Hemorrhoids affect many people and can cause pain, bleeding and reduced quality of life. For surgeon Johan Ungerstedt, frustration with current treatment methods was the starting point for Pexy Easy – a new medical device that aims to make advanced hemorrhoid surgery easier, gentler and accessible to more patients.
After many years in emergency and trauma surgery, Johan Ungerstedt had seen great potential for improvement in several of the instruments used in operating rooms. During a course in colorectal surgery in Linköping in 2011, he heard about an Indian surgeon who had published a study on hemorrhoids.
– The study showed that instead of cutting away tissue, the hemorrhoids could be stitched and lifted up to their natural position. This is much more gentle than the current method, where patients need to be anesthetized and then are on sick leave for up to four weeks. This was something I wanted to explore further,” says Johan.
In 2015, he set up the company Developeration and received support from Region Stockholm’s Innovation Fund, which enabled him to develop the first prototype of Pexy Easy – a device that does not remove hemorrhoids, but restores them.
– What many people don’t know is that hemorrhoids play an important role in the body’s gas and fluid sealing mechanism, so there is value in not cutting them out. Unlike traditional surgery, which often involves weeks of pain, the procedure can be done without anesthesia and with minimal impact on the tissue, Johan explains.
A completed clinical trial shows very good results; clear reduction of symptoms, no serious complications and rapid recovery. On average, patients are off sick for one day, and many do not even need painkillers.
– The method also opens up for the treatment of patients who cannot be anesthetized or who are on blood-thinning medication,” says Johan.
The instrument is now fully developed and manufactured in Östergötland. Developeration has submitted its CE mark application and is also working with the FDA in the US, with the ambition to launch internationally. So far, the company has raised approximately SEK 27 million and is now planning a new round to finance commercialization.
Developeration is today part of LEAD’s incubator program and ready for the next step; from development company to commercial growth.
– We are entering a completely new phase now. We need structure, expertise and coaching to be able to scale up. We look forward to getting LEAD’s support on the journey ahead,” concludes Johan.
