Vexim, a French medical device firm specializing in the minimally invasive treatment of vertebral fractures, reports a 93% sales growth for the first half of 2012 as compared to the same period in 2011. First half sales totaled 1.1 million Euros. The company’s domestic sales (in France) increased by three and half times its levels from the prior year while international sales rose by a very respectable 42%.
Vexim Records Record Year With SpineJack

Company officials attributed the sales growth, in part, to the fact that it obtained CE marking in January 2012 for the new 4.2 mm diameter SpineJack implant, adding it to the company’s existing line of 5 mm and 6.5 mm diameters. Officials say that this new diameter makes it possible to treat pathologies on high thoracic vertebrae as well as on all small vertebrae. The company trained over 40 surgeons in the use of Vexim’s technology during the first half of the year alone. Guided by X-ray, physicians insert the implants in less than 30 minutes enabling the patient to be discharged shortly after surgery.
During the year, Vexim also launched two new subsidiaries, one in Germany in March and the second, based in Milan, in June. The company reports that it is now ahead of its business plan.
Vincent Gardès, CEO of Vexim, explained, “The first half of the current financial year saw rich and structuring events for Vexim in all areas of its activity; extension of its range of implants, success of its IPO and the raising of 11 million Euros, strengthening of its management team sand targeted international expansion. The first half financial performances, with sales and the gross margin both doubling, give us much confidence regarding the implementation of our business plan over the years a whole.”

Discussion
This is a fascinating development. In my practice we've seen similar outcomes with the revised protocol. The key differentiator seems to be patient selection criteria. Has anyone else noticed the correlation with BMI thresholds?
Great point. I'd push back slightly on the conclusion, the sample size in the cited study is too small to draw population-level inferences. That said, the directional signal is compelling and worth a larger RCT.
We implemented a similar approach last year. Early results are promising but we're still gathering 12-month follow-up data. Happy to share our protocol if anyone is interested.
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