joimax® Announces Executive Appointments Among Record-Breaking Sales for 2022

KARLSRUHE, Germany – (BUSINESS WIRE) – joimax®, the German-based market leader in technologies and training methods for full-endoscopic and minimally invasive spinal surgery, has appointed Mr. Maximilian Ries and Mr. Anthony Troncale to new executive positions, effective January 1. The announcement comes among record-breaking sales across Europe, Asia, and the United States in 2022.

Maximilian Ries

Ries took on the newly created role of Executive Vice President, Business Development and Operations at joimax®. In this position, based in Germany, he will be responsible for scaling global operations to ensure joimax® continues its exponential growth. Formerly the General Manager, for the past six of his 13-year tenure with joimax®, Ries built out the United States and Latin American markets.

Tony Troncale

Troncale was promoted to General Manager; he was formerly Vice President of Marketing and Business Development at joimax® Inc. Over the past two years, Troncale, in addition to increasing his responsibilities, successfully capitalized on the significant interest in endoscopic techniques to expand US sales operations. He joined joimax® in 2021 bringing 20-years of experience in the spinal device industry where he served in sales and marketing leadership roles at Stryker, K2M, and Synthes Spine. Contributing to the global organization’s continuous strong sales growth was the launch of a new surgical access system, “Tessys® Trans SAP” and the global expansion of the ESPINEA® Education Academy.

Wolfgang Ries

“I am extremely pleased with our 2022 global performance and the significant interest in endoscopic spine surgery,” stated joimax® Founder and CEO Wolfgang Ries. “With Max and Tony in their new roles, our market-leading endoscopic spine technologies, and our anticipated launch of two more new surgical access systems later in 2023, we are well positioned for another very successful year.”

joimax® Experiences Major Growth, Launches TESSYS® TransSAP Endoscopic Surgical System

KARLSRUHE, Germany – (BUSINESS WIRE) – joimax® is continuing its year-over-year double digit growth. Over the past 9 months, joimax® has grown more than 25% globally and in the United States alone, more than 35%. Among this major spurt, the market leader in technologies and training methods for full-endoscopic and minimally invasive spinal surgery is launching a new endoscopic surgical system, TESSYS® TransSAP.

“This allows for more extensive foraminal decompression and provides an optimal basis for transforaminal endoscopic fusion”

The company attributes strong growth to their popular workshop and educational program, which is now offered worldwide under the ESPINEA® training academy. To keep momentum, joimax® is releasing the TESSYS® TransSAP — the fourth addition to the TESSYS® family encompassing the standard TESSYS® Std, TESSYS® XT featuring longer reach instruments, and TESSYS® Thx, the optimized version for the thoracic spine.

The system is based on the proven TESSYS® method introduced in 2004. Since then, the technology has been enhanced and can be used for more complex indications, widening the spectrum of disease and vertebral level applications.

joimax® faculty surgeon masters, Dr. Christof Hofstetter and Dr. Ralf Wagner, demonstrate TESSYS® and iLESSYS® to an at capacity crowd during NASS 2022 in Chicago. (Photo: Business Wire)

“The TransSAP method follows an adopted access path to the spine, directly targeting the Superior Articulating Process,” says Dr. Christoph Hofstetter, associate professor in the Department of Neurological Surgery at the University of Washington. “This allows for more extensive foraminal decompression and provides an optimal basis for transforaminal endoscopic fusion,” adds Dr. Ralf Wagner, a longstanding joimax® ESPINEA® Faculty orthopedic surgeon based in Frankfurt.

In addition, joimax® provides a series of implants for fusion indications, such as the percutaneous pedicle screw system, Percusys® Plus, and a family of 3D-printed titanium cages within the EndoLIF® program. The EndoLIF® suite of products consists of the static implants O/On-Cage, Delta-Cage and DoubleWedge-Cage. “There are plans to add a new fully-expandable cage, as well as a navigated solution for endoscopic disc preparation and implant positioning to provide a full endoscopic assisted fusion platform,” says Wolfgang Ries, CEO and founder of joimax®.

All joimax® implants can be safely inserted using the “Over-the-Wire” technique for precise implantation, making them ideal for endoscopically-assisted fusion procedures established and protected by joimax®.

These new products have been exhibited at the following trade shows: SMISS in Las Vegas, CNS in San Francisco, and NASS in Chicago, and will be featured at EUROSPINE in Milan and at the German Spine Congress, DWG, in Berlin later this year.

joimax®announces major spike in attendance at its ESPINEA® workshops, reports record revenues

Karlsruhe (GER) — German-based joimax®, the market leader in technologies and training methods for full-endoscopic and minimally invasive spinal surgery, is excited to announce a major spike in attendance at its Endoscopic Spine Academy (ESPINEA®) workshops, which contributes to sustainable growth after another year of record revenues in 2021.

The growing interest can be attributed to increased coverage in literature and publications as cited on PubMed®. Moreover, the joimax®-initiated workshop program, now under the umbrella of ESPINEA®, offers optimal training for a variety of applications and procedures, making it attractive to a broader audience. 

joimax® established ESPINEA® three years ago. In Fall 2020, the Endoscopic Spine Academy was accredited by the Royal College of Surgeons Edinburgh (RCSEd). It is one of only four Accreditation Centers that meet its strict rigorous internal quality assurance processes. Together, with its growing team of faculty, joimax® developed the complete six-step curriculum to bridge the learning curve for spine surgeons. The curriculum, which was approved by the RCSEd, is developed as an educational program from beginners to masters alike.

J.N. Alastair Gibson DSc MD FRCSEd, a RCSEd and ESPINEA® Advisory Board Member sums it up: “The ESPINEA® mission is to serve endoscopic spine surgeons by providing a growing global network for lifelong learning to best benefit the patient. Our vision is to be the world’s leading interdisciplinary community in endoscopic spine surgery.”

In addition to holding ESPINEA® courses at the joimax®-owned premises in Karlsruhe (Germany) and Irvine (USA), they are also held at ORSI Academy (Belgium) and at other prestigious universities, such as Paracelsus Medical University Salzburg (Austria). Recently, ESPINEA® was rolled out in Thailand. Prior to the July PASMISS Meeting, the courses will be launched in Singapore for the APAC region, and following the October SMISS Meeting, launched widely in the U.S.

“Given the ongoing development of endoscopic spine surgery with more and more technological options, the benefits for the patients, along with the substantial publication, I am convinced that endoscopic spine surgery is now the gold standard,” states Iprenburg Spine Clinic Founder and ESPINEA® Advisory Board Member Dr. Menno Iprenburg.

With the ESPINEA® courses, surgeons can train on different procedures using the joimax® TESSYS®, iLESSYS®, CESSYS®, MultiZYTE®, EndoLIF®, Percusys® based on the latest NAVENTO® tower. Most of the courses are conducted in a hybrid mode — online and on-site presentations and lectures combined with in-person hands-on training using models, simulators and anatomical specimens.

ESPINEA® was established as an open education platform for other players in the field of spinal surgery as well. Therefore, further supporters have already joined and new entrants are welcomed.

joimax® goes HD: HD Technology for superior safety in endoscopic spinal surgery

Camsource®HD camera systems, HD endoscopes and HD flat screen monitors by joimax® at the 5th German Spine Congress (5. Deutscher Wirbelsäulenkongress) in Bremen, Germany

Karlsruhe, December 2010: The 5th German Spine Congress (5. Jahrestagung der Deutschen Wirbelsäulengesellschaft (DWG) will take place from 16 to 18 December 2010 at the Congress Centre in Bremen. joimax® is proud to present the innovative HD 5-in-1 complete system at their booth no.20: The C-Camsource®HD Twister offers state-of-the-art HD technology and works with both the joimax® HD endoscopes and HD flat screens producing an extremely precise and sharp picture and video imaging for endoscopic spinal surgery.

This is convincing technology for spinal surgery experts like Dr. Michael Schubert, Apex-Spine Center, Munich, Germany or Dr. Ralf Wagner, Frankfurt, Germany: „High resolution like this allows very precise working and provides the necessary safety required when operating – especially in the field of endoscopic spinal surgery.“ With this integrated combination of HD camera technique, HD endoscopes and HD flat screen monitors joimax® is the first manufacturer to offer a completely tuned and expandable HD system of highest imaging quality and picture resolution.

Both surgeons value the C-Camsource® HD Twister as a 5-in-1 system with its integrated xenon light source and picture rotation function; “There is optimal lighting at all times and with the Twister, image details can be zoomed in and rotated”, “and thanks to the imaging function and the diaphragm and mask function, optimal orientation in the operation area is possible.”
The HD 5-in-1 complete system has also a text generator in order to document each step of the surgery and it offers direct and simple data storage on a USB data carrier. “It was important for us to offer the surgeon a perfectly coordinated as well as a safe complete system“, says Wolfgang Ries, CEO and founder of joimax®, “for the best possible treatment of patients – without any compromises.”

Advantages of the C-Camsource® HD-Twister complete system and the joimax® HD endoscopes

– Best possible resolution due to High-Definition-Technology
– First-class brightness, brilliance of the pictures due to optimal co-ordination of the endoscope,
camera and screen as tuned system
– Unique image rotation, zoom and picture movement function
– As much system integration as sensible, possible and necessary
– Functions for intuitive orientation, marking and documentation

Advantages of the HD flat screen monitors by joimax®

– HD flat screen monitors in either 24“ or 42“ with an angle of
178 degrees for an exceptionally good view and safe operating
– Brilliant images in high resolution: 1.920 x 1.080 pixels
– Picture in picture function; size and position adjustable
– Touch Control Panel, multi-language menu navigation

joimax® successfully carries out 5th International Live Surgery Workshop in cooperation with APEX Spine Center

joimax® hosts another international endoscopy workshop focussed on spine surgery supported by renowned spine specialists

Karlsruhe, 15 October 2010
– On 14 and 15 October the Klinikum Starnberg, Munich, as well as the anatomy of the Ludwig-Maximilians-University Munich, Germany, were the site of a two-day joimax® workshop focussed on the endoscopic resection of herniated discs performed by the TESSYS® method. Highlight of this international workshop were two live surgeries observed by 21 participating orthopaedic surgeons as well as neurosurgeons in the adjacent conference room of the Starnberg Residence.

Dr. med. Michael Schubert of the Munich APEX SPINE Center operated on two patients, explained every single step of the surgery and answered the auditorium’s questions. Several workshop participants were able to watch the surgery directly in the operating room. The live surgeries were preceded by an intensive cadaver training in the Ludwig-Maximilians-University Munich. Participants came from Germany, Austria, Italy, England, Jordan, Saudi Arabia and Lebanon. Renowned faculties like Dr. Florian Maria Alfen, Dr. Guntram Krzok, Dr. Carl-Hans Fürstenberg, Dr. Wolfgang Kreil as well as Dr. Manuel Panne, anaesthesiologist in Munich, contributed to a successful event.

The Bayerische Rundfunk TV station was live onsite on 14 October and aired the report titled “Schnelle Hilfe dank Endoskopie” (“Fast relieve through endoscopy”) the very same evening at best broadcasting time.

Group Munich 14-15.10.2010

„Shrill®“ – The new Shaver Drill System by joimax® for the treatment of spinal stenosis

Karlsruhe, 14 September 2010: Just in time before the major international fall congresses joimax® launches the „Shrill®“, another technical highlight for the broader application of the TESSYS® spine surgery technique. This multifunctional drill and resection system removes both soft and solid structures effortlessly and safely and hence completes the TESSYS® method for stenotic patients.

The obvious advantages for the surgeon: Shrill® is easy to program, enables intuitional use and it can be operated with buttons on the hand piece or the foot switch. The different shaver blades allow for safe and reliable removal of bone, soft or scar tissue in immediate vicinity of nerves.
The integrated irrigation and suction control provides a clear view on the operation area at all times.

„With this instrument we are now able to successfully operate spinal stenoses fully endoscopically“, says Dr. Menno Iprenburg, one of the first users of the TESSYS® System. „Decompressions of nerve structures in various levels of the spine under endoscopical view are now possible in one surgical session“, states Dr. Ralf Wagner, being an expert in this new surgery technique.

The advantages for the patient are evident as with all other joimax instruments: safety even in sensitive areas, fast pain relieve and regaining quality of life due to the minimal invasive surgery method.

Last but not least the advantage for the health care system: The short recovery time of the patient reduces cost to the patient and health insurance!

joimax® moves into larger premises

joimax® invests in the future and moves into new offices in the US and in Germany

Irvine, USA / Karlsruhe, Germany – 14. Juni 2010 – The medical devices company
joimax® GmbH is moving into new premises both in Germany and the US. „Growth requires space“ had already been the motto of the last company move back in 2005.
The US market has an enormous growth potential. This is why the subsidiary joimax® Inc. is moving from Campbell to Irvine, California, one of high-tech industry centers in the United States. To meet the growing requirements of the US market the joimax® headquarter in Karlsruhe, Germany is also moving into bigger offices. President and founder Wolfgang Ries states: “This step of expansion was necessary to comply with the growing requirements towards our organisation.” “The new premises are a perfect operational basis to be able to cover the growing demand for joimax technologies in the US“, explains Chip Stevens, CEO of joimax Inc.

The doubling of the operational areas is also a landmark decision with respect to the ongoing product launches of the company. joimax® is preparing the launch of the Shrill® in Europe which will shortly be followed by the US launch. This shaver and drill system for the ablation of bone and soft tissue under endoscopic view will be completed by a new pump system called Versicon® and an HD endoscopy system. Following the motto „joimax goes HD“ the so-called Camsource® HD Twister camera system, new HD flat screen monitors and HD endoscopes will be brought to market.

Veröffentlicht in 2010

joimax® holds the first international TESSYS® User Meeting in Veenhuizen, The Netherlands, and announces the launch of various new products for endoscopic spinal surgery

Karlsruhe, 12. May 2010. On 14 and 15 May 2010 joimax® GmbH holds the first international user meeting of endoscopic spinal surgery in Veenhuizen/Netherlands. Besides the ten reference surgeons about 30 participants and customers from Germany, Europe, the United States and other countries are expected to join the meeting. The scientific program comprises atwo-days conference which be opened with a keynote lecture of Prof. Dr. Gerbrand J. Groen of the university of Utrecht. CEO and founder of the company Wolfgang Ries will give an outline of the product offensive in the coming months in the field of access systems, ablation and drilling systems and the latest joimax® HD technologies.

One of the highlights of this event will be the opening ceremony of Rugkliniek Iprenburg in Veenhuizen. The head of this private clinic Dr. Menno Iprenburg, a long-time member of the joimax® Faculty, having completed more than 900 TESSYS® surgeries, states: „It was the right decision to give up my position as chief surgeon in Assen and to risk once again total self-employment with the joimax® TESSYS® method“, and, „this is also proven by the significantly increasing number of patients and the possibility of operating more indications with the joimax® endoscopic methods “.

Veröffentlicht in 2010

Live TESSYS® operation at the 4th German Spine Congress, Munich

From December 10th-12th 2009, joimax® took part in the 4th German Spine Congress (DWG) in Munich. This congress has advanced to become the largest spine congress in Europe, overtaking the Eurospine. The DWG offered joimax® the opportunity to transmit a live operation into a conference room for the first time at a German spine congress. During a lunchtime workshop approximately 100 participants watched attentively as Dr. Michael Schubert (Apex Spine Center, Munich) performed an endoscopic intervertebral disc operation using the TESSYS® method in the ATOS Private Clinic Munich, with commentary by Dr. Florian Maria Alfen (Würzburg) – a premiere event at a German neuro or spine surgery congress. Bavarian Television (“Bayerisches Fernsehen”) immediately took up the story, broadcasting a report on this exciting event in the evening news on the very same day (10.12.2009).

Further information regarding the 2009 DWG can be found under http://www.dwg.org.

Veröffentlicht in 2010