VirtaMed is a Swiss company that develops virtual reality simulators for post-graduate medical education. The company was founded in 2007 as a spin-off of ETH Zurich by Gabor Székely, Co-Head of the Computer Vision Laboratory at ETH Zurich and Director of the Swiss National Centre of Competence in Research (NCCR) for Computer-Aided and Image-Guided Medical Interventions (CO-ME).[1] Co-founders were Stefan Tuchschmid, Daniel Bachofen, Matthias Harders, Michael Bajka and Raimundo Sierra.

VirtaMed
Company typePrivate company
IndustryMedical Simulation
Founded2007
Headquarters,
Switzerland
Area served
Worldwide
Products
  • ArthroS™
  • GynoS™
  • LaparoS™
  • UroS™
Services
  • Training & Education
  • Support & Maintenance
  • Fleet Management
  • Data Services
Number of employees
100-150
Subsidiaries
  • VirtaMed Inc., FL, USA
  • VirtaMed Co. Ltd. Shanghai, China
Websitewww.virtamed.com

The company gained initial funding by winning the first Venture Kick Award, then the Red Herring 2015 Award,[2] the Switzerland Global Enterprise Export Award 2019,[3] and the Swiss Medtech Award 2020.[4] It is still privately held.

In 2020, the company responded to the COVID-19 pandemic by delivering simulation training to University Hospitals across Switzerland[5][6][7][8]

Medical simulators

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Different types of virtual reality medical simulators have been developed in parallel with advances in computer graphics technology. The company currently has applied for or been granted ten patents.[9] Most VirtaMed simulators combine rubber anatomic models with magnetic positional tracking[10]

The company simulates procedures in four main medical specialties:

Partnerships

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Medical device company, Hologic, announced in 2013 a customized simulator for the MyoSure® hysteroscopic tissue removal device.[18] In 2015, the American Society for Reproductive Medicine (ASRM) entered into a partnership with VirtaMed to create an embryo transfer simulator .[19] Upstream in the USA partnered with VirtaMed to provide IUD placement training in 2016.[20] Later in 2016, NxThera revealed that their Rezum device required prior training with a VirtaMed-powered simulator.[21] In 2018, VirtaMed entered into an exclusive partnership with the Arthroscopy Association of North America (AANA), to integrate simulation into their training curriculum.[22] In 2019, it was reported that global medical device manufacturer Smith+Nephew had partnered with VirtaMed to simulate arthroscopy procedures.[23] VirtaMed's first simulator in General Surgery for laparoscopy training was announced with KARL STORZ in early 2020[24]

References

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  1. ^ Computer-aided and image-guided medical interventions 2001 – 2013 (PDF), retrieved 25 July 2019
  2. ^ 2015 Top 100 European Winners, retrieved 24 July 2019
  3. ^ VirtaMed Wins Export Award, 27 March 2019, retrieved 24 July 2019
  4. ^ "Swiss Medtech Award 2020 Nominees | Swiss Medtech". www.swiss-medtech.ch. 31 July 2020. Retrieved 2020-09-06.
  5. ^ Giger, Fabio (2020-06-23). "Mobiler Operationssimulator beim Spital Triemli in Zürich". Blick. Retrieved 2020-09-06.
  6. ^ "Ärzte setzen auf mobiles Simulationslabor". Telebasel (in Swiss High German). 2020-07-05. Retrieved 2020-09-06.
  7. ^ "Mit Hightech-Simulator zur perfekten Operation - Prime News". primenews.ch. Retrieved 2020-09-06.
  8. ^ Andrew Mernin (3 July 2020). "Swiss firm brings COVID-defying surgical simulators to European hospitals". Retrieved 2020-09-06.
  9. ^ "Patents Assigned to VIRTAMED AG - Justia Patents Search". patents.justia.com. Retrieved 2020-02-17.
  10. ^ US patent 8992230, "Medical training systems and methods" 
  11. ^ "Laura's digital disruptors: virtual realit-knee at Bournemouth University's Orthopaedic Research Institute". Digital Health. 2016-12-07. Retrieved 2020-02-17.
  12. ^ "Surgeons hone craft on UNLV's cutting-edge surgery simulator". Las Vegas Review-Journal. 2017-09-28. Retrieved 2020-02-17.
  13. ^ Rahm, Stefan; Wieser, Karl; Bauer, David E.; Waibel, Felix WA; Meyer, Dominik C.; Gerber, Christian; Fucentese, Sandro F. (16 May 2018), "Efficacy of standardized training on a virtual reality simulator to advance knee and shoulder arthroscopic motor skills", BMC Musculoskeletal Disorders, 19 (1): 150, doi:10.1186/s12891-018-2072-0, PMC 5956558, PMID 29769058
  14. ^ Smothers, Hannah (2016-03-23). "How a Mechanical Vagina is Helping Train Clinics to Do Same-Day IUD Insertions". Cosmopolitan. Retrieved 2020-02-11.
  15. ^ "PCC14". www.eshre.eu. Retrieved 2020-02-17.
  16. ^ Elessawy, Mohamed; Skrzipczyk, Moritz; Eckmann-Scholz, Christel; Maass, Nicolai; Mettler, Liselotte; Guenther, Veronika; Van Mackelenbergh, Marion; Bauerschlag, Dirk O.; Alkatout, Ibrahim (23 August 2016), "Integration and Validation of Hysteroscopy Simulation in the Surgical Training Curriculum", Journal of Surgical Education, 74 (1): 84–90, doi:10.1016/j.jsurg.2016.06.007, PMID 27567366
  17. ^ Bright, Elizabeth; Vine, Samuel; Wilson, Mark R.; Masters, Rich S.W.; McGrath, John S. (23 February 2012), "Face validity, construct validity and training benefits of a virtual reality turp simulator", International Journal of Surgery, 10 (3): 163–166, doi:10.1016/j.ijsu.2012.02.012, PMID 22366646
  18. ^ "Hologic, Inc. Enhances Physician Training With Virtual Reality Simulation". www.prnewswire.com (Press release). Retrieved 2020-12-19.
  19. ^ Simulation builds skills, 8 May 2015, retrieved 25 July 2019
  20. ^ Kliff, Sarah (2016-03-23). "The IUD revolution". Vox. Retrieved 2020-02-11.
  21. ^ "NxThera's Rezūm Provides a New Treatment Option for Patients with BPH: Interview with CEO of NxThera |". Medgadget. 2016-11-10. Retrieved 2020-02-11.
  22. ^ AANA, VirtaMed Collaboration to Set New Standards for Arthroscopy Training, 27 January 2018, retrieved 25 July 2019
  23. ^ Condon, Alan (10 September 2019). "Smith & Nephew, VirtaMed partner to provide arthroscopic simulation training". www.beckersspine.com. Retrieved 2020-02-11.
  24. ^ "LapTrainer Mixed Reality Simulator for Laparoscopy Training Unveiled |". Medgadget. 2020-02-03. Retrieved 2020-02-11.