joimax® Celebrates Resounding Success at the German Spine Society (DWG) Convention 2019

Karlsruhe (GER) / Irvine, CA – December 3, 2019 – joimax®, the Germany-based market leader of technologies and training methods for full-endoscopic minimally-invasive spinal surgery, celebrated resounding success at this year’s German Spine Society (DWG), held November 28 to 30 in Munich, Germany. joimax® presented its newest product innovations and hosted several informative sessions to rave reviews, exceeding expectations.

Among the products showcased was a new member of the joimax® TESSYS® family, TESSYS® Thx, a system specifically developed for the symptomatic thoracic deherniation and decompression treatment. Surgeries utilizing TESSYS® Thx can avoid complications often associated with traditional open and microsurgical approaches, such as significant muscle damage, bony resection, and morbidities.

joimax® also presented Intracs®em, the first electromagnetic system for endoscopic spine applications that can navigate instruments directly at the tip, if required. This navigation system combines side and AP images of the C-arm with the CT axial scan, providing surgeons with meaningful views of the target region. Intracs® em received its CE mark earlier this year and has been successful throughout Europe and Asia. FDA approval is pending; expected by year’s end.

Moreover, joimax® presented its Endoscopic Spine Academy ESPINEA®. This modular training program, divided into a Pre-Clinical Training with anatomical models, endoscopic tools, and simulators, and a Clinical Training, part of the joimax® CM3 program consisting of visitation, hands-on workshops, and the first surgery, offers surgeons specific support to optimize and significantly shorten the individual learning curve.

Additional highlights included, the daily Meet the Expert Sessions, a Needle Placement Challenge with attractive prizes, and a lunch symposium on “Endoscopy in the Course of Time”.

joimax® CEO and Founder Wolfgang Ries states, “Our unmatched attention to the needs of surgeons enables us to be one step ahead. The reception of our products at this convention reinforced our commitment to endoscopy and underscored the importance of showcasing innovative products such as Intracs®em.  By participating in national and international spine congresses, we are able to achieve broad market penetration for the benefit of the patient”.

joimax® and Red One Medical Partner to Support Expert Endoscopic Minimally Invasive Spine Surgery for Veterans and Active Military

SAVANNAH, GA – joimax®, a leading developer and marketer of complete systems for endoscopic minimally invasive spinal surgery, and Red One Medical, a Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Business, announced their partnership today. The partnership enables both companies to continue their missions to improve patient care and surgical outcomes with leading edge medical technology and devices.

Red One Medical Founder and CEO Charles Pollak shared, “I am excited to join forces with joimax® to offer their innovative technologies, systems and methods for endoscopic minimally invasive spinal surgery to VA and DoD facilities across the nation, further supporting the government’s goal to improve outcomes and improve efficiency in these facilities.”

Matt Cronin, senior VP of sales and marketing for joimax®, is a U.S. Navy veteran and hailed this partnership: “This is a pivotal moment for joimax® and our long history. We are honored to be a part of improving health care for our many veterans and our brave U.S. military personnel, as well as for their dependents. Our working together with Red One Medical will make endoscopic spine surgery more accessible to this patient population, where a quicker return to both duty and a more active life, is so important.”

About Red One Medical:

Red One Medical is a CVE-certified Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Business (SDVOSB) located in Savannah, GA. Wholly owned and operated by a combat veteran, Red One Medical is a leading medical device distributor and wholesaler serving the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) medical centers and Department of Defense (DoD) hospitals. Red One Medical donates a portion of profits to leading charities as part of its mission to support veterans, military families and their communities. To learn more, visit http://www.redonemedical.com/

RED-ONE-joimax-collaboration, Military, veterans, endoscopic spine experts, endoscopic devices, endoscopic systems, treatment

joimax® Showcases New Electromagnetic Navigation System Intracs® em at Global Spine Congress (GSC), Toronto and at German Society of Neurosurgery (DGNC), Wurzburg Clinical Trials Start in Europe and Asia

IRVINE, CA – May 13, 2019 – joimax®,, the Germany-based market leader of technologies and training methods for full-endoscopic, minimally-invasive spinal surgery, is showcasing its Integrated Navigation Tracking & Control System, Intracs®em, at this year’s Global Spine Congress (GSC), which is currently being held in Toronto, Canada. The company is also promoting the system at the annual meeting of the German Society of Neurosurgery (DGNC), being held concurrently in Wurzburg, Germany.

The Intracs®em electromagnetic navigation system is simple to set up, very user-friendly, and seamlessly integrates into the joimax® endoscopic tower. It allows for navigation during any endoscopic procedure performed with the joimax® endoscopic surgical systems, TESSYS® (transforaminal) and iLESSYS® (interlaminar). Beyond that, it can serve as a stand-alone device.

The system relies on electromagnetic tracking, affording simultaneous navigation of multiple instruments such as needles, guiding rods, reamers and endoscopes. It was developed by joimax®  for easy planning of endoscopic approaches to the spine, as well as other minimally invasive procedures, like percutaneous fusions.

Various Intracs®em sensors guarantee the highest accuracy. Plus, for the patients’ benefit, the procedure can be carried out without further X-ray control – only starting X-rays are required. As a result, access, intervention time, and radiation exposure, are reduced to a minimum.

The system is CE-Marked. Currently, clinical trials and applications are running in Europe and Asia, where the product has already launched. In specific Asian countries, like Taiwan, the first systems have been sold and shipped.

Users are very impressed with the usability of the system. “I didn’t expect that navigation for both transforaminal and interlaminar procedures can be made so easy and that the set-up time can be so much streamlined,“ states Prof. Michael Kraus, spine specialist in Augsburg, Germany.  “And for the thoracic approach, it is so precise and a tremendous help,” continues Dr. Erik Traupe, spine specialist in Munich, Germany.

The launch of Intracs®em is a key milestone for joimax®. As part of its global strategy, joimax®  is providing surgeons, worldwide, with the devices they need for safe, easy and gentle spinal therapies, with US-FDA submission planned for Q2, 2019. “We are committed to overcoming any obstacles and concerns related to minimally invasive, endoscopic spine surgery,” states joimax® CEO and Founder Wolfgang Ries. “Our success lies with our innovative, user-friendly devices and instruments, and our ability to provide both doctor and patient with outstanding safety built into our systems.” Moreover, a well established and targeted clinical training program for the spinal surgical community, named CM3, rounds out the joimax® educational offering. Earlier this year, joimax® launched ESPINEA®, an Endoscopic Spine Academy focused on a complete endoscopic spine curriculum. Designed as a full training program to elevate surgeons to the next level of expertise, ESPINEA® offers professional and high-quality education for endoscopic spine treatment specialists, worldwide. The ESPINEA® Training and Education Centers are located in Karlsruhe, Germany in the newly opened joimax® building, and in Irvine, CA, where joimax® opened new labs and training rooms last November.

joimax® celebrates its 10th anniversary presence with 900 users in China and reports a jump in Q1-2017 sales

Karlsruhe, Germany – April 11th, 2017 – joimax®, the German based market leader of technologies and training methods for endoscopic minimally invasive spinal surgery, just celebrated its 10 years’ birthday in China with an outstanding 3 days event in Chongqing. More than 900 surgeons out of 2,000 users in China only took part in live surgeries, workshops and a scientific program on endoscopic spinal technologies including MISS fusion techniques. Besides, joimax® organized the presentation of its latest systems like the TESSYS® ISeeU and iLESSYS® Delta in product trainings as well as newest tools for endoscopic treatment in an exhibition hall. The program was supported by joimax® Faculty Members from Europe, USA and other countries. In the course of the meeting a Chinese Faculty Team with 13 members was inaugurated by Wolfgang Ries, Founder and CEO of joimax® and Qin-Guang You, President of joimax® China. ”Due to the growing education and training needs in the Asian region the time has come to form a local team for this important market”, explains Wolfgang Ries. “It is a great honor to lead this team and to support the further growth of joimax®”, says the head of the Faculty Team, Prof. Yue Zhou from the Third Military Medical University in Chongqing. He was awarded with the joimax® Handshake Award in Gold for his exceptional commitment and the members of the group received the joimax® Handshake Award in Silver.

After very satisfying growing sales figures in 2016 (31 % growth vs. 2015), joimax® is proud to announce a jump in sales in the first quarter 2017. Consolidated figures show an increase of 60 % compared to the same period of last year. “This is a very encouraging development, showing the continuing expansion and growth of the group”, states Wolfgang Ries, Founder and CEO of joimax®.

joimax® obtains full product registration in Thailand, and is now active in 10 Asian countries

Karlsruhe, Germany – February 27th, 2017joimax® further ensures its market access in Asia. The German based market leader of technologies and training methods for endoscopic minimally invasive spinal surgery is expanding its presence and recently has obtained full product registration from the Thai Food & Drug Administration (FDA). joimax® also has approvals in South Korea, China, Singapore, Indonesia, Hong Kong and Vietnam. For Malaysia, Taiwan and Japan, the certification for the product range is expected in 2017. “We are constantly pushing the registration process in Asia to extend the availability of joimax® products. Thus, joimax® is well prepared to further widen its market presence in Asia, demonstrating our commitment to the fastest growing region of the world,” states Wolfgang Ries, Founder and CEO of joimax®.

For years, joimax® has been working with the Korean Wooridul group, the world’s largest Specialized Spine Hospital Network. Starting in 2017, joimax®, together with the Wooridul Hospital in Seoul, will offer International courses for Minimally Invasive Spinal Surgery (MISS). In a series of four courses, provided in basic and advanced level, the education of international spine surgeons is ensured. The first one, chaired by joimax® faculty Dr. Sang-Ho Lee, South Korea, recently took place. The one-week training programs offer surgeons the opportunity to learn percutaneous endoscopic techniques and other minimally-invasive procedures with lectures, operation observation and hands-on-workshops. Since 2004, more than 600 spine surgeons and specialists from 41 countries have participated in these courses at Wooridul.

After the National Minimal Invasive Spinal Summit Forum, together with the 4th joimax® User Meeting in December, joimax® China, headquartered in Chengdu, will celebrate its 10th birthday in April 2017. On this occasion, numerous internationally well-known faculties will meet in Chongqing, China to share experience and expertise. Lectures and live surgeries are planned to be held in two hospitals and to be broadcasted via Internet.

Participants of the National Minimal Invasive Spinal Summit Forum & 4th joimax User Meeting, held in Zhenghou City, China from Dec. 23rd until 25th, 2016

DWG 2016 in Hannover, Germany: joimax® shows major presence with daily lunch symposia and Meet the Expert Sessions at its booth

Karlsruhe, Germany – December 8th, 2016 – from Dec 1st to 3rd, 2016 the most important German spine congress has taken place at the Hannover Congress Centre. joimax® as global acting German developer and marketer of technologies and training methods for endoscopic minimally invasive spinal surgery again exhibited at the 11th congress of the German Spine Society (DWG). The congress attracted an increasing number of attendees who gathered for the latest news on spinal surgery as well as to learn about the techniques and results of endoscopic spine surgery and the benefits of these techniques for both the surgeon and their patients.

dwg_2016joimax® presented its complete product range including the newly launched MultiZYTE® RT (e.g. for rhizotomy) as well as MultiZYTE® SI for Sacroiliac Joint therapy and the Intracs® Interaoperative Navigation Tracking & Control System. With Intracs®, a fully endoscopic integrated electromagnetic based system, the joimax® instruments can be navigated directly at the tip which allows tracking of instruments with a diameter in the 1mm range. In the course of the congress joimax® also held two well attended lunch symposia covering the whole scope of surgical indications and also the field of pain therapy up to decompression. Furthermore joimax® offered daily “Meet the Expert”-Sessions at its booth where spine surgeons were given the possibility to participate on the extensive experience of well-known German spine specialists.

    From left to right: Dr. Menno Iprenburg, NL; Awardee Alastair Gibson, MD, Scotland; Dr. Ralf Wagner, Germany; Wolfgang Ries, Founder & CEO joimax® GmbH
From left to right: Dr. Menno Iprenburg, NL; Awardee Alastair Gibson, MD, Scotland; Dr. Ralf Wagner, Germany; Wolfgang Ries, Founder & CEO joimax® GmbH

“The endoscopic minimally invasive techniques are becoming more and more the first choice in spinal surgery. This is also reflected in the steadily and now fast growing number of studies showing the benefits on this treatment modalities”, says Wolfgang Ries, CEO and founder of joimax®. The most recent study by Alastair Gibson, MD from Edinburgh, Scotland called “A randomized controlled trial of TED vs Microdiscectomy” has recently been published online in the European Spine Journal.  During his long-time use of joimax® endoscopic systems and educational work Dr. Gibson published a huge number of studies on endoscopic minimally invasive spinal surgery. Lately in October 2016 joimax®, together with the Paracelsus Medical University (PMU), had the honor of conferring him with the Parviz Kambin Award for his excellence in endoscopic spinal surgery. This event took place during the CME-certified workshop course held at the PMU in Salzburg, Austria. The Award is presented to pioneers in the field of endoscopic minimally invasive spine surgery, to which group of Awardees Alastair Gibson was elected there.

Eurospine 2016: joimax® launches its new MultiZYTE® SI-Joint Endoscopic Therapy Set and its new Intracs® Intraoperative Navigation Tracking & Control System

Karlsruhe – October 05, 2016 – joimax®, the global acting German developer and marketer of technologies and training methods for endoscopic minimally invasive spinal surgery, will again exhibit at Eurospine 2016 taking place from October 5 – 7 in Berlin. During the conference, joimax®will launch two new products – the MultiZYTE® SI Endoscopic Sacroiliac Joint Therapy Set and its new Intracs® Intraoperative Navigation Tracking & Control System.

multizyte-si-treatment

MultiZYTE® SI Endoscopic Sacroiliac Joint Therapy is developed for the treatment of the Sacroiliac Joint Syndrome (SIJS), which has been rediscovered as a major back pain generator in recent years. This kind of pain is commonly felt in the lower back, the gluteal region, the hip and thigh and can even radiate into the leg and foot. Until the 1930s, SI-Joint was the main reason for low back pain, but since 1934 the focus has been on disc herniation. According to recent studies 15 to 25% of all low back pain is caused by the SI-Joint and up to 43% in patients having undergone lumbosacral fusion. MultiZYTE® SI joimax® now offers a well developed and lasting treatment option for this disease.

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joimax® Endoscopic Tower with Intracs® Navigation and Monitor Unit - not yet FDA cleared
joimax® Endoscopic Tower

The Intracs® Intraoperative Navigation Tracking & Control System was developed in cooperation between joimax® GmbH Karlsruhe and fiagon GmbH in Berlin, both located in Germany. With the Intracs® system, joimax® instruments can be navigated directly at the tip using Fiagons “chip at the tip” technology which allows tracking of instruments with a diameter in the 1mm range. The Intracs ® Navigation and Monitor Unit is integrated in the joimax® Endoscopic Tower and all necessary tools are tailored for the TESSYS® (transforaminal) and iLESSYS® (interlaminar) procedures as well as for minimally invasive stabilization procedures, like EndoLIF® and Percusys®. The main features of the Intracs® system are needle navigation through Vector-Tip-Target processing tools, the merging of 2D X-Rays with 3D- images of a patient’s CT or MRI scans, and the constant orientation control of any endoscope used in joimax procedures.

“With these two new developments we are in the position to enhance our endoscopic minimally-invasive product portfolio, driving adoption rates to meet new heights. With the world unique Intracs® system, navigation is now faster, safer and more accurate than ever before using an electromagnetic (EM) field. Radiation exposure for both, patients and surgeons will be significantly reduced,” says Wolfgang Ries, CEO and founder of joimax®. “Additionally the learning curve for all spinal endoscopic procedures offered by joimax® will now be significantly reduced and the rapid expansion of all these techniques is now well layed-out,” he continues.

JOIMAX® ANNOUNCES RELEASE OF FIRST ENDOSCOPIC AMA CPT CODE Company also releases newly designed joimax® homepage

Irvine, CA – September 26, 2016 – The AMA (American Medical Association) released the CPT 2017 Codebook (Current Procedural Terminology), now containing the first endoscopic spinal surgery code no. 62380. This new code covers endoscopic decompression of the spinal cord, nerve root(s), including laminotomy, partial facetectomy, foraminotomy, discectomy and/or excision of herniated intervertebral disc, 1 interspace, lumbar, and will be enforced as of January 1st, 2017. Under this code the specific transforaminal (TESSYS®) and/or interlaminar (iLESSYS®) procedures are fully covered in the USA herewith, which are already marketed by joimax® in 45 countries.

“The definition of this new code in the CPT codebook 2017 is a major milestone towards the acceptance of endoscopic minimally invasive spine surgery techniques and its benefits to both the surgeon and their patients,” states Wolfgang Ries, Founder and CEO of joimax®. Since 2012 joimax®  had been driving this effort to obtain CPT codes as these procedures required submission to payors for reimbursement coverage which was granted only in single cases under temporary codes, so-called T-codes.

“joimax® has been instrumental in driving the effort to obtain full code coverage of endoscopic spinal surgery,” says Daniel Laich, DO, Swedish Convenant Hospital, Chicago, who had been participating and presenting in almost every AMA meeting over the last five years. Due to the high research and publication activities by key users like Albert Telfeian, MD, PhD, at Rhode Island Hospital at Brown University, and a group of users around him, strong evidence has been accepted by AMA authorities, justifying the release of this new CPT code.

Many papers and publications on joimax® products can now be downloaded from the newly released joimax® homepage. The completely redesigned website offers visitors richer insight into the company’s innovative products and systems. A quick and easy access to essential information and features is available, including the latest workshop and education activities, which are essential in endoscopic minimally-invasive spinal surgery.

Meanwhile joimax® offers basic and advanced workshop training courses mainly in the USA, Germany and Austria, and oversees a participation population of almost 3,000 physicians. Independent training courses are also performed in China and Korea to support the fast growing Asian markets. Detailed information about those courses are updated regularly at www.joimax.com.

The website uses the latest technology so the site is compatible with today’s browsers and mobile devices, such as smartphones and tablets. Visitors can also use the new website to stay informed with the latest company news. The new website goes live today and is located at the same address: https://www.joimax.com.

joimax® STUDIES PUBLISHED IN WORLD NEUROSURGERY TESSYS® system proves to be surgical rescue solution for kyphoplasty complication and thoracic disc herniation.

Irvine, Germany, September 14th, 2016 – joimax®, the expert in endoscopic minimally invasive spine surgery, is pleased to announce another publication on its technologies to be released in World Neurosurgery (2016). In the paper called “Transpedicular Lumbar Endoscopic Surgery for Highly Migrated Disc Extrusions, a preliminary series and surgical technique,” published by Krzok G et al, 21 patients underwent this procedure with the TESSYS® system. The paper follows two technical notes by Wagner R et al in which he shows joimax® techniques as surgical rescue solutions in a kyphoplasty complication and another one for the treatment of a thoracic disc herniation, all published in World Neurosurgery.

The first technical note mentioned above describes the case of a 72-year-old woman with a leakage of the kyphoplasty cement into the spinal canal (a described and known complication), where the joimax® technology was successfully used as a rescue solution to remove the cement and decompress the nerval structures preventing major surgery. The second technical note describes the transforaminal endoscopic foraminoplasty and discectomy for the treatment of a thoracic disc herniation. A 31-year-old woman with severe thoracic back pain over one year was successfully treated by using the transforaminal endoscopic approach so that open surgery was not needed.

Over the years a growing number of studies show the outstanding advantages of endoscopic minimally invasive spinal surgery, such as the prospective Randomized Controlled Trial (RCT) of Ruetten et al in 178 patients and by Hoogland et al in a study of 262 consecutive cases of transforaminal endoscopic spinal surgery. Both were published in Spine 2008, Vol. 33, Issue 9. Another retrospective evaluation with 195 patients of Jasper et al (Clinical Neurology & Neurosurgery 2013, Vol. 115, Issue 10) and a multi-centric MIS prospective registry published by Sclafani et al (IJSS 2015, Vol. 9, Art. 69) with 86 patients, also showed very encouraging results. Beyond that, a special edition in the Journal of Neurosurgery called Neurosurgical Focus, published by Gokaslan Z, Telfeian A and Wang M focused on Endoscopic Spine Surgery was released in February 2016 (JNS 2016, Vol. 40, No. 2).

“Working with Endoscopic Spine Surgery for more than 12 years (her performed already 2,400 Tessys® procedures in daysurgery in analgo-sedation) and seeing its evolution is just amazing and I wonder where we will be in five or ten years from now”, says Menno Iprenburg, MD from Veenhuizen, NL, who continues to be involved in many of these studies.

Albert Telfeian, MD, PhD from Brown University, RI is very happy about the actual hit rate on PubMed when searching for endoscopic spinal surgery, “To date we’ve received a rate of 2,730 papers on http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/?term=endoscopic+spinal+surgery and I am really excited how many indications are treatable with endoscopy already today,” said Telfeian.

“Shortly another RCT study will be published by Gibson et al demonstrating the quality and great success rate of endoscopic spine treatments with a high adoption rate, especially in Asian countries, and in some countries where there is more than 50% growth per annum”, says Wolfgang Ries, founder and CEO of joimax®.

NASS, 2015: joimax® launches its new EndoLIF® On-Cage and new iLESSYS® Delta interlaminar endoscopy system

Chicago, Illinois – October 14, 2015 (BUSINESS WIRE) – joimax®, the global German developer and marketer of technologies and training methods for minimally invasive endoscopic spinal surgery, launches its two newest products – the EndoLIF® On-Cage and iLESSYS® Delta interlaminar system, during the 30th annual North American Spine Society (NASS) meeting in Chicago.

“With the new EndoLIF® program, combined with the TESSYS® technology, and now the iLESSYS® Delta, joimax® offers complete endoscopic solutions for spinal decompression, stabilization and fusion.”

The EndoLIF® On-Cage is a 3D-printed titanium alloy, manufactured utilizing a special electron beam melting (EBM) technology. The cage displays a porous surface with a diamond cell structure, which provides an optimal base for cell proliferation and bone growth. Two large implant graft windows, which are filled with autogenous bone, allow for bridging bone to further support fusion. The EndoLIF® On-Cage implant allows surgeons to utilize a mini-open or an inter-muscular approach, similar to a mini-transforaminal lumbar interbody fusion (TLIF) approach, into the intervertebral disc space facilitating endoscopic-assisted fusion.

Dr. Ralf Wagner, LIGAMENTA Spine Center, Frankfurt, and Dr. Bernd Illerhaus, ONZ Spine Center, Recklinghausen, are two German spine specialists who have already performed more than 200 of the 800 EndoLIF® On-Cage procedures in Europe. “The access is dura and nerve-gentle, preserves better dorsal bony structures and limits scar tissue formation because of the stepwise tissue dilation,” said Dr. Wagner.

iLESSYS® Delta, an advanced development of the joimax iLESSYS® standard technology, is suitable for dorsal and dorso-lateral treatment of central spinal canal stenosis. The iLESSYS® Delta system enables a large area to be decompressed by means of a more widened interlaminar approach, guided by a full endoscopic direct visualization technique. The new and specific instrument set includes specially developed tools that permit an extensive, yet gentle, tissue-sparing decompression. A new endoscope with a 6 mm working channel allows the use of large shaver blades designed for bone and tissue resection, along with a range of instruments to be applied under full endoscopic view.

“We are impressed by the new endoscope which delivers outstanding image quality. With the specialized instrument set, it is finally possible to achieve decompression of central spinal canal stenosis,” said Albert E. Telfeian, M.D., Ph.D., Department of Neurosurgery, Rhode Island Hospital, Providence, RI. Jian Shen, MD, PhD, of Mohawk Valley Orthopedics, P.C., NY, concurs. The two surgeons gained experience with the new system during a meeting at the Anatomy Department of the University of Mainz, Germany, earlier this year, and during the cadaveric training course at Vitruvian lab in Baltimore, MD, held last week.

“Albert Telfeian and Jian Shen will be the first spinal surgeons in the USA to perform surgeries with the new iLESSYS® Delta endoscopic technology and the EndoLIF® On-Cage implants,” says Wolfgang Ries, CEO and founder of joimax®. He adds, “With the new EndoLIF® program, combined with the TESSYS® technology, and now the iLESSYS® Delta, joimax® offers complete endoscopic solutions for spinal decompression, stabilization and fusion.”

With the FDA approval of Percusys® percutaneous screw-rod-system earlier this year, and the FDA approval of EndoLIF® On-Cage in July, joimax® is positioning itself as a clear leader in minimally invasive endoscopic spinal surgery, providing a full spectrum of product technologies, now fully available in the U.S. market.