PolyTouch Medical Ltd. Announces the Appointment of Karl A. LeBlanc, MD, MBA, FACS as Medical Advisor

MISGAV, Israel, April 26, 2010 /PRNewswire/ -- PolyTouch Medical Ltd., a leading developer of hernia mesh placement technologies, announced today that it has appointed Karl A. LeBlanc, MD, MBA, FACS as Medical Advisor.

Dr. Karl LeBlanc, past president of the American Hernia Society, is a pioneer in minimally invasive surgery. Dr. LeBlanc performed the first laparoscopic hernia repair in 1991 and has since written three medical texts and has published more than 80 articles in peer-reviewed medical literature; he has played a major role in changing the surgical approach to hernia treatment and the use of laparoscopic techniques.

He is internationally known for the instruction of surgeons in the new techniques that he has pioneered. In addition to the above, Dr. LeBlanc is currently teaching minimally invasive techniques such as the newer, single-incision laparoscopic surgery and natural orifice surgery.

Dr. LeBlanc is a native of Louisiana and a graduate of the University of Southwest Louisiana. He completed medical school, internship, and residency at Louisiana State University (LSU) Medical Center in Shreveport and holds an MBA from LSU. LeBlanc is a Director of the Minimally Invasive Surgery Institute in Baton Rouge, La., and Clinical Professor of Surgery at Louisiana State University in New Orleans.

"Dr. LeBlanc performed the first laparoscopic hernia repairs back in 1991 and, in my opinion, is one of the most experienced and knowledgeable clinicians in this field. His deep experience and knowledge will be assets in the development of PolyTouch's pipeline of products. I am delighted and honored to have Dr. LeBlanc join our U.S. Medical Advisory Board," remarked Ofek Levin, Founder and CEO of PolyTouch Medical.

Dr. LeBlanc commented, "I am excited to join PolyTouch as a Medical Advisor and be part of their activity to bring advanced devices for laparoscopic procedures to the market. The development of these new devices will increase the adoption of laparoscopic surgery in the repair of complex hernias. In addition, the other products that are in the developmental stage will enable many surgeons to add complex procedures to their minimally invasive techniques. I look forward to working with this impressive team."

In April of 2010, PolyTouch announced the appointment of Morris E. Franklin Jr., MD, FACS, as Medical Advisor.

In January of 2010, PolyTouch announced the appointment William Edelman as Chairman of the Board.

About PolyTouch Medical Ltd.

PolyTouch Medical was founded in March 2009 and is located in the Misgav Venture Accelerator, Israel. Realizing the need for an improved method for mesh deployment and placement, PolyTouch has developed PatchAssist, a novel mesh deployment and placement device initially targeting laparoscopic ventral hernia repair (LVHR). PatchAssist enables accurate abdominal cavity mesh placement, potentially reducing procedure time by 30%-50%. PolyTouch plans to introduce the PatchAssist device into the U.S. market in the first half of 2011.

    Contact:
    Ofek Levin, Founder & CEO
    PolyTouch Medical Ltd,
    Email: [email protected]
    Phone: +972-72-260-7066

SOURCE PolyTouch Medical Ltd.