Author: Antonio Berlen

Newly awarded German Growth Champion joimax® presents new products at DWG Stuttgart, Germany, and broadens its education and congress activities

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IRVINE, CA – November 30, 2017 – joimax®, recently awarded as German Growth Champion 2018, continues to share its expertise in endoscopic minimally invasive spine surgery. With the latest workshops in Krasnodar, RUS, Guadalajara, Mexico and at the Wooridul Hospital in Korea, the company strengthens its outstanding education program. During the workshops, surgeons are trained in endoscopic techniques and other minimally-invasive procedures. Since the start of the cooperation with the Korean Wooridul group, the world’s largest specialized MISS – Endoscopic Spine Hospital Network, in 2017, a series of four courses, provided at different levels, have now been performed.

“Heavily increasing user interest and fast growing patient demand for endoscopic spinal surgery is leading to major needs, which joimax® is addressing by broadening its training program and presence at international congresses,” says Wolfgang Ries, Founder and CEO of joimax®.

joimax® presence at COA Congress 2017
joimax® presence at COA Congress 2017

Hence, joimax® again had an outstanding presence at the 12th International Congress of the Chinese Orthopedic Association (COA), which took place in Zhuhai, China, from Nov 15 – 18, 2017. In Vietnam, the first cervical surgery with the joimax® CESSYS® system was successfully performed by joimax® faculty Dr. Jun Seok Bae together with Dr. Dinh Ngoc Son, on Nov 22, 2017 at the Viet-Duc Hospital, the largest surgical center of Vietnam in Hanoi.

At the upcoming congress of the German Spine Society (DWG), taking place Nov 30 – Dec 02, 2017, in Stuttgart, Germany, joimax® will introduce its newest camera system called Camsource® LED combined with its latest Vitegra® Docu and Command Visual Integration System offering the highest resolution imaging with CMOS sensor technology. Additionally, the company will present its extended EndoLIF® portfolio with the new EndoLIF® Double-Wedge Cage, usable for TLIF- and ELIF-fusion techniques. joimax® will host two lunch symposia and hold “Meet-the-Expert” presentations at its booth.

At the same time, the company will have a booth with 2 workshop stations at the KOMISS (Korean Minimally Invasive Spine Surgery Society) International Symposium and Hands-on Cadaver Workshop for Endoscopic Spine Surgery, taking place from Dec 1 – 3 in Incheon, Korea. The year ends with another excellent workshop at the IRCAD Institute in Taiwan on Dec 22- 23, 2017.

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

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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® – the 1st US TESSYS® User Meeting in Denver, Colorado, USA heralds 10-year anniversary celebrations

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At the same time joimax® Inc., the US subsidiary celebrates its fifth anniversary, exhibits at the AANS and for the first time awards the Parviz Kambin prize in the frame of the second international TESSYS®-User Meeting in Denver, USA.

 

 

Karlsruhe, April 6, 2011. joimax® GmbH holds the 2nd International TESSYS® User Meeting in Denver, USA on April 9th and 10th. At this event, the Karlsruhe based medical device
company starts the celebration activities on the occasion of its 10th anniversary in Germany and its 5th year of existence worldwide – a special occasion in combination with the AANS
Annual Scientific Meeting (American Association of Neurological Surgeons) from April 9th – 13th, 2011.

„We are particularly proud to announce the first ever Parviz Kambin Award“, says Wolfgang Ries, founder and CEO of joimax® GmbH. „With this award we value the neurosurgeon Dr.
Parviz Kambin’s research and work as an important pioneer in the field of minimally invasive spinal surgery. The TESSYS® procedure uses what is known as the Kambin-triangle as its
point of access to the spinal canal.“

The User Meeting offers an optimal platform for TESSYS® users, surgeons, scientists and sales partners to share their experience with the method, further technologies and case
studies as well as learn and test new products and techniques such as the iLESSYS® System, now being launched.

On April 9th, joimax® starts its celebrations with an advanced cadaver workshop which focuses on endoscopic spinal stenosis treatment with TESSYS® Stenosis, the Shrill® Shaver
Drill System and now iLESSYS® method as well. The iLESSYS® method enables the surgeon to fully endoscopically remove transforaminally difficult-to-reach herniated discs and also
stenoses via an interlaminar approach.

The joimax® founder Wolfgang Ries will also give an overview of the history of the company reflecting the past five and ten years of the company and will also provide an outlook on
future products and systems.

The scientific program of the event will include a variety of technical lectures, presentations and discussions on the TESSYS® method including reports on first experiences with the
Shrill® System and iLESSYS®.

Parviz Kambin Award for three joimax® Faculty Members

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During a special joimax® faculty meeting which was held at the institute of anatomy at the University of Mainz, Germany on June 20-21, joimax® honored three surgeons with the Parviz Kambin Award. Dr. Albert Telfeian, Rhode Island Hospital, Brown University, RI, US and Dr. Gabriele Jasper, Center for Pain Control, NJ, US received the award in recognition of their outstanding scientific and educational dedication to transforaminal surgery. The two surgeons tremendously contributed to this field with numerous high quality publications. Also they are treading new paths for spinal endoscopy. Just recently Dr. Telfeian did the first awake surgery to remove a thoracic spinal tumor. Dr. Menno Iprenburg, Iprenburg Herniakliniek, NL received the award for his lifetime achievement. Dr. Iprenburg is applying joimax techniques, especially TESSYS, since 2004. In his private clinic, he successfully treated more than 2000 patients suffering from disc herniations.

The award is named after Dr. Parviz Kambin who identified a workspace within the intervertebral foramen, through which the spinal canal can be accessed safely. Because this safe zone is somewhat triangular shaped, it was named the „Kambin triangle“.

On the left: Award winner Dr. Menno Iprenburg (r.) with joimax® CEO Wolfgang Ries (l.) On the right: Award winners Dr. Albert Telfeian (r.) and Dr. Gabriele Jasper (l.) with Wolfgang Ries (m.)

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

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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 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 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 25 Years of Advancing Endoscopic Spine Surgery

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Karlsruhe, Germany — [April 2026] — joimax®, Inc., a global leader in technologies and training for endoscopic spine surgery, proudly marks its 25th anniversary, celebrating a quarter century of innovation dedicated to advancing minimally invasive spine care and improving outcomes for patients worldwide.

The origins of joimax® trace back to early 2001, when Wolfgang Ries, Founder and Executive Chairman, first introduced the company concept in a presentation to potential partners and investors and developed the initial business plan later that year. Although the investment environment changed significantly following the events of September 11, 2001, joimax® was founded shortly afterward through strong personal commitment and a clear belief in the future of endoscopic spine surgery.

Despite the uncertainty at the time, we remained convinced of the potential of endoscopic techniques to transform spine surgery,” said Wolfgang Ries. “With a clear vision and strong dedication, we established joimax® near Karlsruhe and began partnering with surgeons to develop technologies designed to challenge conventional surgical approaches and support surgeons in delivering less invasive treatment options for patients. Seeing how both the field and the company have progressed over the past 25 years is extremely rewarding.

Mr. Wolfgang Ries
Founder and Executive Chairman of joimax® 
Wolfgang Ries Founder & Executive Chairman of joimax

Today, joimax® solutions support surgeons across the globe with comprehensive platforms designed for a wide range of endoscopic spinal procedures. Through its commitment to education and training, the company has helped thousands of surgeons develop and refine endoscopic techniques, contributing to the growing global momentum behind minimally invasive spine surgery.

Reaching this 25-year milestone is a testament to the dedication of our employees, the trust of our surgeon partners, and the shared vision that endoscopic techniques can transform spine care,” said Maximillian Ries, CEO of joimax®. “As we celebrate this milestone, we are equally focused on the future. The next chapter for joimax® will build on our legacy of continued innovation, deeper collaboration with surgeons, and a commitment to expanding access to endoscopic spine surgery around the world.

Mr. Maximilian Ries
CEO of joimax® 

For more information about joimax® and its 25-year legacy of endoscopic innovation, visit joimax.com/en/about-us.

Orthopedics This Week – October 2012

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Anthony Yeung, M.D., receives the Parviz Kambin Award of the Society for Minimally Invasive Spine Surgery (SMISS) in cooperation with joimax® for his outstanding achievements in the field of minimally-invasive endoscopic spinal surgery.

Anthony Yeung, M.D., known to his many friends and admirers as “Tony,” is the 2012 recipient of the Parviz Kambin Award, given by the Society for Minimally Invasive Spine Surgery (SMISS) to honor outstanding surgeons in the field of endoscopic spine surgery. The Society held the ceremony during its annual meeting, September 23, and Yeung’s son, Christopher Yeung, M.D., accepted the award for his father.

SMISS established the Kambin Award, in collaboration with joimax®, to recognize the surgeons who have successfully performed more than 1,000 cases of endoscopic spinal surgery, trained more than 100 surgeons in the procedure, (in both cases specifically transforaminal surgery), published in numerous scientific publications and professional journals and given presentations at leading congresses. Finally, the recipient must demonstrate a strong commitment to clinical research and training. Choll Kim, M.D. and executive director, Society for Minimally Invasive Spine Surgery, wrote, “Tony is my hero and certainly deserves such an award.”

The award is named for Parviz Kambin, M.D. to recognize and honor his pioneering work that paved the way for minimally invasive endoscopic spine surgery. Kambin identified the unique safe access point to the spinal canal now known as the “Kambin Triangle.” Previous awardees are Parviz Kambin, M.D., professor of Orthopedic Surgery, Drexel University; Michael Schubert, M.D., APEX Spine Center, Munich, Germany; and Menno Iprenburg, M.D., Veenhuizen, Netherlands.

SMISS is the only society dedicated solely to advancing minimally invasive spine surgery. Endoscopic spine surgery constitutes but a small portion of SMISS’ overall educational content regarding minimally invasive spine surgery. SMISS’ primary role is to provide a forum for the exchange of ideas and information.

Orthopedics This Week – Yeung Honered by SMISS

Yeung Honored by SMISS

FDA Clearance for joimax® Vaporflex® and Legato® electrosurgical probes

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Irvine, CA and Karlsruhe, Germany – November 9th, 2016 – joimax®, the global acting German developer and marketer of technologies and training methods for endoscopic minimally-invasive spinal surgery, today announced 510(k) clearance from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to market its Vaporflex® and Legato® electrosurgical probes with radiowave technology for open and endoscopic spine surgery.

Those joimax® Electrosurgical Instruments are comprised of a series of instruments to facilitate the delivery of electrical energy from an RF generator to the patient tissue for use in cutting and/or coagulation of tissue. All Vaporflex® and Legato® probes use radio frequency which is generated by high oscillating electrical current received from a commercially available RF generator.

The new Vaporflex® system is optimized for versatile use due to different lengths, diameters and probe tips to allow endoscopic transforaminal and interlaminar procedures. It is both compatible and cleared also for the use with all Endovapor®/SurgiMax® and SurgiMax® Plus electrosurgical units and enables an easy swap of the Triggerflex® to the new Vaporflex® system. The bipolar Vaporflex® probes can easily be adopted to the complete range of joimax® systems. joimax® offers all its probes in a kit containing a sterilization tray, the hand piece as well as a shaft and a connection cable.

The monopolar and bipolar Legato® probes which support the rhizotomy procedures with the existing Multiuse and both newly launched products MultiZYTE® RT for Facet Joint Denervation and MultiZYTE® SI for SI Joint Therapy.

“Both the Vaporflex® and Legato® probes are ready for several generations of radiofrequency generators” says Wolfgang Ries, CEO and founder of joimax®. “Spinal surgeons are now enabled to perform the range of joimax® procedures with even more flexibility and ergonomics in the USA as well. This way we further enhance surgical interventions in endoscopic minimally-invasive spinal surgery” he continues.

Virtual Global Symposium on Minimally Invasive Spinal Surgery Highlights Livestream Training Benefits

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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.

joimax global symposium 2021

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.”

Second international workshop incorporating live operations using the endoscopic spinal surgery method TESSYS® at the ATOS Private Clinic in Munich

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Karlsruhe, 22nd June 2009: On 15th and 16th June the second international joimax® workshop on the endoscopic removal of disc hernias using the TESSYS® method took place in the ATOS Private Clinic in Munich. The highlight of this workshop was the live transmission of three operations, which the 15 workshop participants were able to follow from the comfort of the conference room in the neighbouring NH Hotel. Dr. med. Michael Schubert performed the operations on patients from Germany and Denmark, describing the individual steps and answering questions from the doctors in the auditorium during the operation. Two workshop participants were able to go into the operating theatre for each operation to observe the live procedure.
The live operations followed a day of intensive training on cadavers, allowing the doctors from Germany, Spain, Italy, USA, Jordan and Israel to get the most benefit from the live operations. Lectures by experts in the field of minimally invasive endoscopic spinal surgery completed the workshop.