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RD180 Suturing Device

The RD180 (LSI Solutions, Victor, NY) is a minimally invasive suturing device that delivers a pre-loaded suture through tissue using a squeeze-and-release trigger mechanism with no exposed sharps. Originally developed for laparoscopic gynecologic, general, and colorectal surgery, it has been adopted for endoscopic urethroplasty (TUITMR) through the JNW UrTrac sheath.

Design​

  • Elongated shaft with a curved distal working end
  • Pre-loaded 2-0 Monoglide (or equivalent) suture
  • Squeeze-trigger passes the needle through tissue
  • Release mechanism retrieves the needle and delivers both suture tails to the surgeon
  • No exposed sharps — the needle is housed within the device when not actively passing tissue
  • 180° articulation (hence "RD180") allows multi-angle suture placement

Use in TUITMR Endoscopic Urethroplasty​

During the procedure:

  1. JNW UrTrac sheath provides endoscopic access to the bladder neck / VUA
  2. RD180 is passed through the UrTrac with a preloaded 2-0 Monoglide suture
  3. Under endoscopic visualization with a flexible ureteroscope, the RD180 is positioned to pass the needle through the stenotic scar tissue and adjacent healthy bladder mucosa
  4. Squeeze-release delivers the suture through the tissue
  5. Multiple sutures are placed to advance healthy mucosa across the stenotic segment
  6. Sutures are secured with the Ti-Knot fastener

Advantages in Endoscopic Urethroplasty​

  • Safer than free-needle endoscopic suturing — no loose needle in the working channel
  • Reproducible suture placement — squeeze-release eliminates technique-dependent needle handling
  • Compatible with existing laparoscopic infrastructure — teams familiar with the device from gynecologic / colorectal applications can rapidly adopt it for TUITMR

Other Applications​

The RD180 family is used in:

  • Laparoscopic gynecologic surgery — vaginal cuff closure, uterosacral ligament suspension
  • Laparoscopic colorectal surgery — mesocolon closure, rectal mobilization
  • General surgery — reinforcement and closure in minimally invasive cases

See also: JNW UrTrac Sheath, Ti-Knot Fastener, Bladder Neck Contracture, Vesicourethral Anastomotic Stenosis.