Paris, France | November 2021 – During this years Global Spine Congress (GSC) joimax® CEO & Founder, Wolfgang Ries, sat down with GSC Chairman, Jeffery Wang, MD, PhD, to talk about the 20 years success of the company, education with the ESPINEA® Endoscopic Spine Academy and the future of endoscopic spine surgery!
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IRVINE, CA – joimax®, the German-based market leader in technologies and training methods for full-endoscopic and minimally invasive spinal surgery, is excited to announce the global launch of its new generation tower, NAVENTO® Navigation Endoscopic Tower. Optimized for endoscopic spine surgery with special settings for the safe treatment of sensitive structures, NAVENTO® will be featured at the North American Spine Society (NASS) meeting in Boston later this month and at EUROSPINE in Vienna this October.
NAVENTO®, the fully integrated fourth generation endo-tower, contains everything a surgeon needs to perform a successful procedure. The tower boasts updated design features for enhanced usability and is composed of six devices that work in unison to give the user the best possible surgical experience:
“joimax® continues to lead the endoscopic spine market through innovations in technologies aimed to increase the user experience and provide spinal patients with an ultra-minimally invasive treatment option,” stated Christoph Hofstetter, M.D., Ph.D., associate professor in the Department of Neurological Surgery at the University of Washington.
Wolfgang Ries, CEO and founder of the joimax® group, confirmed, “NAVENTO® pulls together the latest technologies forming one complete, seamlessly integrated spinal endoscopic package.”
NAVENTO®, along with the full suite of joimax® endoscopic technologies will be showcased at NASS, booth #3512, and at EUROSPINE, booth #04.
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 that it has received FDA clearance to market the EndoLIF® Delta-Cage and EndoLIF® DoubleWedge-Cage in the United States. Delta-Cages and DoubleWedge-Cages are intended for intervertebral body fusion procedures for various diseases of the lumbar spine, such as degenerative disc disease.
Now in its 20th anniversary year, joimax® sets another milestone by providing a family of 3D printed titanium cages. The complete EndoLIF® product portfolio consists of the Delta-Cage, the DoubleWedge-Cage, and the O/On-Cage. All three models are designed with special features:
“It is impressive how well these cages ensure primary stability, especially the DoubleWedge-Cage,” says Dr. Ralf Wagner, head surgeon and founder of the Ligamenta Spine Centre in Frankfurt.
Many other experts including, Dr. Florian Zentz, head surgeon of the spine center in Tutzing (Munich), Dr. Ricardo Casal Grau, orthospine surgeon from Madrid, and Dr. J. N. Alastair Gibson, spinal surgeon from Edinburgh, supported the development of the joimax® cages.
“With FDA clearance of two of our cages, our EndoLIF® platform gets more complete; the next major step in endoscopic spinal surgery is endoscopically-assisted fusion,” says joimax® Founder and CEO Wolfgang Ries. “More and more centers are proving the efficacy of these procedures in studies, demonstrating once again the major benefits of endoscopy in fusion. So far, our cages are well established in Europe and in selected centers in Asia, and now we are entering the USA, the biggest market for spinal fusion”.
Taps the market access professionals to oversee reimbursement strategy
IRVINE, CA – joimax®, the German-based market leader in technologies and training methods for full-endoscopic and minimally-invasive spinal surgery, is pleased to announce a new strategic partnership with NAMSA, the only full continuum Contract Research Organization (CRO) in the world focused exclusively on medical devices. Recognized as a leader in reimbursement strategies, with years of experience in collaborating with public and private payors, Namsa will assist joimax®’ customers with reimbursement support services, including prior authorization and appeals support, across the United States.
“We are excited for NAMSA to serve as an exclusive partner to help patients access joimax®’ endoscopic technologies,” stated joimax® General Manager
Maximilian Ries. “We’re optimistic that with NAMSA’s assistance, and the nearly 5,000 clinical papers on endoscopic spine surgery, we will continue to expand coverage of this important, minimally-invasive technology”.
Since the creation of American Medical Association medical procedural code, CPT® 62380, Endoscopic Decompression of Neural Elements and/or Excision of Herniated Intervertebral Discs, in 2017, utilization of endoscopic spinal procedures has grown.
For details, visit www.joimax.com.
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 the global launch of its new generation Shrill®, the Shaver Drill System. Developed for the removal of soft tissue and bone, the joimax® Shrill® system is also highly effective in treating stenosis, a degenerative spine condition.
Building off the success of the original model, this new iteration was retooled to provide better user control. The sleek new design comprises a glass touch panel for easy handling and cleaning, and features expanded benefits including: a new Shrill® console that provides up to 10,000-rpm with an essential amount of torque for controlled and effective ablation of tissue, an adjustable “acceleration ramp” which settings can be programmed based on individual needs, new diamond blades, and reworked bone resectors and barrel cutters. Plus, the device is equipped with handle and blade detection; it can automatically detect connected hand pieces and adjust them to the corresponding parameters.
“The Shrill® is the best endoscopic bone drill system on the market,” says Christoph Hofstetter, M.D., Ph.D., associate professor in the Department of Neurological Surgery at the University of Washington. “The high speed, in combination with the coarse diamond blades, has significantly reduced the time required for endoscopic laminectomy.”
The Shrill® system reflects the increasing demand for endoscopic applications and was updated in accordance with the latest device generation featured in the so called NAVENTO® tower, which is the new generation joimax® navigation endoscopic tower. The Shrill® system is compatible with the angulated Shrill® Deflector Shaver Blades and a whole range of Blades provided for all spinal applications.
“joimax® will continue to bring innovative products to market. On the basis of this technology, we are developing a unique disc preparation tool that can be used for any LIF (Lumbar Interbody Fusion) application, slated for release later this year,” said joimax® CEO and Founder Wolfgang Ries. “This will enable faster and more efficient preparation of the disc space for cage insertion for fusion procedures, and round out the whole product offering”.
Karlsruhe (GER) – joimax® and Trang Thi are pleased to announce their partnership in bringing the joimax® full-endoscopic and minimally invasive spinal surgery technology to the Southern Provinces of Vietnam including Da Nang market. joimax® a German-based company is a recognised market leader in these technologies and training methods with a history of innovation in endoscopic spine surgery since 2001.
Endoscopic Spine Surgery has been growing steadily in popularity since the late 1990’s and there has been exponential growth in the technique in the past 10 years. The distributor Trang Thi and joimax® are pursuing a long term corporation to provide a broader surgical choice for patients considering spinal surgery.
“joimax® is looking forward to working with a partner as strong as Trang Thi, says joimax® Founder and CEO Wolfgang Ries and adds, “a company that has the necessary personnel, expertise, as well as the corresponding specialization and penetration of the market”.
“We’re very pleased to collaborate with joimax®,” comments Trang Thi Medical Co., Ltd Director Dieu Linh Nguyen. “Endoscopic spine surgery is a technique that enables patients to have access to truly minimally invasive surgical procedures of the spine.”
Thus, joimax® strengthens its sales activities in Southern Provinces of Vietnam including Da Nang and enters into another important partnership across APAC.
About Trang Thi Medical Co. Ltd
Trang Thi Medical Co., Ltd (TRANG THI) is one among key players in Vietnam market, providing complete solutions for neuro and spine surgery. During the nine years of operation, TRANG THI has cooperated with many well-known manufacturers, transfering advanced and innovative technology to hospitals and healthcare centers. With the mission of community health, Trang Thi always strive to make a real difference to people’s lives.
Karlsruhe (GER) — Founded 2001 in Germany, joimax®, the leading manufacturer of medical devices for endoscopic minimally invasive spine surgery, celebrates its 20th anniversary this year. In tandem with this milestone, the company expanded their educational program, ESPINEA®, furthering their global reach.
Despite COVID-19, ESPINEA® (Endoscopic Spine Academy) training programs, which are held in cooperation with the Royal College of Surgeons Edinburgh (RCSEd) and joimax®, were conducted all over the world in 2020, and continue to roll out in 2021. Due to travel restrictions, the programs were adapted to webinars, and remote support and training, totaling 60 sessions last year. By pivoting to online learning, approximately 3000 surgeons were reached in 2020, and 700 surgeons so far in 2021. ESPINEA® was founded by joimax® CEO and Founder Wolfgang Ries in 2019, and was accredited by the RCSEd last year.
“Our goal is to be globally present online, as well as to provide direct local support,” says Ries. “Regardless of lockdowns in many countries, under the ESPINEA® platform, more than 120 surgeons were trained in onsite workshops this quarter, with 70 in the USA and Mexico, 35 in Europe, 15 in Asia, and many more through the joimax® CME-program partnership in China.
ESPINEA® Board Member Alastair Gibson, FRCSEd states: “These efforts demonstrate that joimax® and ESPINEA® can achieve anything together. I’m proud to be part of this impressive blend of online, on-site, and remote events, enabling a strong ESPINEA® community.”
To support the roll out, additional Coronavirus-compliant labs were integrated into the local, onsite education programs. In addition to the company’s existing labs in Karlsruhe and Irvine, California, more labs throughout the USA, including Houston, Minneapolis, New York City, Dallas, and Indianapolis, as well as the Surgical Skills Lab in Mexico City and ORSI Academy in Melle, Belgium, have been added. Also, joimax® opened a branch office in Singapore; the Hong Kong office was opened in spring 2019.
“It is becoming increasingly important to have a personal, on-site presence in order to teach globally-valid learning content,” adds Ries.
Karlsruhe, Germany — The Global Symposium of the ESPINEA® Academy in Karlsruhe, sponsored by joimax®, showcased how modern, advanced training for surgeons works. Earlier this month, over four days, more than 300 participants from around the world learned about the latest endoscopic surgical methods for spinal diseases. Via live demonstrations, twelve world-renowned spinal surgeons presented case studies, gave tips and tricks, and allowed people to look over their shoulders at endoscopic videos while operating on cadavers. The livestream made it possible for participating surgeons to understand exactly how endoscopic operations are carried out.
“You can only get closer if you do it yourself,” said one participant.
Endoscopic spinal surgery is developing into the gold standard for back problems that need surgery,” said Wolfgang Ries, the academy’s founder and chairman. “A large number of studies show it is superior to conventional methods of open spine surgery. Unfortunately, this technique is still not taught in most training centers around the world”.
ESPINEA® fills this gap with an extensive training program. Webinar formats are unavoidable in the Coronavirus period. With today’s livestream technologies, ESPINEA® was able to provide real-time, interactive surgical training, zooming in on how its surgical instruments can be used successfully.
“The participants’ enthusiasm is confirmation that we need to further develop online trainings,” said Ries. “While virtual events cannot replace face-to-face instruction — after all, it’s learning by doing — they provide an excellent alternative”.
ESPINEA® Academy was founded by joimax® in February 2019. A month later, joimax® CEO and Founder Wolfgang Ries held its first faculty and user meeting at the Paracelsus Medical University in Salzburg. Since then, ESPINEA® has been accredited by the oldest surgical college in the world, the Royal College of Surgeons Edinburgh. Participants at events such as the Global Symposium can earn medical training credits for Continuing Professional Development (CPD points). Points can be applied to medical license renewals.
Underscoring the importance of virtual learning, three ESPINEA® board members chaired the symposium: Menno Iprenburg from Iprenburg Spine Clinic in Veenhuizen, Netherlands; Sang-Ho Lee, president of Wooridul Spine Hospital, Korea; and J. N. Alistair Gibson, Royal College of Surgeons in Edinburgh. The participants concluded, “It was worth taking part just to hear these luminaries in person. But the best part was the opportunity to see the operation as if you were performing it yourself.”
Karlsruhe (GER) – joimax®, the German-based market leader in technologies and training methods for full-endoscopic and minimally invasive spinal surgery, is pleased to announce a new partnership with Transmedic Group, a top medical device distributor headquartered in Singapore. In this exclusive deal, Transmedic will represent joimax® in Singapore, Hong Kong, Philippines and Indonesia.
The long-term partnership will provide a broader surgical choice for patients considering endoscopic minimally invasive spinal surgery in these markets. With recent advances in the field of endoscopic discectomy (ED), the procedure has potential to supersedemicrodiscectomy (MD) as the gold standard of care in management of lumbar disc disease, as the latest literature suggests.
“joimax® is very much looking forward to working with Transmedic Group,” says joimax® Founder and CEO Wolfgang Ries. “With the rising popularity of endoscopic approaches in the management of spinal diseases, we’re able to deliver the highest standard of patient care, strengthen our sales activities, and enter into another important partnership across APAC.”
Teo Kee Meng, managing director of Transmedic Group commented, “We’re very pleased to partner with joimax®. With their technological advancements and use of new spinal access corridors, a major prevention of spinal structure collateral damage is assured, allowing for significantly reduced complications and improved postoperative recovery times.”
About Transmedic Group
Transmedic Group was founded in 1980 with the aim of becoming the top specialist in the advanced medical technology area in Southeast Asia. Headquartered in Singapore, the privately held company has since grown its presence in seven countries with more than 500 employees, and is well-renowned as the leading provider of latest technologies in healthcare.
IRVINE, CA – joimax®, the German-based market leader in technologies and training methods for full-endoscopic and minimally invasive spinal surgery, is pleased to announce that Intracs® em, its electromagnetic navigation tracking and control system, has been approved by the FDA.
The Intracs® em Navigation System allows for spinal procedures to be carried out with minimal X-ray control, drastically reducing radiation exposure, access time, and the entire length of the surgical procedure. In fact, all joimax® instruments and scopes can be tracked and accurately navigated through the appropriate sensors, which improves safety, expands endoscopic indications, and flattens the learning curve.
Intracs®em is a multiyear development. Its first cadaveric trials were made with a group of surgeons at the ESPINEA® Labs in Karlsruhe, Germany and Irvine, CA.
According to Prof. Dr. med. Michael Kraus of ORTHIX Zentrum in Augsburg, Germany, who headed the preliminary trials: “Using Intracs® em Navigation System in the full endoscopic spine surgery is safe and easily applicable. The technology helps master precise access to the spine, and the clinical trials have confirmed the technique’s multiple advantages.”
Prof. Dr. Chris Hofstetter of UW Medical Center in Seattle, Washington, USA, adds: “joimax® Intracs®em constitutes a highly precise image-guided navigation platform designed for the specific needs of full-endoscopic spine surgery. Using electromagnetic navigation technology allows to track the leading edge of endoscopic instruments in real time, and facilitates needle targeting and orientation during the surgery, while minimizing radiation exposure. No doubt, this technology will expand the indications for full-endoscopic spine surgery and pave the way for innovations in minimally invasive arthrodesis techniques.”
joimax® is also excited to announce its second joint Global Symposium being held in partnership with Integrity Implants, Inc., August 21 – 22. For details, visit www.joimax.com.