Slow Surg

Slow Surg is a Belgian MedTech startup developing the MAGUS (MAgnetic Gastrointestinal Universal Septotome), a device for treating conditions like gastrointestinal diverticula. The original concept for the device came from Ricardo Rio-Tinto, a gastroenterologist at the Champalimaud Foundation in Portugal, and was further developed into its final version through a collaboration with engineers at the Université Libre de Bruxelles, including François Huberland. The project involved a multidisciplinary team from the BEAMS service of the Ecole Polytechnique de Bruxelles, the BMDC research centre, and physicians from the Erasmus Hospital and the Champalimaud Foundation.

The MAGUS system is designed to perform a septotomy, or the cutting of a septum, through a minimally invasive endoscopic procedure. It consists of two magnets linked by a self-retractable wire. During the procedure, the magnets are placed on either side of the tissue wall (septum) that separates a pathological pouch, like a diverticulum, from the healthy gastrointestinal tract. The magnetic force and the retractable wire apply constant pressure, inducing compression necrosis. This process gradually and safely cuts the septum, effectively merging the pouch with the main tract, a procedure known as marsupialization. Once the cut is complete, the device is naturally expelled from the body.

This method provides an alternative to highly invasive open or laparoscopic surgeries, which carry significant morbidity and mortality rates. The MAGUS device aims to reduce these risks by avoiding incisions and allowing for a single-stage procedure. Early clinical studies have shown the device to be safe and effective for treating epiphrenic esophageal diverticulum (EED), with complete septotomy achieved in patients. The technology has received the 2021 "Innovation of the Year Award" from the European Society of Gastrointestinal Endoscopy (ESGE). The company is conducting clinical studies to obtain regulatory approval and is exploring further applications for conditions such as Candy-Cane syndrome and certain digestive tract obstructions.

Keywords: magnetic septotomy, gastrointestinal device, diverticula treatment, endoscopic procedure, compression necrosis, minimally invasive surgery, MedTech, marsupialization, esophageal diverticulum, MAGUS