Awl-in-One Tap is a single-use spinal surgery instrument. (Credit: EDGe Surgical)

EDGe Surgical, Inc. , a company focused on developing and manufacturing smart orthopedic and spine surgical instruments, has been granted patent 10,912,483 titled “Handheld devices for use in medical procedures” by the United States Patent and Trademark Office for its next-generation Awl-in-One Tap™ device .

Awl-in-One Tap is a single-use spinal surgery instrument with disposable neuromonitoring EMG system and digital depth measurement built in. The device, which is under development, is intended to be used when creating a screw hole pathway during posterior pedicle spinal fusion surgeries.

“As more and more spine fusion surgeries move to the outpatient setting, surgeons require the same safety and accuracy of placing surgical screws afforded at the inpatient setting,” says Christopher Wilson, CEO, EDGe Surgical. “The Awl-in-One Tap with NerveNAV technology aims to cost-effectively address those needs, and it is designed to also be used by larger hospitals looking to add a more cost-effective spine navigation solution.”

EDGe Surgical’s newest patent contains 20 claims directed to orthopedic/spine navigation instrumentation. These claims provide broad protection for EDGe Surgical’s next-generation version of its Awl-in-One Tap’s NerveNAVTM technology. EDGe Surgical now holds 17 U.S. patents and 11 patents outside the U.S. on this technology, with six additional patent applications pending in the U.S. and 13 outside the U.S.

EDGe Surgical, Inc. is a privately held medical device company committed to enhancing excellence in orthopedic and spine surgery instrumentation. Driven by the goals of increasing accuracy, mitigating infection risk, and reducing cost, EDGe Surgical is setting a new industry standard. Its products include the EDG® Ortho 65 mm single-use electronic depth gauge and the Spine Awl-in-one-Tap™, a single-use system in development for creating posterior pedicle screw-hole pathways, including neuromonitoring capabilities with visual and audible notifications to help avoid nerves. Founded in 2015 in Chicago, Illinois, the company is focused on developing and delivering products that deliver precision to healthcare professionals specializing in orthopedic trauma and spine surgery — a potential $1.1 billion U.S. market.