FlexDex, a revolutionary laparoscopic technology that moves like surgeon’s hand.

FlexDex.com 

FlexDex, a new minimally invasive surgical tool system developed by University of Michigan startup FlexDex Surgical has been in use for the first time in a series of operations. FlexDex has already begun shipping its product throughout the U.S. This new $500 surgical instrument is vying to take the place of a $2 million robot for certain minimally invasive procedures.

The FlexDex is very intuitive and ergonomic to use, provides greater precision and functionality. The new technology gives surgeons higher degree of dexterity and intuitive control than traditional laparoscopic instruments.

FlexDex is an all-mechanical platform that mounts to the surgeon's arms and precisely translates the surgeon’s hand, wrist, and arm movements that are performed outside the body into corresponding precise movements inside the patient’s body. The FlexDex concept is the result of two major innovations that has revolutionized the physical configuration of hand-held, mechanical tools.

1. A mechanism around the surgeon’s wrist that geometrically projects a ‘virtual center’ of rotation at the same point as the surgeon's wrist.
2. This ‘virtual center’ mechanism is placed between the tool handle and a tool frame, which is now attached to the surgeon’s forearm via an arm-brace.

Inventor of FlexDex

The movements of the surgeon’s hands are directly transmitted to the tool shaft and end-effector. The surgeon’s wrist is allowed to rotate freely and naturally while the working tip inside the body flexes in the same direction as the handle and it can be rotated 360 degree with the help of the handle.

There are no buttons or lever to press but only a trigger that always rests in the palm that is used to activate the instrument at the tip.

Geiger demonstrated: "If I move my hand up, the device tip goes up. Wherever I move my hand, the tip of this instrument follows." No other instrument currently on the market operates like this.

To stitch internally, for example, surgeons can opt for old-fashioned straight-stick instruments that make complex tasks like suturing and knot-tying ergonomically challenging and extremely difficult to learn, Geiger said. Or they can use the high-tech daVinci Surgical System, a robot-assisted approach that's not available at all hospitals due to its cost. It takes considerable training to learn how to use a robot-assisted system.

 This startup is the brainchild of Shorya Awtar, a University of Michigan (U-M) engineering professor who co-founded FlexDex with his U-M colleague and surgery professor, James Geiger, and entrepreneur Greg Bowles.

"FlexDex provides the functionality of robots at the cost of traditional hand-held laparoscopic instruments. We've disrupted the paradigm where surgeons and hospitals had to choose between high cost/high function and low cost/low function," said Awtar "It's kind of like the transition from mainframe computers to smartphones. You hardly need a manual to use it. It's just intuitive." 

To contact FlexDex surgical call 810-775-3352   Mail:info@flexdexsurgical.com

                                              FlexDex | A Revolutionary Surgical Tool

                                              FlexDex | A Revolutionary Surgical Tool