In Profile: Rosemary Cunningham Thomas, CEO, Episurf

Rosemary Cunningham Thomas, CEO, Episurf, explains what’s so special about the company’s joint resurfacing treatment

Who are you and what do you do?

Episurf Medical is a medical device company, the first in the world to develop a patient- specific joint resurfacing treatment. The company is based in Stockholm, Sweden, with subsidiary offices in the United Kingdom and Germany. By combining advanced 3D-imaging technology with the latest manufacturing technology, we adapt each implant to the patient’s unique injury and anatomy, as well as customising the surgical instruments. In doing so, we enable surgeons to offer a personalised treatment alternative to help patients with joint injuries, return to active lifestyles.

What projects have you been focused on recently?

Episurf Medical’s core competence lies within the process of developing patient-specific treatments for joint damage repair. A technology based on a portfolio with some 80 patents and patent applications in areas such as image processing, patient-specific implant systems, patient-specific surgical techniques, patient-specific surgical tools and manufacturing for any joint in the human body.

Our main focus is on the Episealer product range, developed for treating focal cartilage lesions and underlying bone defects in the knee. The Episealer is an individually-tailored endoprosthesis, delivered together with Epiguide, a patient-specific drill guide, and a personalised surgical toolkit.

The entire process of creating patient specific implants and surgical tools is done within the framework of the company's proprietary web based system. It enables day-to-day interaction with orthopaedic surgeons all over the globe and provides guidance for surgeons through the entire process; from 3D visualisation of the joint, comprehensive damage assessment, surgical planning, design and manufacturing of implants and surgical tools to the surgery itself. The system (μiFidelity) enables endoprotheses to be cost-efficiently tailored to each individual’s unique anatomy and injury for the optimal fit and minimal intervention.

Describe your latest innovation?

Our current products, Episealer Condyle Solo and Episealer Trochlea Solo are indicated for focal cartilage lesions and underlying bone defects for up to 20mm in the knee condyle and 30mm in the knee trochlea. Our latest addition, Episealer Femoral Twin, can be used to treat injuries up to 35mm in length, in the knee condyle, knee trochlea or both. As the name suggest, it is an endoprosthesis consisting of two joined endoprostheses with a maximum diameter of 2x25mm.

Similar to Episealer Condyle Solo and Episealer Trochlea Solo, Episealer Femoral Twin is patient-specific and is delivered together with a dedicated Epiguide and surgical toolkit.

What does it mean for the medical sector?

Episurf Medical bridges the gap between biological treatments and total/partial knee arthroplasty. This treatment gap is difficult to define age-wise, but refers to the time period when traditional biological treatments for focal cartilage lesions and underlying bone defects in the knee fail to give satisfactory results but the patient is still considered too young to undergo a total/partial knee arthroplasty. Episealer provides the physicians with an additional option to help this ever-growing group of patients among those who suffer from joint injuries.

Through Episurf’s patient-specific approach, physicians have the possibility to decide pre-operatively if the patient is a suitable candidate for the Episealer procedure and thereby ensuring the best possible outcomes for each patient. The online process gives physicians full freedom to be collaborative in the damage marking and design process.

Plans for the future?

Episurf is developing new products aimed at helping surgeons to perform more precise surgeries. The company is also looking into the possibilities of applying the implant technology to other joints.