The suturing of the abdominal wall after surgery has been done in roughly the same way for quite some time. In the conventional manner, the surgeon has their hands full, both literally and figuratively. However, in this case, the faster and more precise the suturing can be performed, the better the result and quality of life for the patient after the procedure. Mellon Medical devised an instrument (Switch) to semi-automatically and precisely suture with one hand quickly.
For the development and research of this project, international collaboration and financial support were necessary. This was found within the Eurostars program. This international grant scheme focuses on research and development (R&D) and is intended for collaborative projects of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). The program encourages cross-pollination between industries and scientific disciplines, which can lead to groundbreaking innovations. Ultimately, Ignite Group successfully applied for the Switch project. This application secured 3rd place in the Eurostars ranking in the Netherlands.
Switch
In the case of the Switch project, Mellon, Demcon, Erasmus MC, and Assut Europe have entered into a collaboration, with Demcon serving as the technology developer and producer. “Imagine tomorrow, challenge today, a slogan that we genuinely pursue throughout the entire organization,” says Gido Akse, Managing Director at Demcon. “The Switcht project aligns well with our vision, with their groundbreaking method of suturing using ‘small bites’,” Akse adds. The instrument (Switch) has two jaws that the surgeon can move towards each other. As a result, a straight needle can be automatically transferred from one jaw to the other with one hand. “Finer suturing, with ‘small bites’ only five to seven millimeters apart, reduces complications and significantly decreases the need for corrective surgeries,” Gido elaborates.
Grant Application
In 2019, Demcon’s collaboration with Mellon began. An expert review was conducted, assessing aspects such as the robustness of the design, necessary modifications for application in general surgery (after also exploring its application in vascular surgery), and the feasibility of Switch production. International parties became involved in the project, making a grant application for financial support a logical step to facilitate the proper development of the Switch. “Without grant schemes such as Eurostars, projects like these can only be executed in a limited capacity, often resulting in longer time-to-market,” Gido explains. He mentions that grant applications are usually arranged by Demcon itself since his team has sufficient experience with the world of grants. “Sometimes there’s not enough time or space to handle the entire process, and that’s when Ignite Group came into the picture. Knowing that Ignite Group had a high success rate and having had some contact with colleagues there, it was a logical step to engage Ignite Group. There was already a lot of trust at the start of the collaboration,” Gido explains.
Collaboration and Deadline
Asked about the collaboration with Ignite Group, Gido mentions that it was particularly nice to be able to hand over the entire application process without ever feeling like the process was stalled or progressing slowly. “The communication was just very easy and smooth, whether it was through personal conversations or digitally via Teams.” Both the internal communication and the communication between Ignite Group and external parties, such as the RVO, went very smoothly. As a result, the progress of the application process was continuously ensured, and deadlines were always met. It’s clear that Ignite Group has a lot of experience and a broad knowledge base when it comes to applying for European grants. “That this application ultimately ended up 3rd in the national Eurostars ranking is certainly proof that it was a very strong application,” says Gido Akse.
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