- Title: Chile start-up eyes U.S. sales of first-of-its-kind surgery device
- Date: 2nd December 2016
- Summary: SANTIAGO, CHILE (NOVEMBER 23, 2016) (REUTERS) DOCTORS IN OPERATING ROOM PREPARING FOR MAGNETIC SURGERY PROCEDURE INSTRUMENT THAT WILL INSERT THE MAGNETIC DEVICE INSIDE THE PATIENT DOCTORS INSERTING THE INSTRUMENT INTO THE PATIENT'S STOMACH DOCTORS LOOKING AT SCREEN INSTRUMENT INSERTED INTO THE PATIENT'S STOMACH SCREEN SHOWING THE INTERIOR VIEW OF THE PATIENT AND INSERTED INSTRUMENT ASSISTANT HOLDING MAGNET TO STOMACH OF PATIENT TO MANIPULATE DEVICE INSIDE SCREEN SHOWING MAGNET MOVING DEVICE INSIDE OF PATIENT GENERAL VIEW OF OPERATION NURSES KEEPING AN EYE ON READINGS (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) FOUNDER AND CEO OF LEVITA MAGNETICS, DR. ALBERTO RODRIGUEZ NAVARRO, SAYING: "The objective of our company is to improve the result of surgery without having an impact on the patient and we are working to evolve the surgical technique so that procedures can be done with few incisions. And that is our final objective, to have a positive impact on the patient." GENERAL VIEW OF DARKENED OPERATING ROOM ASSISTANT HOLDING MAGNET TO PATIENT TO MANIPULATE DEVICE INSIDE (DARKENED OPERATING ROOM) SCREEN SHOWING DEVICE BEING MANIPULATED INSIDE BODY DOCTORS TALKING DURING SURGERY DOCTORS WATCHING SURGERY ON SCREEN (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) SURGEON, DR. EUGENIO RIVAS ZAPATA, SAYING: "A new method undoubtedly. Therefore we need the authorization of the patients but they are very grateful. I have had a couple of prior cases and there are fewer incisions and the patients like that. In the end, the aesthetic matters more [to the patient] than what one can do inside and therefore, it is undoubtedly better for them." SILHOUETTE OF DOCTOR INSERTING DEVICE INTO PATIENT SCREEN SHOWING DEVICE BEING MANIPULATED IN PATIENT BY EXTERNAL MAGNET DOCTORS WORKING IN DARKENED OPERATING ROOM SCREEN SHOWING DEVICE BEING MANIPULATED IN PATIENT BY EXTERNAL MAGNET INSTRUMENT BEING WITHDRAWN FROM PATIENT AFTER SUCCESSFULLY INSERTING MAGNETIC DEVICE (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) SURGEON, DR. EUGENIO RIVAS ZAPATA, SAYING: "With fewer incisions and smaller incisions, recovery is undoubtedly much more beneficial for the patient - less pain, less risk of bleeding." VARIOUS OF FOUNDER AND CEO OF LEVITA MAGNETICS, DR. ALBERTO RODRIGUEZ NAVARRO, HOLDING INSTRUMENT THAT INSERTS DEVICE INTO PATIENT (SOUNDBITE) (SPANISH) FOUNDER AND CEO OF LEVITA MAGNETICS, DR. ALBERTO RODRIGUEZ NAVARRO, SAYING: "We are the first in the world to develop a product with these characteristics. We were the first to register with the FDA and we are beginning to market it in the United States." VARIOUS OF INSTRUMENT USED TO INSERT DEVICE INTO PATIENT EXTERNAL MAGNET GENERAL VIEW OF OPERATION UNDERWAY
- Embargoed: 17th December 2016 12:20
- Keywords: magnets Levita Magnetics surgery Silicon Valley
- Location: SANTIAGO, CHILE
- City: SANTIAGO, CHILE
- Country: Chile
- Reuters ID: LVA0055B6YZX7
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: Chilean surgeons are launching a new surgical technique using magnets outside the patient which is less invasive than current laparoscopic procedures.
The new technique was developed by Chilean surgeon, Dr. Alberto Rodriguez Navarro, who founded a small medical technology firm in Silicon Valley called Levita Magnetics.
The procedure centres around a device that places a small detachable tip inside the patient and then uses an external magnet to manipulate the tip and organs into a position that gives the surgeon room to manoeuvre.
"Basically, the concept is for one to place the device in the cavity and then move it with an external magnet through the wall. With that, you decrease the need to make incisions in order to move the surgical instruments and it also gives you much greater versatility since you are not limited to the point of entry. That is, the entry point limits the capacity of movements you can make. If you make the movement through the wall, it gives you a much richer range of movements and that allows the surgeon to have an instrument that is much more versatile, that sees better and that does the surgery in a better way. That is our objective," Navarro said.
He said the procedure makes surgery easier and allows the operation to be done less invasively.
One Chilean surgeon who is starting to use the technology said it has a positive impact on patients.
"With fewer incisions and smaller incisions, recovery is undoubtedly much more beneficial for the patient - less pain, less risk of bleeding," said Dr. Eugenio Rivas Zapata.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved Navarro's system in June.
"We are the first in the world to develop a product with these characteristics. We were the first to register with the FDA and we are beginning to market it in the United States," he said.
Navarro founded Levita Magnetics in 2011. It is based in Silicon Valley but has operating centres at the Cleveland Clinic, Stanford University and Duke University.
This year the U.S. Society of Laparoendoscopic Surgeons awarded him "Innovation of 2016" for his new technology. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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