A Potential Solution to the Problem of Adhesions

Amar Sawhney, PhD interviewed by Professor Liselotte Mettler, MD 

Click here for Audio/Video Version  *requires RealPlayer - free download

Prof. Liselotte Mettler, MD: Good morning, Dr. Amar Sawhney, I am Professor Liselotte Mettler from the Department of Obstetrics Gynecology, University of Kiel, and we have met before. I know that you are the President of Confluent Surgical, welcome.We would like to talk at the present time about adhesions, which is a very big problem for women. Adhesions results after any surgery, any infection, and it brings many patients to us as gynaecologists for a second surgery and we, so far, do not have any good products to prevent new adhesions. So what is your product that the company is at the present time supporting and doing trials around the world, I understand. What is the product?

Amar Sawhney, PhD: Professor Mettler, it is a pleasure to meet you and see you again. My company, the company I am the President of, Confluent Surgical, is based out of Boston, Massachusetts, specifically in Waltham, Massachusetts. We’re a small company, we’re working on some innovative products and technologies, especially designed for the problem of adhesion prevention and our products are currently going toward laparoscopic prevention of adhesions for which there is no product currently approved in the United States. Our product, SprayGel, which consists of two liquid components that can be sprayed by a device that goes through keyhole surgery, so it can be used laparoscopically.

Prof. Liselotte Mettler, MD: While here at this meeting of the American Association of Gynecological Laparoscopists, I see the doctors running to your booth.

Amar Sawhney, PhD: Yes, it is an exciting development for them because they have not had this tool before and they are looking forward to participating in the US in trials and in Europe and Australia, where the product is actually commercially available now and it’s been used in many countries, such as in Germany, in Italy, and a few other countries in Europe. It has been used and in Australia and New Zealand, also. In the United States currently, it is undergoing multi-centre clinical testing. We have finished one series of clinical testing with Dr Alan Johns and now we have some additional clinical trials which are underway at some medical centers across the United States and more information on Confluent SprayGel can be found on our website, at confluentsurgical.com or spraygel.com.

Prof. Liselotte Mettler, MD: I personally have used the gel for now probably 200 patients, and I’m very happy with it. I think it’s one of the newer products, which has a future. We have to wait and see. It will be very successful because of the studies we’ve done, but we are optimistic and I do hope that you have a good future with this product and we can help many women for this product adhesions, which is a great problem and there is no cure for the present time.

Amar Sawhney, PhD: I hope so. We are actually getting a lot of requests from patients who need this product and some of them actually are going to Europe to get treated, unfortunately right now because the product is not approved in the United States. Women who are suffering from problems of adhesions, caused either due to previous surgery or due to endometriosis and resulting in pelvic pain are, unfortunately, coming to us seeking use of the product. Unfortunately right now, it is under only clinical trials in the US and only available in, of course, the clinical study; but in Europe, Australia and New Zealand, it is commercially available and we hope to do that shortly in the United States, too.

Prof. Liselotte Mettler, MD: Thank you very much.

Amar Sawhney, PhD: Thank you for your kind interview.  Appreciate your help.