Our Story
SpineGuard was founded in 2009 by Pierre Jerome and Stephane Bette. With a fully dedicated team behind the PediGuard® technology platform, the company aims to make the most of its clinical, technological and market potential.
With the support of Aelios Finance, the founders raised $15 million in the midst of the recent financial turmoil from four venture capital investors, Crédit Agricole Private Equity, Innoven Partenaires, A Plus Finance and Delta Partners, to acquire the PediGuard® technology from SpineVision and finance SpineGuard's development until break-even.
The original inventors of PediGuard®, Ciaran Bolger, MD PhD and Maurice Bourlion, PhD are also part of the endeavor, as well as Randy Betz, MD, leader of SpineGuard’s international clinical study group.
The Clinical Need
Pedicle screw-based stabilization has become the gold standard for treating spine instabilities and deformities. Technological advancements such as minimally invasive surgery, bone substitutes, dynamic stabilization and thoracic screws further reiterate the importance of pedicle screw placement in spine surgery.
However, accuracy of pedicle screw placement remains a critical issue in spine surgery:
- 10-40% of pedicle screws have been reported as misplaced.
- 2-10% of that number have resulted in pathological consequences.
With initial results of U.S. and European multi-centric clinical studies confirming its potential, the PediGuard® is emerging as the most compelling answer to this clinical need for safer pedicle screw placement. Over 12,000 procedures have been performed with PediGuard® on all continents.
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