That’s the question physicians in Germany are trying to answer as clinical trials begin for the new surgical adhesive, TissuGlu®.

Pennsylvania based company Cohera Medical introduced TissuGlu to improve the safety and efficacy of the tummy tuck surgery and other procedures. By adhering the flaps of tissue created during the tummy tuck, accumulation of fluid may be reduced, thereby reducing the likelihood of complications.

Patrick Daly, Cohera Medical president and CEO says, “This unique product will ultimately help surgeons address a critical need and improve patient care.”

40 patients are expected to be enrolled in clinical trials this November to investigate the safety and efficacy of this surgical adhesive.

Tummy tuck surgery

The tummy tuck is a very common cosmetic surgery designed to reduce the appearance of a protruding abdomen, a condition that often appears as a result of weight fluctuations and pregnancy.  To read more about this procedure, click here to see the tummy tuck page of Dr. Samaha in Boston, Massachusetts.

It was announced last Friday that Botox manufacturer Allergan Inc filed suit against the United States FDA, arguing that restrictions placed on marketing off-label Botox are not in the best interest of patients or physicians.

The lawsuit isn’t intended to increase Botox sales, but rather increase the physician’s ability to access safety information such as possible risks, benefits, dosing, patient selection, etc. regarding off-label applications.

Although Botox is typically used (and approved) to treat wrinkles on the face and forehead, a breadth of other treatment applications exist.

According to current U.S. law, physicians are permitted to administer medicine for any application they deem appropriate.  They aren’t however, allowed to market medicine for any application they please.