FlexDex Surgical
FlexDex
Chronology
Posted Oct 2024 Updated Oct 2024
AXIUS Needle Driver FDA listed, 2023.
$13 million financing by Johnson&Johnson, 2021.
FlexDex Needle Driver CE mark, 2018.
FlexDex Needle Driver FDA listed, 2017.
FlexDex, Inc. founded, 2014.
FlexDex tech invented. 2007.
FlexDex was a design to mechanically add a “wrist” articulation to conventional laparoscopic instruments (it is a non-robotic device).
The idea of FlexDex Surgical is “bringing the benefits of minimally invasive surgery to more patients around the world“. The proposal is to ease some surgical maneuvers for different procedures of minimal access surgery, without robotic instrumentation. From a practical point of view, the device is a wristed needle holder.
The original designed was made by Jim Geiger (surgeon) and Shorya Awtar (engineer) at the University of Brighton (Michigan) in 2007. In year 2014 FlexDex, Inc. was founded. The first device, the FlexDex Neddle Driver, was FDA listed in 2017. We had the opportunity to test it in 2016, after it got the CE mark (2017), thanks to Durgalab, S.L., our local dealer.
The device adds two degrees of freedom thanks to a bracelet and an ingenious mechanical design that reproduces the movement of the wrist.
It requires some training, but yes, it solves some of the traditional technical problems when suturing in an unfavourable direction in minimal access surgery.
Just remember the this was one of the contributions of Akhil Madhani and Ken Salisbury when they designed (1997) what was to be later the robotic arm of the da Vinci Surgical System.
In 2021 the company receives funding from Johnson&Johnson and Almeda Ventures ($13 million) to develop the next generation device, AXIUS.
AXIUS was lunched in 2023.
Robotic soft-tissue surgical devices are expanding world-wide. All of them with wristed instruments. Is there still a place for FlexDex / AXIUS before every minimally invasive surgery procedure is robotized?
Meanwhile, if in some particular situations in your surgical practice holding the needle with a laparoscopic needle holder is like hell, this device might help you.
Links:
Locations:
10421 Citation Drive, Ste 900, Brighton, MI 48116
References:
Criss CN, Jarboe MD, Claflin J, Matusko N, Rooney DM. Evaluating a Solely Mechanical Articulating Laparoscopic Device: A Prospective Randomized Crossover Study. J Laparoendosc Adv Surg Tech A. 2019 Apr;29(4):542-550. doi: 10.1089/lap.2018.0539.
J Granell
Robotic Surgeon
Prior to commencing my venture into robotic surgery, I had established a firm grounding as an oncologic surgeon. My experience encompassed a wide range of resective and reconstructive procedures, as well as proficiency in minimally invasive surgical techniques and endoscopic surgery. These acquired skills and expertise serve as fundamental pillars for achieving success in robotic surgery.