Baxano Gets Two New U.S. Patents

Baxano Surgical Inc. received two patents from the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, bringing the company’s patent portfolio to 92 patents in the United States.

U.S. Patent No. 8,795,167 relates to the direct visualization approach of the VEO lateral access and interbody fusion system. The patent claims cover the company’s Reveal retractor assembly for enlarging a gap in tissue such as the psoas muscle in a lateral approach to the spine.

According to the company, unlike other retractors on the market, Reveal allows for direct visualization of the psoas (a muscle in the lumbar region of the spine) through a proprietary, two-stage retraction process. This direct visualization approach, which can be used in conjunction with standard neuromonitoring, was designed to help minimize surgical trauma to the psoas muscle and the nerve plexus as well as reduce the risk of post-operative complications, company officials said.

“VEO is an innovative solution designed to address soft tissue disruption in lateral interbody fusion procedures, a significant clinical need,” said Ken Reali, president and CEO of Raleigh, N.C.-based Baxano Surgical. “Our goal is to show that VEO can potentially reduce post-operative thigh pain and other nerve-related complications providing an enhanced safety profile.”

Baxano also received patent No. 8747,472, which covers bone-anchoring assemblies that are part of the AxiaLIF Plus line of interbody devices.

“The AxiaLIF Plus system reflects Baxano Surgical’s commitment to a culture of continuous improvement,” said Reali. “Baxano Surgical’s team of engineers, designers, and surgeons drew on the experience gained in over 11,000 surgeries to create this next generation pre-sacral fusion system.”

Baxano Surgical develops minimally invasive products to treat degenerative conditions of the spine affecting the lumbar region.