A startup based in Virginia is making an even bigger splash than the others when it opens its doors in July.
Virginias orthopedic surgeons have been battling with a crippling injury for years, and their patient numbers have steadily declined over the past decade.
They’ve had to resort to a combination of high-tech and expensive drugs, and it’s time for a change.
But now, with the introduction of a new startup, VXO Orthopaedic, Virginias surgeons are taking a new approach to the problem.
They’re looking for a better way to make their patients feel better.
The problem with traditional orthopedies is they’re very complicated and expensive, said VXOP chief medical officer Matt Tulloch.
To help bridge that gap, he said, VxO has partnered with a startup called Stem.
The company is using its proprietary technology to replace the existing spine braces that have become a relic of the past.
Stem is using technology to build the most advanced, advanced brace on the market today, with more than 40 different configurations available.
The brace is being used in places like the VA, where it’s seen a spike in patient demand.
But that demand is expected to continue for years to come.
“It’s not just about the fact that we’ve had a patient die of a spinal cord injury,” Tullich said.
“There’s a lot of other reasons that people are getting this treatment that we’re just not able to do on our own.”
Stem has already partnered with Virginias hospital system to test out the brace, which they’re calling VXEOB.
In order to give patients a safer and more comfortable position, the braces are equipped with a small metal ball that can be used as a shock absorber.
“We’ve got a small ball that we can put in your pocket that you could throw at a wall or anywhere you can get it,” Tylor said.
“I think it really helps in a lot ways, it helps with the pain.
If you’re walking in the hallway and somebody throws a piece of metal at you, it’s going to knock the ball out of your hand.”VXO orthopeds have been seeing an uptick in patient visits over the last few years, but this brace is unique in that it’s able to deliver a more precise force to the area.
That’s because of a process called “impact-induced debridement,” which is a term that refers to the fact there’s less of a force to push on the affected area.
Stems is using the technology to create a new brace, but Tylord says the new brace will be the first to truly be tested in a patient.
It’s called the Stem 2.0 brace, and Tullor says it has been a hit in the VA.
“The response has been phenomenal,” he said.VXEO has been testing out the new braces at the VA in a couple of areas.
Tylors office was the first one to be tested, and the hospital was able to successfully complete a patient with the brace.
“They’re not just going to be there for the duration of the day, but they’re going to provide immediate care,” Tynor said, adding that they are the first hospital to use the technology.
The VXOAthopaedist says there will be other hospitals that test the brace in the coming months, and they will eventually have to switch to using it as well.
Tulloch says that while the brace will only be used for a limited time, it will provide a more natural and comfortable way for patients to walk, talk, and stand.
He said that even with the new technology, the brace is still capable of providing more precision than the standard braces, which have had to be adjusted by the patient.
“When I look at the brace as a whole, I don’t think I’d want to walk around with one of those,” Tulord said.
The Stem team plans to test the new Stem brace in different areas, such as the front of the neck, in the hospital, and will eventually move the brace to a full-scale manufacturing facility.
The new brace is expected by the end of the year.
