FlexDex Surgical touts 1st-in-human use of arm-mounted platform

FlexDex Surgical said this week that the 1st iteration of its arm mounted medical platform, a laparoscopic “needle driver” device designed for internal stitching, has been used for the 1st time in a procedure. The company’s FlexDex is designed as a mechanical platform which mounts to a surgeon’s arm to enable the tip of the instrument to mimic the direction of movement of the surgeon’s hand. “This is the culmination of 10 years of effort and to know that the device is performing exactly as we expected it would, impacting patients’ lives in a positive way—it’s an amazing feeling. We always saw the potential, but now it’s crystallized. ” FlexDex co-founder Dr. Jim Geiger of the University of Michigan Medical School said in a prepared statement. “If I move my hand up, the device tip goes up. Wherever I move my hand, the tip of this instrument follows. I was amazed by the sophistication of the technology. At the same time, I had a strong instinct that this functionality can be achieved much more simply and cost-effectively. At its price point, this technology would not reach patients across the globe.” FlexDex said it has begun shipping the initial iteration of the product throughout the US, which the company said can be used in a “long list of operations” including hernia repairs, hysterectomies and prostatectomies. The company said it plans to release additional instruments for its platform i...
Source: Mass Device - Category: Medical Equipment Authors: Tags: Surgical FlexDex Surgical Source Type: news