Warrnambool surgeon's invention picked up by US company

Surgeon Dr Phillip Gan's invention - the LiVac retractor, has been snapped up by the US healthcare network, Premier Inc. in a deal for Australia's Livac group.

The LiVac retractor is a single-use soft silicone device that uses suction (rather than hand-held retractors and harsh metal devices) to create a vacuum to join solid organs like the liver and spleen, to the diaphragm during surgery.

Dr Gan wanted to provide a gentler, less invasive and less traumatic retraction solution in keyhole surgery and faster recovery for patients.

"LiVac was a thought bubble in late 2009 and I had no background or training in medical device innovation. I was a busy regional general surgeon with a love of minimally invasive surgery who had an idea, and a genuine care to improve patient results," Dr Gan said.

The LiVac retractor has since been used in thousands of successful patient operations, including for Warrnambool resident, Dr Kate Murphy.

"I had my gallbladder removed a few years ago, after experiencing several bouts of excruciating pain. After the operation I had a very quick and painless recovery and in a few days was feeling completely back to normal, with practically invisible scars," she said.

Another happy patient is Dr Greg Pallas, a Warrnambool paediatrician. He had two operations with the use of the LiVac device.

"It all went very smoothly. I had the procedure on a Friday morning and went home that afternoon and was able to return to light work duties as a paediatrician on the Monday morning. I feel there was less handling of the liver that allowed less trauma and a rapid recovery time," Dr Pallas said.

"I remember as a surgical resident 30 years ago assisting with open gallbladder removal surgeries. I was the hapless assistant who was responsible for retracting the liver.

"Patients were in hospital for 10 days and were not back at work for at least a month. There certainly was a significant amount of pain involved. I am very grateful to have had my procedures in the era of laparoscopic surgery."

Livac's CEO and managing director Dr Anabela Correia said was thrilled to announce the deal with the US company.

"It's a big deal, as it cuts through a lot of red tape and lengthy pre-approval processes that would otherwise be encountered in the hospital approval process. It enables the product to convert to clinical utility and sales in almost half the time.

"As an Australian company we can now continue to increase our presence in the US market and better position and support a growing international sales team," she said.

"Scaling our sales in major markets such as the US with leading surgeons, will help to drive local adoption," Dr Correia said.

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