Author: Antonio Berlen

Third international workshop on endoscopic spinal surgery using the TESSYS® method incorporating live operations

Posted on by Antonio Berlen

joimax® and the ATOS Private Clinic Munich present their largest international endoscopy workshop so far.

Karlsruhe, 16th September 2009: On 14th and 15th September a joimax® workshop on the endoscopic removal of disc herniations using the TESSYS® method took place in the ATOS Private Clinic Munich for the third time. A highlight of this international workshop was the transmission of three live operations, which the 25 participating orthopaedic and neurosurgeons were able to follow in the conference room in the neighbouring Sheraton Arabellapark Hotel.
Dr. med. Michael Schubert operated on three patients from Egypt, Denmark and Germany, describing the individual steps of the procedure and answering questions from the auditorium during the operations. Several workshop participants were also able to follow the operations directly from the operating theatre. The live operations followed a day of intensive training on cadavers in the Ludwig-Maximilian University, Munich. The participants travelled from far and wide for the workshop, with surgeons from Germany, Austria, Spain, Turkey and several Asian countries taking part. Faculty member and course instructor Dr. Menno Iprenburg, who heads his own clinic in Veenhuizen, the Netherlands, claimed: “In my opinion this was the best workshop so far!”

Click on images to enlarge.

joimax® – The experts in minimally invasive endoscopic spinal surgery show flag at the EUROSPINE in Lyon

Posted on by Antonio Berlen

Karlsruhe – joimax® is participating with an industrial exhibition at the annual meeting of the european spine society „EUROSPINE“ from October 1st to October 3rd at the Congress Center in Lyon. In Forum N° A43 the company, located in Karlsruhe, exhibits its now highly diversified product portfolio for 360° surgery in nearly all areas of the spine including endoscopic or percutaneous stabilization. In various lunch symposia, numerous european experts will show their experiences and results. During a 2 hours lunch symposium on the first day of the Congress in Hall Rhône 1 internationally recognized spine specialists under the leadership of Dr. Menno Iprenburg (Veenhuizen / Netherlands) and Dr. Alastair Gibson (Edinburgh / United Kingdom) will provide insights of their experience and into their scientific results.

Lectures on the latest product developments are expected with great interest, hereby:

  • The EndoLIF® system for endoscopic lumbar column stabilization. This system includes not only the fully endoscopic access technology to the disc space with the proven TESSYS® or iLESSYS® method, but also an implant, the so-called O-Cage (O = oblique).
  • Percusys®, an innovative screw and rod system for the posterior percutaneous stabilization.

The advantages of this methods are obvious:

  • Tissue sparing access by dilation
  • Protection of dura and nerves through a proven access corridor
  • Preservation of the posterior bony structures due to the special lateral access
  • EndoLIF® O-Cage made of Ti6Al4V for optimized bone ingrowth
  • Percutaneous stabilization by Percusys® and therefore minimally invasive

Both new systems are CE approved and the FDA approval is in progress.

Since 2004, more than 100,000 patients in 30 countries were successfully operated using the TESSYS® method and their further developments. Studies show the shorter reconvalescence time, faster recovery and thereby speed up the return of the patients to work and enhance quality of life.

Visit joimax® at EUROSPINE, Cité Internationale, Lyon Convention Centre, Forum N° A 43 and see for yourself the benefits of the new systems.

joimax® Launches Its Latest Interlaminar Endoscopic System, iLESSYS® Pro, and New 4K Camera Light Source and Documentation Command System, Camsource® LED and Vitegra® at AANS in New Orleans, LA and GSC in Singapore

Posted on by Antonio Berlen

Karlsruhe, Germany – May 1st 2018 – joimax® again launches new product innovations at the upcoming American Association of Neurological Surgeons (AANS) taking place in New Orleans from April 28 – May 2, and at the Global Spine Congress (GSC) in Singapore, starting May 2. The German based market leader of technologies and training methods for minimally invasive endoscopic spinal surgery expands its family of decompression systems with an additional milestone of its interlaminar endoscopic access systems named iLESSYS® Pro for access and resection within the spinal canal. All endoscopic systems including the members of the so-called iLESSYS® Family will be shown at AANS as well as at GSC, where joimax® will host a full-day workshop with four stations on May 1 and with numerous lectures on endoscopic spine surgery held throughout the congress.

iLESSYS® Pro was developed in collaboration with Christoph Hofstetter, MD, PhD Associate Professor at University of Washington in Seattle, Washington.  It combines the ability to efficiently remove and decompress degenerative spinal pathology from the iLESSYS® Delta with the possibility to enter the spinal canal and treat intraspinal disc pathology which has been a hallmark of the iLESSYS® system. Along with TESSYS®, TESSYS® XT and TESSYS® Isee, now all lumbal and thoracic degenerative pathologies can effectively be treated with joimax® techniques.

“We have re-engineered every part of the iLESSYS® Pro, including dilators, rongeurs and drills with the goal to bring spine endoscopy one step closer to the efficiency of minimally invasive tubular spine surgery. Our patients benefit from the minimal tissue trauma associated with a small working corridor and a low complication rate achieved by superior visualization and illumination by working channel endoscopes. The new scope has completely surpassed my expectations and it is my go-to scope for interlaminar discectomies, medial facetectomies and certain laminectomies.” explains Dr. Christoph Hofstetter.  Also Dr. Ralf Wagner from the Ligamenta Spine Center in Frankfurt, GER expresses his enthusiasm: “The working channel of 4.7 mm allows the use of larger forceps or blades for effective removal of hard tissue and, at the same time, is small enough to ideally suit for working within the spinal canal – really fantastic.”

At both congresses, the company will show its newest combined 4K resolution camera and LED light source system, Camsource® LED and its fully integrated documentation and command system, Vitegra® Docu and Command. They were presented for the first time at the Annual Meeting of the American Association of Orthopedic Surgeons (AAOS) in New Orleans in March. With these innovations, joimax® again sets a major milestone worldwide. “With a significant growth rate in Q1/2018 we clearly demonstrate our leading role in endoscopic spinal surgery. We are still approaching our goal: to sustainably anchor the endoscopic minimally invasive spine surgery” states Wolfgang Ries, Founder and CEO of joimax®. “This is also reflected in the increase of accepted lectures held at all congresses accompanied by a steadily growing number of publications”.

Endoscopic Spine Activities Peak During Summer 2023, joimax® Continues to Lead the Way

Posted on by Antonio Berlen

KARLSRUHE, Germany – (BUSINESS WIRE) – joimax®, the German-based market leader in technologies and training methods for full-endoscopic and minimally invasive spinal surgery, presented at the ESPINEA® World Summit at the prestigious Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh, PASMISS in Taiwan, NASSi in Bangkok, the ASEAN MISST in Jakarta, and at the first Annual Endoscopic Spine Surgery Symposium at the Seattle Science Foundation.

From July 13 to 15 more than 80 attendees from 22 countries connected at the ESPINEA® World Summit. “This historic event was a major milestone in the educational training activity of ESPINEA®, where we are proud to guide highly active surgeons from around the world within this encouraging field of endoscopic spinal therapy,” concluded ESPINEA® board members Dr. Alastair Gibson and Dr. Menno Iprenburg.

The July events provided joimax® the ideal opportunity to launch the highly anticipated surgical access systems, iLESSYS® Biportal and TESSYS® Trans SAP, along with the new electrosurgical probe, Vaporace® Bipo, which are key to the soon-to-be announced endoscopic expandable fusion platform.

joimax® will also share its latest developments at EUROSPINE in Frankfurt, affording participants an opportunity to attend an open house at their global headquarters in Karlsruhe, where they will further learn about joimax®’s research and manufacturing capabilities. Moreover, the joimax® US team will welcome NASS attendees in its hometown of Los Angeles.

“We are excited to see the widespread acceptance of endoscopic spine surgery around the globe,” said joimax® Founder and CEO Wolfgang Ries. “Having reached a tipping point, the NASS endoscopic “Surgical Stadium” event, will be another highlight the spine community can look forward to”. For further information and event registration, contact joimax®.

joimax® inspires Thai-German Neurosurgery Congress participants for TESSYS®

Posted on by Antonio Berlen

Karlsruhe, 6th of October 2011. joimax® opened doors for the Thai-German Neurosurgery congress participants, under the patronage of the German Academy for Neurosurgery (GANS) and the presidency of the Director of the Clinic for Neurosurgery at the “Städtisches Klinikum” in Karlsruhe, Prof. Dr. med. Dr. h.c. Uwe Spetzger – this year taking place in Karlsruhe, South Germany.

joimax® organised a lunch symposium in line with the congress, beginning with a company conducted tour through the facility where the participants visited amongst others the departments of the technical staff, research, development and construction – the core competencies and heart of the company. Also interesting were the explanations of the company founder and managing director Wolfgang Ries speaking about the exhibits in the so called internal “museum”, documenting the development of the 10 years company history,
showing prototypes of instruments, endoscopes and devices from the founding years.

The application of TESSYS® was presented by Prof. Dr. med. Ju?rgen Kiwit, Chief Physician of the Helios Hospital for Neurosurgery in Berlin Buch, in his demonstrative lecture with many pictures and videos. “In my opinion the minimally invasive TESSYS® method is the future of spine surgery, especially when treating herniated discs and stenosis. The advantages of this gentle method are more than obvious,” he stated.

Thailand - Gemany Meeting 2011 ; minimally invasive spine surgery ; Joimax ; endoscopy

The full potential of the endoscopic spinal surgery was impressively shown by Wolfgang Ries in his overview presentation: with special instruments it is also suitable for treating e.g. spinal canal stenosis and so makes – besides the transforaminal – the interlaminar access possible also, so that the spinal canal is now accessible from all sides, meaning 360°. The instruments of the next generation with flexible forceps, reamers and endoscopes are already very advanced in the joimax® development pipeline. An endoscopic assisted spine stabilisation system will open further wide ranges of applications.

A concluding hands-on with the latest joimax® endoscopic devices on models fully convinced the 45 Thai-German guests of the company’s innovative performance.

CMS Includes Endoscopic Spine in Fee Schedule Proposed Rule for CY 2017

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Baltimore, MD – July 14, 2016– The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) recently released the proposed rules for the 2017 Medicare Physician Fee Schedule (MPFS) and the 2017 Hospital Outpatient Prospective Payment System (HOPPS). Both proposed rules provide information on physician and hospital payment for the newly created CPT code 630X1 for endoscopic decompression of the lumbar spine.

“This is a great step towards the acceptance of endoscopic minimally invasive spine surgery techniques and their benefits to both the surgeon and their patients in the U.S.,” said Wolfgang Ries, Founder and CEO of joimax®. This announcement is in alignment with the reimbursement decision of NICE, UK, in April of 2016, to fully reimburse endoscopic procedures.

A key reason for the recent momentum for endoscopic, minimally invasive spinal surgery is the significant, favorable base of literature, which validates evidence of the efficacy of endoscopic minimally invasive spine surgery. A special edition, “Neurosurgical Focus”, published by the Journal of Neurosurgery (JNS) in February 2016, contains a range of studies on endoscopic spine surgery.

joimax® Wins 2019 Spine Technology Award for its Integrated Navigation Tracking & Control System, Intracs®em and Exhibits at NASS

Posted on by Antonio Berlen

Irvine, CA – joimax®, a leading developer and marketer of complete systems for endoscopic minimally invasive spinal surgery, is pleased to announce they’ve won a 2019 Orthopedics this Week Spine Technology Award for their new Integrated Navigation Tracking & Control System, Intracs®em. joimax® will be recognized with the award during the annual North American Spine Society Meeting (NASS), taking place September 25-28 in Chicago.

joimax® is heavily involved in this year’s NASS program. On Wednesday, September 25, they will host three stations at the new, hands-on, full-day course, NASS/Neurospine Endoscopic Spinal Surgery Symposium and Cadaver Workshop, co-sponsored by KOMISS. Moreover, joimax® will present the latest technologies at their booth, No. 3416, including Intracs®em, the first electromagnetic system for endoscopic spine applications. Earlier this year, Intracs®em received its CE mark and is already very successful within Europe and Asia. It is pending FDA clearance; expected before year end.

joimax® is also presenting ESPINEA®, Endoscopic Spine Academy, with its complete joimax® endoscopic education curriculum, which will play a crucial role in educating the next generation of endoscopic spine surgeons. Additional highlights in the booth will be the 4K Endoscopic tower and its optimal solution for endoscopic spinal surgery, as well as the latest 3D-printed EndoLIF® Cage family, consisting of the EndoLIF® O/On-Cage, DoubleWedge-Cage and Delta- Cage.

Wolfgang Ries, joimax® CEO and Founder states, “We are excited about the most recent developments within the US market. We are experiencing a great movement towards joimax® procedures, such as TESSYS® and iLESSYS®, from academics as well as private institutions. With our recently established ESPINEA® and the support from societies such as NASS, we believe we are at the tipping point where joimax® endoscopic spine surgery will become the gold standard of treatment in the US market.”

joimax® presents EndoLIF® as a world premiere at the Annual Meeting of DGNC

Posted on by Antonio Berlen

Not yet FDA cleared

joimax® presents EndoLIF® as a world premiere at the Annual Meeting of DGNC

Karlsruhe, 24 May 2013. It has become a good tradition – but this time it will include a world premiere: As in previous years, joimax® will present a lunch symposium during the 64th Annual Meeting of the German Society of Neurosurgery DGNC to be held in Düsseldorf, Germany, on 27 May 2013. As a world premiere joimax® will introduce its novel EndoLIF® system for endoscopic stabilization of the lumbar spine. The joimax® Faculty Team had the chance to see this technology during its yearly User Meeting held at the Institute of Anatomy of the University of Mainz, Germany, in April. It will now be displayed to the broad expert audience of DGNC’s Annual Meeting.

Besides the endoscopic technology for the access to the disc compartment based on the well proven TESSYS® or iLESSYS® access method, the EndoLIF® system comprises an O-cage (oblique cage) and a screw and rod system for posterior percutaneous stabilization. The advantages of this procedure are obvious:
– Smooth, atraumatic access due to dilation of tissue
– Dura and nerves are protected by the working tubes
– Dorsal bone structures are generally not affected
– O-Cage with osteo-conductive surface providing the optimum substrate for cell growth
– Stabilization via screw and rod system for percutaneous i.e. minimally invasive positioning
Indications for this procedure are the degenerative disease of intervertebral discs, mechanical instabilities and spondylolisthesis grade I and II. CE approval is expected by summer 2013.

The joimax® lunch symposium will be chaired by Prof. Dr. Jürgen Kiwit (Berlin). Dr. Guntram Krzok (Friedrichroda) will present „TESSYS® and iLESSYS® for multiple decompression therapies“. Dr. Bernd Illerhaus (Recklinghausen) will then draw the line to the EndoLIF® technology with an outlook on future therapeutic options. „The EndoLIF® system is the next logical step in the evolution of endoscopic access technologies to the spinal canal for gentle and safe minimally invasive implantation of cages with subsequent percutaneous stabilization“, states Dr. Illerhaus with conviction.

joimax® shows again strong growth trend in 2016 and gets issued next new patents holding now more than 150 patents and trademarks worldwide

Posted on by Antonio Berlen

Karlsruhe, Germany – January 17th, 2017 – the German based market leader of technologies and training methods for endoscopic minimally invasive spinal surgery joimax® announces again very satisfying growing sales figures. Record sales in 2016 are representing another 31% growth vs. 2015. This is in line with a Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) from 2007 – 2016 of around 32%. Projections into 2017 show even accelerated growth due to the worldwide increasing adoption rate of the joimax® procedures.

joimax® is active in 45 countries by now and meanwhile enjoys a strong reputation in Europe and also in Asia which will now spread out into the US-market as well. “The entry in force of the CPT 2017 reimbursement Codebook (Current Procedural Terminology) as of January 1st, 2017, is a milestone towards the full acceptance of endoscopic minimally invasive spine surgery techniques. The codebook now contains the first endoscopic spinal surgery code, under which the specific transforaminal (TESSYS®) and/or interlaminar (iLESSYS®) procedures marketed by joimax® are now eligible in the USA and this will further contribute to fully increase sales in the US as well” states Wolfgang Ries, Founder and CEO of joimax®.

joimax® technologies are based on worldwide intellectual property and the company holds now more than 150 patents and trademarks. Only in 2016 18 patents and patent publications were issued to joimax®. The latest one is Patent No. EP 2 983 622 for the EndoLIF® Cage, which has been introduced to offer a minimally invasive as well as open (TLIF) alternative for fusion in the lumbar spine as an optimal treatment option for surgeons.

The company is busy on inventing and innovating next minimally invasive systems with regards to newer implants based on the EndoLIF® technology but also decompression methods based on its endoscopic systems. This will now be completed with Intracs®, the new Interaoperative Navigation Tracking & Control System with which joimax® instruments can be navigated directly at the tip. 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® (Lumbar Interbody Fusion) and Percusys® (Percutaneous Screw-Rod Stabilization).

joimax® Launches New Generation of Shrill® Shaver Drill System

Posted on by Antonio Berlen

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.”

joimax drill and resection system shrill

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”.