Author: Antonio Berlen

Rapid company growth prompts joimax® Inc. to move its US headquarters to a new, larger state-of-the-art facility

Posted on by Antonio Berlen

Irvine, CA – November 5, 2018 – joimax®, the Germany-based market leader of technologies and training methods for full-endoscopic minimally-invasive spinal surgery, announces the move of its US headquarters to a new 26,000-square-foot facility in Irvine, California, beginning November 5, 2018.
“With the move to the new building, the steadily growing need for endoscopic procedures among patients and physician communities can now be efficiently met,” states Wolfgang Ries, Founder and CEO of the joimax® Group. “Growth requires space — the continued demand in the US market creates a major opportunity which joimax® Inc. is addressing with the expansion of its US organization.”

The new office is located at 140 Technology Drive, Suite 150 in the city of Irvine and includes a brand new training and education center. The center offers a demonstration and wet lab training room displaying all joimax® systems and products, as well as a big audience room for didactics presentations. The first workshop will be held at the center on Nov 30th – Dec 1st, 2018.

In addition, the new facility will handle all corporate and business functions. Over the next year, joimax® Inc. will add more clinical support, marketing, and sales personnel in order to face the fast growing demand for endoscopic spine procedures.

Expansion of training offerings with technology from Corin and joimax®at the ORSI ACADEMY

Posted on by Antonio Berlen

Melle, Belgium –(ORSI ACADEMY)- Orsi Academy, the unique training & expertise centre for robotic and minimally invasive surgery in Melle, is once more enhancing its training facilities. With the support of the European Regional Development Fund, made available by VLAIO, it invested in revolutionizing robotic technology from Corin and latest navigation systems from joimax®. This equipment allows Orsi Academy to further expand its offer in clinical disciplines such as navigated spinal surgery, neurosurgery and orthopaedic surgery, particularly in knee and hip replacements. With the investment, Orsi Academy continues to contribute to improve and increase the quality and safety of our modern healthcare system.

“With the investment, Orsi continues to improve and increase the quality and safety of our modern healthcare system.”

Corin’s revolutional orthopaedic OMNIBotics System is designed to enhance precision to the balancing and implantation of knee replacements. This partnership will undoubtedly elevate the standards in training in orthopaedic surgical procedures.

Simultaneously, through a partnership with joimax®, Orsi Academy aims to pioneer advancements in spinal surgery. joimax®’s Intracs System is a smart navigation system based on electromagnetic tracking ensuring an easy and safe access to any spinal target.

The grant from the European Regional Development Fund plays a crucial role in financing the acquisition of these technologies, marking a significant milestone for Orsi Academy. This partnership not only integrates two remarkable platforms into its robotic family but also expands the training offerings, providing healthcare professionals with hands-on experience in the latest minimally invasive techniques.

Giovanni Tegami, Managing Director Corin Belgium

“Corin is honored to collaborate with Orsi Academy in advancing orthopaedic surgery training. Our robotic technology aims to enhance outcomes by restoring proper soft tissue balance and leg alignment, crucial factors in knee replacement success. Through this partnership, we’re eager to contribute to elevating standards in orthopaedic surgical procedures.”

Wolfgang Ries, Founder and CEO of the joimax® Group

“Being able to offer the Intracs® EM navigation system at any course held at the Orsi Academy for training and research needs is huge. It allows participants to directly experience the ease of use in endoscopic spine surgery and learn the difference of non-navigated and fully navigated procedures significantly driving the accelerating adoption rate of endoscopy in spine, which sees very fast growing high level literature on new applications, but also on major patient and surgeon benefits!”

Prof. Dr. Thomas Luyckx, Medical Leadership Orthopaedics Orsi Academy

“We are excited about the possibilities and advancements this collaboration will bring. This grant and collaboration reaffirms our dedication to pushing the boundaries of orthopaedic medical education.”

joimax® at the early summer congresses: SpineWeek Amsterdam and DGNC Leipzig

Posted on by Antonio Berlen

Karlsruhe, 20 March 2012. Right on time with the start into a new decade of the joimax® history, the Karlsruhe-based medical technology company specializing in endoscopic resp. micro-invasive spine surgery will be present at two renowned congresses in March: ISASS from 20 to 23 March 2012 in Barcelona und EndoVienna from 29 March to 1 April 2012 in Vienna.

For the 12th Annual Meeting of ISASS (International Society for the Advancement of Spine Surgery) joimax® will take part in the exhibition and offer an industry workshop with the motto „Endoscopic Spine Surgery – Following New Paths in Barcelona“. Speakers at this event on 21 March 2012 will be Dr. Choll Kim, San Diego, focussing on the outstanding advantages of endoscopic access techniques especially in the area of the lumbar spine. Followed by Dr. Michael Schubert, Munich, with a presentation of complex cases, extending procedures from the lumbar to the thoracic spine, and varying the access path from the transforaminal to the interlaminar surgery method with the joimax® instrument systems TESSYS® und iLESSYS®.

joimax® displays the complete product range for endoscopic spinal surgery: Instrument sets for the treatment of disc herniations – with CESSYS® now being available for the cervical spine –, the novel pain therapy product “Multiuse” for endoscopic facet joint denervation and the iLESSYS® system for 360° decompression. Further special blades for the Shrill® shaver-drill resection and ablation system and namely the Shrill® Deflector Blades for resections „around the corner“, eagerly anticipated by the market, will now be launched.

Preluding the 5th World Congress for Endoscopic Surgery EndoVienna, joimax® has invited internationally renowned specialists to join a User Meeting with presentations of the joimax® Faculty members and a workshop to be held at the Institute of Anatomy of the Vienna University. The User Meeting will be dedicated to an intense exchange of knowledge and ideas of the most experienced users of the joimax® technologies. It will be followed by the keynote lecture of Prof. Dr. G.J. Groen, Utrecht, „High-Resolution Imaging of the Spine: Key to a Better Insight in 3D Relations Within the Spine“, at the opening session of the EndoVienna congress. The program of the „EndoVienna Spine Session“ on 30 March 2012 offers a whole bunch of scientific presentations on the most recent joimax® products. Members of the international joimax® faculty team will present their experiences when applying the joimax® access and resection systems. This session will be chaired by Univ. Doz. Dr. Sandro Eustacchio from the University Hospital Graz.

joimax® is currently planning its attendance to the upcoming congresses: The 80th Annual Meeting of the AANS in Miami in April at the first place. The BASS Britspine in early May. End of May Spine Week in Amsterdam. To be followed by SFCR in Strasbourg in June – it is the first time that joimax® will participate in this congress of the Society of French Spine Surgeons with an exhibition stand and a workshop. Subsequently the company will promote its technologies at the DGNC congress to be held in Leipzig this time. All events focus on industry exhibitions displaying novel product developments and on scientific presence within the conference programs.

joimax® turns 15 years

Posted on by Antonio Berlen

Karlsruhe, Germany and Chicago, Illinois (April 30, 2016) – joimax®, the global acting German developer and marketer of technologies and treatment methods for minimally invasive endoscopic spinal surgery, is celebrating its 15th anniversary worldwide in 2016 starting at AANS in Chicago combined with a joimax® Senior Faculty Meeting. The aim of this meeting is to share experience, deepen expertise, specifically in reference to the newest joimax® products and applications as well as to refine the specific surgical techniques. Key topics will be centered around endoscopic treatment of degenerative spine diseases.

“When I started with the TESSYS® system in 2006 I was wondering at which patient indications this system could be applied”, says Daniel Laich, DO at Swedish Covenant Hospital in Chicago, Il.
“Now we are doing all kind of special stenotic cases and even thoracic disc, or even tumor treatments”, continues Albert Telfeian, MD, PhD at the Hasbro Hospital of The Warren Alpert Medical School at Brown University, Rhode Island.
“With the iLESSYS® Delta System I can even do an over-the-top decompression in a central stenotic patient and with the EndoLIF® method I do an endoscopic assisted stabilization if indicated” finishes Ralf Wagner, MD from the Ligamenta Spine Center in Frankfurt, Germany.

joimax®, entirely focused on treatment technologies for endoscopic minimally-invasive spinal surgery, over the years launched more than 10 different indication driven systems providing a company growth rate of over 35% per annum. To date more than 180.000 patients had been treated in over 40 countries with the various methods, based on more than 140 patents and trademarks issued globally. “The major company growth and market evolutional steps are further out in front of the companies’ future, based on solid ground with broad market adoption starting just now”, states Wolfgang Ries, CEO and founder of joimax®.

New partnership: joimax® joins forces with JAPAN MEDICALNEXT CO., LTD.

Posted on by Antonio Berlen

Karlsruhe (GER), 16 June 2020
 joimax®, the German-based market leader in technologies and training methods for full-endoscopic and minimally invasive spinal surgery, is starting as of now a new partnership in Japan. The distributor JMC- JAPAN MEDICALNEXT CO., LTD. and joimax® are pursuing a long-term sales cooperation that will result in an extensive distribution agreement for the entire Japanese market.

joimax® joins forces with JAPAN MEDICALNEXT CO., LTD.

joimax® is looking forward to working with a partner strong as JMC, 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”. Masayuki Yoshimura, President and CEO of JMC, explains, “We are very excited to partner with joimax®. With our shared vision for advancing the field of minimum invasive spinal surgery, we are looking forward to introducing the globally recognized joimax® products in Japan”. Thus, joimax® strengthens its sales activities in Japan and enters into another important partnership in Asia.

JAPAN MEDICALNEXT CO., LTD. founded in 1992 is located in Osaka, Japan. With 314 employees at its locations and an Orthopedics Division that will focus on joimax® products, the company is a wholly-owned entity of MC Healthcare, Inc. (subsidiary of Mitsubishi Corporation) and prominent supplier of medical devices in Japan.

joimax® celebrates 10 successful years on the market with TESSYS® at the WCMISST in Paris

Posted on by Antonio Berlen

Karlsruhe, 11.06.2014. joimax® looks back on 10 years of success with the surgical application of TESSYS® for the minimally invasive, endoscopic removal of herniated discs; a particularly gentle surgical technique which utilizes the natural transforaminal access to the spinal canal. TESSYS® was the first product that brought joimax® to market and was a breakthrough for the company. Today, joimax® offers a highly diversified product portfolio for 360° surgery in almost all areas of the spine including endoscopic and percutaneous stabilization.

During the award ceremony in Paris, two TESSYS® pioneers will be awarded with the “Parviz Kambin Honorary Award”: Dr. Florian Maria Alfen of Würzburg, who bought the very first TESSYS® system in 2004 and has successfully operated on more than 2,500 patients. As a member of the joimax® Faculty Team, Dr. Alfen has trained a large number of surgeons. The second award winner is Dr. Daniel Laich of Chicago. He is the very first TESSYS® user in the U.S. and has been a faculty member since 2009. Since 2013, he has also been operating as a scientific advisor for the company.

Since 2004, more than 100,000 patients in 30 countries were surgically treated with the TESSYS® method and its subsequent surgical developments. Follow-up studies show a significantly shorter recovery time, faster return to work and normal activities with improved quality of life and ultimately, lower costs to the social system.

At the WCMISST, the 4th World Congress of Minimally Invasive Spine Surgery and Techniques, joimax® presents its latest development- the EndoLIF® system for endoscopic stabilization of the lumbar spine. Aside from fully endoscopic access via the proven TESSYS® and iLESSYS® methods, the EndoLIF® system contains an O-Cage for oblique interbody fusion. In addition, joimax® presents its new Percusys® System- a posterior, percutaneous screw and rod system. The advantages of these products and procedures are apparent:

– Smooth, atraumatic access due to gentle dilation of tissue
– Dura and nerves are protected by the working tubes
– Dorsal bone structures are generally not affected and remain intact
– O-Cage with an osteo-conductive surface provides the optimum substrate for cellular growth
– Posterior, percutaneous stabilization via the minimally invasive screw and rod system

Both of these systems are CE marked and FDA clearance is in progress.

Visit us at WCMISST, booth #15 at the Marriott Rive Gauche Hotel and discover for yourself the many advantages of our newest systems.

WC MISST 2014, Paris

joimax® announces 510(k) clearance for its Endovapor® 2 Multi Radio Frequency System with its first presentation at the Annual Scientific Meeting of the American Association of Neurological Surgeons (AANS) 2017, in Los Angeles

Posted on by Antonio Berlen

Irvine, CA – April 26, 2017 – joimax®, the German based market leader of technologies and training methods for endoscopic minimally invasive spinal surgery, today announced it has received 510(k) clearance from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to market its Endovapor® 2 Multi Radio Frequency System.

The patented device generates electrical power for monopolar and bipolar cutting and coagulation of tissue structures in surgical operations. The joimax® Endovapor® 2 is an all-in-one generator with specially integrated programs for spinal surgery with interdisciplinary application. The device is equipped with two monopolar and two bipolar sockets and an easy and intuitive touchpad technology. With arc control for safe application and easy neutral electrode monitoring, it combines a variety of different electro-surgical modes and effects.

“After receiving the FDA clearance for the joimax® Vaporflex® and Legato® electrosurgical probes in early  November 2016, this is another milestone in strengthening the joimax® position as an expert in endoscopic minimally invasive spine surgery,” states Wolfgang Ries, Founder and CEO of joimax®.

During the AANS, joimax®  participated in the CME endoscopic cadaveric workshop with two stations and held a very successful US-expert meeting including topics such as training procedures, clinical Research and future technologies.

joimax RF Generator Endovapor 2

joimax® Launches NAVENTO® Navigation Endoscopic Tower at NASS and EUROSPINE

Posted on by Antonio Berlen

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.

joimax endoscopic tower NAVENTO

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:

  1. Vitegra®, the brain of NAVENTO®, offers complete documentation and data management.
  2. Camsource® LED provides optimal clarity up to 4K resolution.
  3. Intracs®, the newest device from joimax®, delivers electromagnetic navigation at the instrument’s tip.
  4. Shrill®, the shaver drill system, with the newest generation recently launched, provides optimal RPMs and torque management.
  5. Endovapor® 2 poses electrosurgical offerings for monopolar and bipolar settings.
  6. Versicon®, delivers fluid and pressure regulation.

“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.

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

Posted on by Antonio Berlen

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

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

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

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

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

joimax® at CAOS in Beijing, China

Posted on by Antonio Berlen

The 8th Annual Congress of the Chinese Association of Orthopaedic Surgeons (CAOS) was held at the Beijing International Convention Center, Beijing, China on May 7-10.

joimax® joined this important international event both as an exhibitor and as an education partner. CAOS, in collaboration with NASS, created the “Techniques in Complex Spine Surgery” program which featured six 1-hour live technique demonstrations, two 3-hour hands-on cadaver workshops, and five lectures with discussion. As expert support for this exciting program, CAOS invited two members of the joimax® Faculty Team: Dr. Guntram Krzok, Friedrichroda, Germany and Dr. Ralf Wagner, Frankfurt, Germany.
The two surgeons delivered well-visited lectures and demonstrated the joimax® TESSYS® technique. As a highlight of the event, the technique demonstrations were shared via webcast and more than 1000 surgeons viewed the program in the Beijing convention hall. More than 26,000 surgeons, surgical nurses and technicians viewed the demos online which enabled maximum visibility for joimax and its technologies.

The joimax® team members who supported the event on-site were deeply impressed by the strong interest in the latest spine surgery systems coming from many Chinese surgeons. Needless to say China is the largest medical market in the world and joimax® will continue to strengthen its relationship with local partners and training centers.

Live webcast during joimax® TESSYS® technique demonstration at CAOS 2015.