SI’s Product Development Director Mike White has successfully completed his 333 mile charity bike ride from London to Paris along with 700 other riders, raising over £1m for children’s charity Action Medical Research.

Mike, who took part in the four day challenge to raise money for the leading UK-wide medical research charity, described the experience as ‘amazing’ and said he was overwhelmed at the support he had received from his friends and colleagues at SI.

Mike said: “The whole experience was amazing, it’s not every day that you get to ride with 700 other riders down the Champs Elysees, onto the Place de la Concorde and then finish under the Eiffel Tower! At the end of four days I’d clocked 333 miles, averaged about 17 mph and maxed at 42 mph.”

“On a personal note I just wanted to say a huge ‘thank you’ to everyone for their sponsorship and support over the last few months. I’ve exceeded my target and along with the other riders have helped to raise over £1 million for Action Medical Research.”

Surgical Innovations (SI) is pleased to announce that it is has received 510(k) clearance from the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for its Logi™Flex device.

This clearance permits the use of Logi™Flex in the US market for both gastric band deployment and other associated bariatric procedures.

Logi™Flex is a Resposable™ articulating instrument which combines both reusable and disposable elements – the insert is single use and the handle is reusable – to offer surgeons a high quality and cost effective solution. 

The device has a sterile insert which allows surgeons to fix gastric bands around the top of a patient’s stomach.  It also has a unique slot design which provides a positive grip on the suture allowing the band to be pulled into position with the minimum of inconvenience.

It is estimated that 250,000 anti-obesity procedures are performed annually in the US where obesity affects more than 60 million people, representing the second largest cause of preventable death.

Graham Bowland, Chief Executive Officer, said: “We are delighted to be able to announce this approval which will see the pioneering device now being sold into the US.  The majority of surgical instruments in the US are single use; however with growing financial constraints being placed on hospital budgets, procurement managers are continuously looking for cost effective instrumentation and Logi™Flex offers the ideal high quality, cost effective solution.”

Surgical Innovations Chief Executive Officer Graham Bowland and Product Development Director Mike White were delighted to visit Buckingham Palace this week to meet Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh. 

 The visit was in recognition of the company receiving the Queen’s Award for Enterprise under the Innovation category, which is the UK’s most prestigious award for outstanding innovation and business performance.

Surgical Innovations’ award acknowledges the technical and clinical excellence the company has achieved with its pioneering YelloPort+plus® – a port access system which acts as a channel into the body allowing surgeons to carry out delicate keyhole procedures.  

When discussing the award Graham Bowland, said: “We are delighted to win such a prestigious ‘royal’ award for our contribution to the healthcare industry and it was an honour for us to meet the Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh.

“The award acknowledges the commitment and dedication shown by each employee from design through to production and it also acknowledges Yorkshire’s cutting edge Healthcare Technologies industry.”

Chairman Doug Liversidge, CBE, added: “The Board would like to extend its congratulations and  say personal ‘thank you’ to everyone involved in this achievement and their contribution towards the overall success of the company.”

The YelloPort+plus device combines both reusable and disposable elements (a concept that the company have named Resposable®) as a way of offering surgeons and hospitals around the world a cost effective but high quality solution.

The device is designed through close collaboration with surgeons in order to exceed the surgeons’ needs and, to provide the highest level of patient care.  It is  durable, lightweight and ergonomically designed to make the procedure as easy as possible for surgeons.