Surgeons can now use a new type of mechanical instrument to perform complex, minimally invasive procedures, also known as laparoscopic surgery. Funding supported by a National Science Foundation (NSF) www.nsf.gov award enabled Shorya Awtar, University of Michigan Engineering Professor, and colleagues to establish FlexDex Surgical http://fexdex.com.
The engineers realized that traditional laparoscopic instruments typically require significant training for surgeons and can be difficult to use which leads to longer surgeries and increases healthcare costs.
According to the creators of the technology, the handheld instrument provides the same benefits as robot-assisted surgery such as greater precision and functionality, but at a lower cost as compared to existing robotic surgical systems.
In 2013, Awtar and colleagues participated in the University of Michigan Innovation Corps or referred to as the I-Corps www.nsf.gov/news/special_reports/i-corps program which is an NSF program. The program provides entrepreneurial training enabling entrepreneurs to look beyond the lab to consider the commercial potential or broader impact of their research.
As a result of the program, Awtar and his team determined that medical facilities that could not afford expensive robotic systems needed access to less expensive and simpler instruments. The following year, Awtar and team launched FlexDex Surgical to develop their first product which is a needle-like instrument for laparoscopic sewing. Surgeons in Michigan began using the new instrument in January 2017, and since then the company has shipped the product nationwide.
Go to https://youtu.be/YziKqmbjCik to watch the instrument in action.