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From 6-13 June 2016, Dr Philip Gan completed a series of clinical demonstrations to train surgeons across the UK in the use of the innovative LiVac Retractor System. A total of 14 operations were conducted by 7 surgeons, with all but one of the surgeons using the LiVac Retractor System for the first time.

The training program was conducted at King’s College Hospital London, Princess Grace Hospital London, St Mary’s Hospital, Imperial College London and University College Hospital, London, the Queen Alexandra Hospital, Portsmouth, the Bradford Royal Infirmary and Huddersfield Royal Infirmary, both in Yorkshire.

Surgeons and nurses liked the ease of use and the fact that the retractor did not interfere with other instruments compared with a port-based retractor, and did not require a clamp to the operating table.

Feedback from surgeons was positive, including remarks on the LiVac being a more “gentle retractor”.

The operations represented a range of complex cases including two emergency procedures, and the LiVac Retractor was used in all procedures without any adverse device related events.

The LiVac Retractor System was used in the following clinical procedures:

LiVac 56mm (Small) Retractor

  • Resection of upper gastric gastrointestinal stromal tumour (GIST).
  • Laparoscopic cholecystectomy in a 74-year-old woman with past history of midline laparotomy and bowel resection for Crohn’s disease
  • Emergency laparoscopic cholecystectomy for an obese middle aged female with acute cholecystitis.
  • Laparoscopic Roux en Y gastric bypass in a middle-aged woman who had previously undergone an emergency removal of a gastric band
  • Primary sleeve gastrectomy for male approximately 130kg
  • Lap band removal and conversion to Roux en Y gastric bypass
  • Laparoscopic gastric bypass for obese patient with type 1 diabetes and co-morbidities (retinopathy, nephropathy and peripheral neuropathy).
  • Laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy for middle-aged patient with central obesity.

LiVac 78mm (Large) Retractor

  • Primary laparoscopic Roux en Y gastric bypass and hiatus hernia repair
  • Primary sleeve gastrectomy for a female patient with a large, severely fatty liver to the point of micronodular cirrhosis Laparoscopic cholecystectomy in a morbidly obese patient
  • Laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy for morbidly obese young man
  • Single port laparoscopic cholecystectomy with 30-year-old slender female patient with chronic cholecystitis.