The E-Sac tissue removal system was pioneered by laparoscopic surgeon Harry Espiner in 1990 when he encountered the problem of how to retrieve tissue safely in the new procedure for gallbladder removal.
Deciding that the simplest solution was to create a bag to remove the organ, he set about designing one and identified Jim Howard at Cameron Balloons - the world's largest manufacturer of hot air balloons - as his partner. With his expert knowledge of lightweight fabrics normally used in balloon flight but now applied to the operating theatre, Jim Howard set about creating prototypes out of ripstop nylon and utilised a special formulation of polyurethane coating to ensure the material was fully leak-resistant.
The ECO SAC is a cost effective tissue removal system designed to be deployed through a port-site cannula. External tabs on the mouth and bottom of the sac facilitate loading and opening of the mouth using 5mm forceps. Using mouth-first abdominal entry simplifies sac placement. Once in place the sac opens automatically to facilitate tissue capture and its drawstring ensures full closure for secure removal - no claw forceps are required for extraction.
The ECO-SAC is available in eight sizes (for Morcellation Sacs please view the Morcellation Containment System web page):
| Product Code | Trocar | D mm | L mm | V ml | No. per box | Surgical Procedure |
| EMP 50 ECO R | 5 | 38 | 90 | 50 | 10 | Lymph node extraction, appendix, gallbladder, ectopic pregnancy, ovary, small uterus, biopsies, wedge resection, small prostate |
| EMP 70 ECO | 10 | 57 | 100 | 100 | 10 | Nodes, appendix, normal gallbladder, adrenals, ectopic pregnancy, lymph nodes, ovary, small uterus, biopsies, wedge resection, small prostate |
| EMP 100 ECO | 10 | 70 | 144 | 200 | 10 | All gallbladders, small spleen, adrenals, ectopic pregnancy, lymph nodes, ovary, small uterus, biopsies, wedge resection, prostate, small kidney, small bladders |
| EMP 110 ECO R | 5 | 55 | 135 | 100 | 10 | All gallbladders, small spleen, kidney, adrenals, ectopic pregnancy, lymph nodes, ovary, small uterus, biopsies, wedge resection, prostate, small bladders |
| EMP 140 ECO | 12 | 115 | 185 | 550 | 10 | Spleen, kidney, bowel resection, hepatic lobectomy, large ovarian cyst, tumour |
| EMP 170 ECO | 12 | 170 | 180 | 1200 | 5 | Large spleen, large kidney, hemi-colectomy, hepatic lobectomy, large ovarian cyst, tumour, bladders |
| EMP 230 ECO | 12 | 165 | 340 | 3100 | 5 | Large spleen, hemi-colectomy, hepatic lobectomy, largest kidney |
| EMP 600 ECO | 15 | 320 | 410 | 6000 | 5 | Large/very large tumours of ovary, kidney, spleen, colon and lung resection |
Espiner Medical's unique range of patented tissue retrieval sacs incorporates the latest technology in materials and design and is at the cutting edge of minimal access surgery. The E-Sac product range brings specific benefits to the operating theatre that set it apart from its competitors.
