TranS1 Inc.

Transforming spine surgery one vertebra at a time

TranS1 is a pioneer in developing an innovative, trans-sacral approach to lumbar surgery

It began with one simple idea. Like most medical device companies in their infancy, it started with trying to find a simpler solution for an existing complex need. TranS1 developed its concept of accessing the spine in a much less invasive way than any other process. “Our record is a teacher went back to work after two days. And that is unheard of in spinal surgery,” says Rick Randall, president and CEO of TranS1.

This concept was born in the mind and experi­ence of an interventional radiologist in Minne­apolis named, Dr. Andrew Cragg. “[Andrew] is what we call a serial entrepreneur,” tells Ran­dall. “Not only is [Cragg] a skilled physician, but for the last two decades he has been coming up with novel ideas …some of which have been expressed in a technology that he licensed to an existing company. In this case, he felt it was such a fundamental shift in how we treat the spine that it just wasn’t a product; it could be a company,” says Randall who joined the medical device company in 2002.

TranS1 Inc.(TSON) is a publicly-held medical device company traded on NASDAQ that focuses on developing innovative, minimally invasive surgical procedures for the treatment of low back pain. Old techniques for spinal surgery had patients facing more time in recovery, while TranS1 technol­ogy has sped up the rehabilitation process. Basically, the core, in your lower back, is the most protected part of the body. It is also highly muscular and there are many ligaments. The reason why spine surgery patients don’t normally rehabilitate very quickly is because of the collateral damage to those soft tis­sue structures, which has often been necessary, to access the spine. “The secret to TranS1’s approach is that we go through the only avenue in to the spine where not a single muscle or ligament has to be dis­sected or cut to access the spinal column,” explains Randall, adding the company’s device is now used globally and across the U.S. More importantly, it means patients are walking around and returning back to work quicker. Patients may be sore because of the incision and work done inside the bone, but they are discharged either the same day or the very next morning, he says, adding that the more doc­tors use the technology, the more feedback avail­able to TranS1.

How it goes down

The medical device company claims to use conven­tional surgical tools. “We enter into the degener­ated disc that is causing chronic pain and remove it with these minimally invasive cutters; we also work on the cartilage inside the disc to remove it in order to create an environment that promotes fusion of the surrounding bone. We then insert a bone graft­ing material, which biologically stimulates a fusion, so a year later that disc is entirely loaded with solid bone,” explains Randall, adding that this minimizes pain as an implant locks the bones that surround the disc, reducing painful motions.

Gaining validity among experts

TranS1 has two types of customers: The orthopedic and neurosurgeon spine surgeon. As medical ex­perts make the decision to facilitate and perform the surgery, and like most cases, the hospital will purchase the technology. “We do work closely with surgeons who are doing the operations to collect data as they write papers or submit abstracts to present at meetings or conventions,” says Randall.

Innovative training tools come in handy

Several times a year, the medical device company will showcase its technology at a spine educational symposium. “We had a very good simulator anatomic model that matches up very well and provides tactile feedback similar to when the surgeon is with a live patient,” says Randall. Surgeons are also given the option to visit a fellow colleague to observe him or her perform the operation, using the technology. “We find this to be an enriching experience; we try to make sure the visiting surgeon participates on the rounds, because, I can assure you, they aren’t used to seeing patients walk around two hours after their operation,” he exclaims.

New technology in the works

The Association of Pre-Sacral Spine Surgeons (APSS) held an educational conference last month that showcased new techniques including those made possible with TranS1’s medical device. “We have an exciting and novel technology that is really in its infancy, so if surgeons can interact with others who have used it, that fast-forwards the educational pro­cess,” says Randall, adding the company is currently working towards developing technology to work higher than the lower back core area. “We would like to eventually become a company that a surgeon could look at to treat any problem in the spine,” he says.

http://www.trans1.com

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