Israel’s PolyTouch Medical has received FDA clearance to market its PatchAssist laparoscopic hernia mesh placement device. The tool was developed to allow surgeons a more predictable and standardized approach to apply hernia patches. PatchAssist easily unfolds the mesh inside the abdominal cavity, accurately places the mesh over the hernia defect and enables surgeon to verify the mesh position before attachment is made. Patch Assist does not change laparoscopic techniques used today by surgeons, rather it eliminates manual, complicated, and time consuming tasks.