Royal Victoria makes use of MOLLI for surgeries

BARRIE, Ont. – The MOLLI device – a precise, easy-to-use new technology for breast cancer surgery – has been adopted by Royal Victoria Regional Health Centre (RVH), the home of the Simcoe Muskoka Regional Cancer Centre and its innovative oncoplastic surgery department.

According to Dr. Renee Hanrahan (pictured), a Canadian leader in oncologic and oncoplastic/reconstructive breast surgery at RVH, MOLLI has many benefits that make it an excellent choice for operating rooms anywhere – from academic centres in large cities to community hospitals in smaller regions.

“First, we know that about 80 percent of breast cancer surgeries are performed outside of academic centres and take place mainly in hospitals like ours. Having a technology that is easy to implement into any size hospital and is inherently easy to learn makes it simpler and faster for surgeons to incorporate this technology into practice,” said Dr. Hanrahan.

“Second, MOLLI is not only intuitive, but it also allows for greater precision when choosing an incision site, which is important for an oncologic and aesthetic outcome and from an efficacy standpoint. And third, MOLLI allows for uncoupling of the OR and Radiology on the OR days, which helps create flexibility and efficiency in scheduling surgeries, and in turn eases surgical backlogs.”

MOLLI Surgical’s Health Canada-approved and FDA-cleared MOLLI features the smallest localization marker on the market and is designed to give a better patient experience over traditional wire localization.

The MOLLI Wand detects the MOLLI Marker and visualizes its location on a tablet, helping surgeons locate lesions more efficiently with improved accuracy. The marker is implanted by a radiologist up to 30 days before surgery. Using MOLLI decouples localization and surgery and creates more efficient clinical workflows. The technology has also been designed to be compatible with conventional mammography and ultrasound imaging, facilitating a smooth transition into hospitals.

“This is a great benefit for women as it allows for convenient timing of marker placement when it best suits our patients,” says Dr. Drew Schemmer, medical director/chief of medical imaging at RVH. “The surgeons are able to determine the most aesthetically pleasing approach to remove the target within 30 days of their surgery.”

MOLLI gives surgeons more flexibility to make incisions where they want to reduce visible scars. The MOLLI Wand’s smaller size, tapered tip and 10-degree curve for tight surgical cavities make it ideally suited for oncoplastic procedures. Being wire-free without radioactive technology also means hospitals avoid expensive equipment and extensive safety regulations around radiation and disposal protocols, making MOLLI accessible to smaller regional health centres as well as large urban ones.

“We are excited and honoured to be part of the work Dr. Hanrahan is doing at RVH,” said Fazila Seker, PhD, president and CEO of MOLLI Surgical Inc. “We know that greater precision equals more surgical options for patients – which is why we’re delighted to see our device in the hands of a skilled oncoplastic surgeon as she makes a difference in the lives of people living with breast cancer both in her community, and beyond.”

MOLLI Surgical started in the operating room, where surgeons were using dated tools to treat cancer patients – and we knew we could do better. Our surgical wand is precise, easy-to-use and built with the realities of the operating room in mind. More importantly, it is built with patients in mind. Our technology replaces procedures to mark tumours with one that is not only kinder – but more accurate, efficient and cost-effective. MOLLI Surgical is proud to build the advanced equipment that patients prefer to have and that physicians prefer to use. Follow us on Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, and YouTube.

About Royal Victoria Regional Health Centre
Established in Barrie, Ontario since 1897, Royal Victoria Regional Health Centre’s mission is to deliver inspiring care that puts patients and their families first. In 2020-2021, RVH facilitated over 91,000 cancer centre visits and performed nearly 13,000 surgeries. For more information https://www.rvh.on.ca/