Synaptive Medical gained FDA clearance to start marketing its neurosurgery-specific surgical navigation tech for use in U.S. operating rooms.
The Toronto company said its BrightMatter Guide system cleared this regulatory sign-off after “months of review.”
BrightMatter gives 3D visuals of the brain in the operating room, which help guide surgeons as they pursue neurological procedures. During surgery, the images are placed over an anatomical scan, offering a way to visualize the inside of the brain.
“BrightMatter Guide is a GPS of sorts for the brain, giving surgeons a visual representation of the complex structures and associated tractography of the brain in the operating room, where they need them,” Synaptic Medical President Cameron Piron said in prepared remarks. “I am looking forward to seeing Guide successfully used in operating rooms around the country.”
The system also helps track surgical tools during a procedure and is meant to work with the company’s Vision and Drive systems. Drive uses a robotic arm to keep optics and lights at their key points during surgery, and Vision, boosts the visual capacity for complex brain surgeries “with great resolution and a high depth of field.”
Synaptive Medical describes itself on its web site as a collection of “more than 50 engineers and scientists” dedicated “specifically to the development of neurosurgical technologies.” All are produced through collaboration “with top neurosurgeons, radiologists and healthcare facilities,” the company said.
The company is also moving toward strategic expansion. Earlier in March, it bought up Clear Canvas for an undisclosed price, gaining access to its imaging informatics technologies and a customer base of about 30,000 healthcare professionals around the world.