Sanovas
Transforming the Paradigm of Medical Imaging

Constant progress in the development of several ground-breaking medical technologies has been bringing about a paradigm shift in the contemporary world of care, empowering doctors to provide faster and more accurate diagnosis. Within the ambit of this, minimally invasive surgery has flourished extensively in the past few years, serving as an alternative to the traditional open surgery and laparoscopic techniques. Minimally invasive surgery is being used across diverse medical specialties such as cardiothoracic, orthopedic, urological, vascular, and neurological procedures. Tapping into the immense potential of this technique, Sanovas, a biomedical devices development company based in San Rafael, CA, is changing the existing status quo of the healthcare industry. By developing a full continuum of next-gen, minimally invasive surgical tools and technologies, the company is improving access to advanced diagnostic and therapeutic procedures across healthcare facilities and practices. Sanovas’ suite of products is built on a platform of core micro technologies that contribute to making medical interventions accessible, affordable, and safe in small anatomic spaces. Larry Gerrans, president and CEO of the company, says, “There was a lack of effective medical tools that enabled surgeons to perform therapeutic interventions in small diameter regions of the anatomy. So, we decided to come up with a solution that extended access beyond such limitations, which led to the development of MicroCam.”

MicroCam from Sanovas is an integrated ‘plug and play’ micro-imaging technology platform for endoscopic device applications. Fully encapsulated in a sealed assembly for standard sterilization, the device has proprietary software, electronics, sensors, and optics that provide autonomous imaging capability. MicroCam eliminates the need for camera consoles, couplers, light sources, fiber optic light cables, and other accessories that are required for conventional endoscopy.

We developed our technology to replace the large, cumbersome, and expensive cart-based endoscopic systems with leaner, more efficient, and cost-effective designs

“We developed our technology to replace the large, cumbersome, and expensive cart-based endoscopic systems with leaner, more efficient, and cost-effective designs,” adds Gerrans. The device can also be connected to any monitor, display device, or even mobile phones with USB and HDMI connectors, making it easy to use. “We can now put ‘eyeballs’ on almost any instrument and give the doctor a wide variety of images and viewing angles,” explains Gerrans. In a nutshell, all of these underlying factors make the product unique and account for its wide adoption.

With minimally invasive surgical procedures becoming a standard globally, MicroCam is expected to vastly improve the expansion and operative capabilities of the science. The device has already extended access to care across 700 million patients and is expected to further evolve the interventional capabilities of the market. In an instance, an OB-GYN surgeon in Kabul, Afghanistan had to evaluate tribal women with ectopic pregnancies. “The procedure involves a pelvic check-up, but such an examination was at odds with the tribe’s culture,” says Gerrans. So, the surgeon collaborated with Sanovas to leverage its MicroCam which allowed him to view the image of the affected embryo on his laptop. This showcases Sanovas’ prowess in providing minimally invasive, localized, diagnostic, and therapeutic intervention for a wide range of urologic and gynecologic procedures.

Established in 2009, targeting the pulmonary market, which includes treatment of lung cancer, COPD, asthma, and cystic fibrosis, Sanovas has grown substantially to provide the medical imaging sector with innovative solutions that have raised the bar of medical intervention. In the days to come, the company is working on commercializing 18 of its spin-off companies to diversify its assets across the global patient population. “We are delighted to offer the members of the medical device community the opportunity to re-imagine, re-invent, and re-purpose the clinical capabilities of their products and technologies,” concludes Gerrans.