INSORB(R)|20 Subcuticular Skin Stapler Increases Patient Comfort and Satisfaction After OB-GYN Surgical Procedures

For Immediate Release

MINNEAPOLIS/EWORLDWIRE/April 6, 2005 --- Incisive Surgical Inc. today announced that its novel skin closure system, the INSORB(R)|20 Subcuticular Skin Stapler, won a 2005 Medical Design Excellence Award (MDEA) for product innovation, design and engineering achievement and end-user benefit. The MDEA competition is the premier awards program for the medical technology community. Incisive Surgical will receive the award June 14, 2005, at the Medical Design and Manufacturing (MD&M) East conference in New York. Incisive Surgical commenced shipment of the device in November 2004.

Each year, approximately 1.1 million Caesarean sections and 400,000 abdominal hysterectomies are performed in the United States. To date, doctors have used either sutures or metal skin staples to close the wounds related to these medical procedures. The INSORB|20 Subcuticular Skin Stapler holds the promise of rapid closures that offer the cosmetic result of suture, but are more comfortable than metal staples and do not require removal post-operatively. Initial clinical experience has shown that patients significantly prefer the absorbable skin staples compared to metal skin staples. The biocompatible, absorbable staples are placed underneath the skin and degrade over a period of months.

"The MDEA recognizes the creativity and hard work of our employees, and effectiveness of our product," said John L. Shannon Jr., president and CEO of Incisive Surgical. "As we introduce this product into the OB-GYN community, we believe that women will one day request that their doctor use the INSORB|20 Subcuticular Skin Stapler for surgical procedures based on the increased comfort it offers and improved cosmetics."

MDEA winners are chosen based on excellence in product innovation, design and engineering achievement, end-user benefit and cost-effectiveness in manufacturing and healthcare delivery. A multidisciplinary panel of medical device industry experts conducts a comprehensive review of the entries. MDEA is sponsored by Medical Device and Diagnostic Industry magazine.

About Incisive Surgical
Incisive Surgical Inc. is a privately-held, medical device company established to develop proprietary mechanical surgical solutions for skin closure. The company's introductory product, the INSORB(R)|20 Subcuticular Skin Stapler, is a revolutionary new skin closure device designed to combine the cosmetic result of absorbable suture with the rapid closure times associated with metal skin staplers. The INSORB(R)|20 Absorbable Staple is comprised of a biocompatible material, which is absorbed over a period of a few months. More information is available at www.insorb.com.

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CONTACT:
John Shannon Jr.
Incisive Surgical, Inc.
14405 21st Avenue N.
Suite 130
Plymouth, MN 55447
PHONE. (952) 591-2543, ext. 18
FAX. (952) 591-5989
E-MAIL: shannon@insorb.com
http://www.insorb.com

Kristin Heinmets
Padilla Speer Beardsley
PHONE. (612) 455-1749
E-MAIL: kheinmets@psbpr.com

KEYWORDS: Absorbable, Staple, Skin, Closure, Incisional, Obstetrics, Gynecology, Cesarean, Section, Hysterectomy, Subcuticular, Surgical, Instruments, Products

SOURCE: Incisive Surgical