Baxano Surgical Reports First Procedure with New Pedical Screw System

Baxano Surgical Inc., a medical device company focused on designing, developing and marketing minimally invasive products to treat degenerative conditions of the lumbar spine, reported that the first case using the company’s Avance minimally invasive surgery (MIS) pedicle screw system recently was performed by Sameer Mathur, M.D., in Cary, NC.

Avance is designed to provide an easy-to-use, percutaneous pedicle screw system that addresses single, complex and multi-level spinal pathologies with minimal tissue disruption and trauma, according to the company.

The Avance system will be in limited market release through the end of third quarter of 2014 and is planned for full launch in the fourth quarter of 2014.

“The first clinical use of the Avance pedicle screw system represents a major milestone in the evolution of Baxano Surgical,” said Ken Reali, president and CEO of Raleigh, N.C.-based Baxano Surgical. “Avance will significantly enhance our ability to service our surgeon customers’ lower lumbar fusion needs where we can now offer a complete fusion solution coupled with our AxiaLIF and VEO interbody fusion implants. This is an important strategic initiative that increases our presence in the rapidly growing MIS spine arena.”

“The Avance system provides a step forward with a true MIS approach to spinal fixation by minimizing tissue trauma and eliminating additional rod insertion incisions,” said spine surgeon Sameer Mathur, M.D. “The system’s low-profile design, combined with Avance’s intraoperative flexibility and range of options to meet surgeon preferences makes for a durable, versatile, easy-to-use solution.”

The Avance system is intended for posterior, non-cervical pedicle fixation of the spine to provide immobilization and stabilization of spinal segments in skeletally mature patients as an adjunct to fusion for the following indications: degenerative disc disease, spondylolisthesis, trauma, spinal stenosis, curvatures, tumor, pseudoarthrosis and failed previous fusion. The system accommodates single-level degenerative procedures as well as multi-level, complex pathologies from T1 to S1.

Baxano Surgical currently markets the AxiaLIF family of products for single- and two-level lower lumbar fusion; the VEO lateral access and interbody fusion system; the iO-Flex system, a proprietary set of flexible instruments used by surgeons during spinal decompression procedures; the iO-Tome instrument, which removes bone, specifically the facet joints, which is commonly performed in spinal fusion procedures; and Avance.

Baxano Surgical was founded in May 2000.