinical, financial and outcomes information and operates a leading healthcare purchasing network. A world leader in helping deliver measurable improvements in care, Premier has worked with the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services and the United Kingdom's National Health Service North West to improve hospital performance. Headquartered in Charlotte, N.C., Premier also has an office in Washington.
About Medline
Medline, recently named one of the "100 Best Places to Work in Healthcare," manufactures and distributes more than 125,000 products to hospitals, extended care facilities, surgery centers, physician offices and home care dealers. Headquartered in Mundelein, Ill., Medline has more than 1,100 dedicated sales representatives nationwide to support its broad product line and cost management services.
Over the past five years, Medline has been the fastest-growing distributor of medical and surgical supplies in the U.S., serving as the primary distributor to over 450 major hospitals and healthcare systems. As a leading distributor, Medline offers a comprehensive array of consulting and management services encompassing the supply chain and logistics, utilization and standardization, business tools and enhanced reporting capabilities and on-staff clinicians.
Medline has a growing network of 50 manufacturing and distribution centers worldwide, as well as an expanding, dedicated transportation fleet with over 200 vehicles in a variety of sizes to fit customers' specific delivery needs. The fleet is equipped with the latest navigation devices for enhanced order tracking and communication.