SAGES-ACS FLS Grants Limbs & Things Exclusive Rights For Sale of FLS Products

Limbs & Things, Inc. of Savannah, GA (LTI) is proud to announce that The Society of American Gastrointestinal and Endoscopic Surgeons (SAGES) and the American College of Surgeons (ACS)FLS Committee has granted them exclusive rights for the sale and fulfillment of Fundamentals of Laparoscopic Surgery™ (FLS) Training System, trainer box simulator and associated accessories and supplies for three years.

The simulator is a component of the FLS program that also includes a web-based educational module developed by SAGES, and now jointly offered by SAGES and ACS. FLS incorporates hands-on skills training and an assessment tool to teach and evaluate the knowledge and skills required to perform basic laparoscopic surgery. For FLS Educational Packages, online access and testing vouchers, continue to order through SAGES at http://www.flsprogram.org , or call 310-437-0544 ext. 137.

LTI will supply a range of updated versions of the FLS Trainer Box that are designed to suit the individual needs of the surgical trainer and trainee. All the versions will allow for parts such as the camera and light source to be easily swapped out and replaced by the customer, avoiding, as far as possible, the need to send back Trainer Boxes to L&T for repair. All new task accessories we produce will be comparable to current FLS products being used across the globe.

The agreement provides surgical educators and laparoscopists at all levels of training, equipment and supplies with rapid fulfillment of orders and convenient online purchasing via a secure e-commerce system that will be available at http://www.fls-products.com later this month.

Notes to editors:

Limbs & Things will be the exclusive worldwide distributor and manufacturer for the FLS Trainer System & Accessories. L&T has been designing, manufacturing and distributing surgical and clinical skills Task Trainers for 25 years across the healthcare market segments ranging from medical, surgical, nursing, government and military, to the medical device and pharmaceutical industrial and healthcare trainees. LTI is committed to serving training markets in Clinical Skills, Women’s Health and Surgical Specialties. Its goal is to produce products which allow clinical educators to deliver their curriculum requirements for physical examination and procedural skills successfully. To achieve this, the company continues to work closely with leading clinicians; it explores new technologies and materials and promotes its products within a worldwide marketplace. It also offers a confidential design and build service for industry and corporate clients.

Fundamentals of Laparoscopic Surgery™ (FLS) program (http://www.flsprogram.org) is a comprehensive web-based educational module complemented by a hands-on skills training component and assessment tool designed to teach and evaluate the physiology, fundamental knowledge, and technical skills required in basic laparoscopic surgery. The goal of the program is to provide surgical residents, fellows and practicing physicians an opportunity to learn the fundamentals of laparoscopic surgery in a consistent, scientifically accepted format; and to test cognitive, surgical decision-making, and technical skills, all with the goal of improving the quality of patient care. FLS was originally developed by Society of American Gastrointestinal and Endoscopic Surgeons (SAGES) and now is jointly offered by SAGES and American College of Surgeons (ACS).

SAGES (http://www.sages.org) is a not-for-profit professional membership organization which represents a worldwide community of surgeons that bring minimal access surgery, endoscopy and emerging techniques topatients in every country. Representing over 6,000 surgeons and allied health professionals, their mission is to improve quality patient care through education, research, innovation and leadership, principally in gastrointestinal and endoscopic surgery.