The Applied Alexis Wound Retractor is indicated for use to: Access the abdominal cavity during surgery through an atraumatically retracted incision. Deliver maximum exposure of the abdominal cavity with minimum incision size. Protect against wound contamination during laparoscopic and open surgery. The smaller two sizes of Alexis are also intended to be used to: Seal off the incision opening to permit insufflating the peritoneum. Convert the incision wound to an additional trocar port site. Access the thoracic cavity or other soft tissue retraction during cardiac and general surgical procedures through an atraumatically-retracted incision.
Device Story
Disposable, single-use wound retractor; cylindrical polymer membrane sheath with semi-rigid polymer rings at each end. Surgeon places device through incision; inner ring positioned inside abdomen; sheath folded over itself to create traction against abdominal wall. Provides atraumatic retraction, maximum exposure, and wound protection from contamination. Smaller models feature iris valve for sealing incision during insufflation or trocar placement. Used in OR by surgeons. Benefits include reduced incision size, improved exposure, and decreased risk of wound contamination.
Clinical Evidence
No clinical data. Bench testing only: biological evaluation per ISO 10993-1; tensile strength and elongation per ASTM D 412; tear strength per ASTM D 624; functional performance testing.
Technological Characteristics
Cylindrical polymer membrane with semi-rigid polymer rings. Materials tested for tensile strength (ASTM D 412) and tear strength (ASTM D 624). Sterilized via 100% EO (ethylene oxide) to SAL 10^-6. Disposable, single-use. Iris valve mechanism on smaller sizes.
Indications for Use
Indicated for patients undergoing laparoscopic or open surgery requiring abdominal or thoracic cavity access. Used for atraumatic wound retraction, exposure, and protection against contamination. Smaller models indicated for sealing incisions for insufflation or trocar port conversion.
Regulatory Classification
Identification
A surgical drape and drape accessories is a device made of natural or synthetic materials intended to be used as a protective patient covering, such as to isolate a site of surgical incision from microbial and other contamination. The device includes a plastic wound protector that may adhere to the skin around a surgical incision or be placed in a wound to cover its exposed edges, and a latex drape with a self-retaining finger cot that is intended to allow repeated insertion of the surgeon's finger into the rectum during performance of a transurethral prostatectomy.
Special Controls
*Classification.* Class II (special controls). The device, when it is an ear, nose, and throat surgical drape, a latex sheet drape with self-retaining finger cot, a disposable urological drape, a Kelly pad, an ophthalmic patient drape, an ophthalmic microscope drape, an internal drape retention ring (wound protector), or a surgical drape that does not include an antimicrobial agent, is exempt from the premarket notification procedures in subpart E of part 807 of this chapter subject to the limitations in § 878.9.
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K041211
AUG 2 6 2004
## 510(k) SUMMAR Y
| 510(k) NUMBER: | PENDING |
|----------------------|------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| SUBMITTED BY: | Applied Medical Resources Corporation<br>22872 Avenida Empresa<br>Rancho Santa Margarita, CA-92688<br>(949) 713-8000 |
| CONTACT PERSON: | Cheryl Blake<br>Vice President, Regulatory Affairs and Quality Systems |
| DATE OF PREPARATION: | June 18, 2004 |
| NAME OF DEVICE: | Wound Retractor |
| CLASSIFICATION NAME: | Drape, Surgical, General & Plastic Surgery.<br>(Regulation Number 21CFR 878.4370, Surgical drape and<br>drape accessories). |
| TRADE NAME: | Alexis <sup>TM</sup> Wound Retractors |
| PREDICATE DEVICE: | Heartport Soft Tissue Retractor<br>Cardiovations/ Heartport, Inc.<br>Redwood City, CA |
| DESCRIPTION: | The Applied Wound Retractor consists of a flexible<br>polymer membrane formed into the shape of a cylinder.<br>Attached to each open end of the cylinder are two semi-<br>rigid polymer rings. |
SUMMARY STATEMENT: The Applied Alexis Wound Retractor is indicated for use in retracting and protecting an incision during laparoscopic or open surgery. It is intended to allow the surgeon to access through an atraumatically retracted wound that provides maximum exposure with minimum incision size. Further, once positioned, the Alexis Wound Retractor is intended to protect against wound contamination. To perform these functions, Alexis Wound Retractors are constructed as a cylindrical membrane sheath that has two rings attached to cach open end. The rings are molded in a plastic material. The Wound Retractor package also includes an incision template.
Te device will be manufactured in five sizes, extra-small, small, medium, medium-large and large. The extra-small, small and medium products will have two additional indications. These models have an iris valve feature that allows the wound protector to be adjusted from fully open
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to fully closed. This capability allows Alexis to seal the incision area or to seal around a trocar. The procedure may then be returned to fully laparoscopic and an additional trocar may be placed through the incision site.
The Wound Retractor is simple to set up and easy to use. A sterile skin marker is used to mark an incision line at the surgery site and the incision is made. The Wound Protecting sheath is placed in position through the incision with one ring inside the abdomen. The is placed in traction and folded over itself until it contacts the abdomen. Once securely in place, the Alexis Wound Retractor keeps the incision open during the procedure. The wound protective sheath lines the incision and protects it from contamination and injury from instruments during the procedure.
The Alexis Wound Retractor has been found non-toxic and non-irritant when tested in accordance with ISO 10993, Part I: Biological Evaluation of Medical Devices. The materials used in the manufacturing of the Alexis Wound Retractor have been tested in accordance with applicable standards and was determined to pass tensile strength, elongation, (ASTM D 412) and Tear Strength (ASTM D 624). Functional performance testing has been completed and has passed the required testing.
The Applied Wound Retractor is a disposable, single-use device and is packaged inside a Tyvek/Mylar peel pouch, which is standard packaging material for Applied's products. The packaged product is then placed in an outer product shelf pack.
The Applied Wound Retractor is sterilized using 100% EO. Applied's 100% EO sterilization cycle provides a sterility assurance level of 10 °. Sterilization for Applied Medical s EO cycle uses three half-cycle validation runs, which incorporate biological indicators and temperature monitors distributed throughout the load to verify gas penetration and profile temperature distribution. Spore strip biological indicators of B. subtillis var. niger with a population of 10° are used to monitor routine finished product sterilization loads. Sterilant residue levels will be in compliance with ANSI/AAMI/ISO 10993-7:1995 for limited exposure devices which is 20 mg ethylene oxide and 12 mg ethylene chlorohydrin.
The Alexis Wound Retractor is substantially equivalent to predicate devices in design methodology, principle of operation and clinical utility. The device introduces no new safety or effectiveness issues when used as instructed.
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Image /page/2/Picture/1 description: The image shows the logo for the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services. The logo consists of a circular seal with the text "DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH & HUMAN SERVICES - USA" around the perimeter. Inside the circle is a stylized symbol that resembles three abstract human figures or birds in flight, stacked on top of each other.
AUG 2 6 2004
Food and Drug Administration 9200 Corporate Boulevard Rockville MD 20850
Ms. Cheryl Blake Mis. Cheryl Diate
Vice President, Regulatory Affairs and Quality Systems Applied Medical Resources Corporation 22872 Avenida Empresa Rancho Santa Margarita, California 92688
Re: K041711
K041711
Trade/Device Name: Alexis Wound Retractor C8312, C8301, C8302, C8303 Regulation Number: 878.4370 Regulation Name: Surgical Drape and Drape Accessories Regulatory Class: II Product Code: KKX Dated: June 18, 2004 Received: June 23, 2004
Dear Ms. Blake:
We have reviewed your Section 510(k) premarket notification of intent to market the device we have reviewed your because a reas) to (1) = device is substantially equivalent (for the referenced above and have determined the accosure) to legally marketed predicate devices marketed in indications for use stated in the ensiesary, 1976, the enactment date of the Medical Device interstate commence prior to reay 20, 1978, are cailers and entitled in accordance with the provisions of Amendments, of to devices that have oben frequire approval of a premaintent of the seppered the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmette 110 (Are, Market the device, subject to the general approval application (1147). Four general controls provisions of the Act include controls provisions of the Fet. "The genting of devices, good manufacturing practice, requirements for animors against misbranding and adulteration.
If your device is classified (see above) into either class II (Special Controls) or class III If your device is classified (see above) into controls. Existing major regulations affecting (PMA), it may be subject to such additional controllar controls. Title 21, Parts 800 to 898. In the Coderal your device can be found in the Code of Peacharing your device in the Federal Register.
{3}------------------------------------------------
## Page 2 - Ms. Blake
Please be advised that FDA's issuance of a substantial equivalence determination does not Please be advised that FDA Sissualled of a substantial with other requirements
mean that FDA has made a determination that your device complies with other Federal acception mean that FDA has made a decemmance that your and regulations administered by seciety of of the Act of any rederal statutes and regulations, but not limited to: registration
You must comply with all the Act's requirements, including of sturing mestica You must comply with an the Act 3 requirement 801); good manufacturing practice.
and listing (21 CFR Part 807); labeling (21 CFR Part 801); gEP Bart 800); and i and listing (21 C.FK Fatt 807), laboling (21 CFR Part 820); and if
requirements as set forth in the quality systems (QS) regulation (21 CFR Part 820); and if requirements as set form in the quality systems (Sections 531-542 of the Act); 21 CFR 1000-1050.
This letter will allow you to begin marketing your device as described in your Section 5 10(k) I his letter will anow you to begin marieting your antial equivalence of your device to a premarket notification. The PDA midness or subsition for your device and thus, permits your device to proceed to the market.
If you desire specific advice for your device on our labeling regulation (21 CFR Part 801), If you desire specific advice for your device at (301) 594-4618. Also, please note the regulation prease contact the Office of Comphanes and (21CFR Part 807.97). You may obtain other general information on your responsibilities under the Act from the may obtain other general miormation on John 2 and Consumer Assistance at its toll-free Division of Sman Manufacturer (301) 443-6597 or at its Internet address http://www.fda.gov/cdrh/dsma/dsmamain.html
Sincerely vours,
Chiu Lin, Ph.D.
Director Division of Anesthesiology, General Hospital, Infection Control and Dental Devices Office of Device Evaluation Center for Devices and Radiological Health
Enclosure
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## INDICATIONS FOR USE
Applied Medical Resources is providing this separate cover page for the Alexis Wound
er Applied friendications for Use" as required.
510(k) Number:
K04/7//
Alexis Wound Retractor Device Name:
Indications for Use: The Applied Alexis Wound Retractor is indicated for use to:
- Access the abdominal cavity during surgery through an atraumatically retracted incision.
- Deliver maximum exposure of the abdominal cavity with minimum incision size.
- · Protect against wound contamination during laparoscopic and open surgery.
The smaller two sizes of Alexis are also intended to be used to:
- · Seal off the incision opening to permit insufflating the peritoneum.
- · Convert the incision wound to an additional trocar port site.
- Access the thoracic cavity or other soft tissue retraction during cardiac and general surgical . Access the though an atraumatically-retracted incision.
## (PLEASE DO NOT WRITE BELOW THIS LINE - CONTINUE ON ANOTHER PAGE IF NEEDED) Concurrence of CDRH, Office of Device Evaluation (ODE)
| Prescription Use | X | OR | Over-The -Counter Use |
|----------------------|-----------------------------------------------|----|--------------------------|
| (Per 21 CFR 801.109) | | | (Optional Format 1-2-96) |
| | <i>Kein Muley</i> | | |
| | (Division Sign-Off) | | |
| | Division of Anesthesiology, General Hospital, | | |
| | Infection Control, Dental Devices | | |
| | 510(k) Number: <i>K041711</i> | | |
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1. Search: exact and fuzzy
Type a phrase like "coronary artery calcification" into the search box. You get two kinds of results. Exact results match the literal phrase — prefix searches work ("coronary artery calcificati") but suffix searches do not. Fuzzy results match on the meaning and intent of your phrase rather than the exact words, and are sorted by relevance score. Hover over the Exact or Fuzzy badge on any row to see exactly why it matched.
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Scroll right in the results table. The intended use is extracted for you — no need to open the PDF. The device story gives a high-level snapshot of what the device does and how it's used. The AI Performance sub-table shows each output name, acceptance criteria, observed values, and development/test dataset descriptions — the same format Innolitics uses for regulatory strategy outputs, and the fastest high-level fingerprint of an AI device. It is AI-generated but has been very reliable in practice.
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Output name, acceptance criteria, observed values, development dataset description, and test dataset description. It's the same format we use for regulatory strategy output and Fast 510(k) input, and the fastest high-level fingerprint of an AI device. AI-generated but reliable in practice.
3. Judging fuzzy relevance
Fuzzy results trail off in relevance as you scroll. Use three signals to decide how far down to go: the fuzzy badge explanations, the intended use column, and whether your target output (e.g., Cobb angle) still appears in the AI Performance sub-table. Once it stops appearing, you're past the relevant zone. A top hit with a low score (~0.4) and a stretched explanation is a hint the closest predicates are far away — the project may be headed for De Novo. Note the fuzzy search is a pattern match: it doesn't handle negation ("not") well, and hardware devices can appear — filter by SaMD/AI ML to cut them.
How do you judge how far down fuzzy search results to go?
Use the relevancy signals: the fuzzy badge explanations, the intended use column, and whether the target output (e.g., Cobb angle) still appears in the AI Performance sub-table. Once it stops appearing, results are trailing off in relevancy.
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Reading rule for every project: how many summaries do you read in full?
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Select multiple rows in the results table (aim for under ~10), then open the PDF Viewer tab. Ask one question — it goes to all selected devices in parallel, each with citations. This is the fastest way to compare and contrast devices: training data, PCCP scope, how they handled adding new scanners, and so on.
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Select multiple devices, open the PDF viewer tab, and ask one question (e.g., "Describe the training data"). It queries all selected devices simultaneously with citations, so you can compare and contrast quickly.
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Click Show Chart and segment by regulation number (or product code) to see which regulations dominate your result set. Clicking a regulation takes you into the regulations tree. Great for spotting that most matches are, say, hardware laparoscopic devices — a cue to go back and filter.
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Click "Show Chart" and segment by Regulation Number. Clicking a regulation takes you to the regulations tree.
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Open the Predicates tab for a family-tree view of predicate relationships. Click a node to trace its parents and children; selections from search carry over pre-selected. Commonly predicated devices are worth reading — a lot of people predicated them for a reason. The visual lineage is also handy on client calls, e.g. to show how a predicate family evolved and justify why your predicate still holds.
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A lot of people predicated them for a reason. Clicking a node traces parents and children, and selections from search carry over pre-selected.
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The Embeddings tab plots every matching document in a 2-D "galaxy map" where semantically similar devices cluster together. Hover or click clusters to explore, and let AI label the clusters for you. Embeddings beat product codes for grouping: two devices can carry different product codes (LLZ vs. QIH) yet do the same thing — the embedding captures the meaning of the intended use and device story. This is also exactly how retrieval-augmented generation (RAG) works under the hood, and it makes a great visual on client calls.
Try it yourself
Head to the search page and work through a few of these AI/ML fuzzy searches to build intuition: perivascular fat on CT · aortic valve calcification opportunistic screening on noncontrast CT · breast cancer prediction on digital pathology slides · autism detection · gestational age prediction · a hearing aid that can also detect a pulse · foundation model based analysis of ECG · large language models · penetration test. Watch how the relevance scores, intended use, and AI Performance tables tell you when results stop being meaningful.