MRI is an indispensable tool for surgeons, but the technology clearly has its limitations. For example, consider a surgeon who uses a machine to guide surgery. The current process involves putting the patient into a machine to obtain images and then pulling the needle out one centimeter at a time. It’s time consuming and frankly an inefficient use of resources.
Bay Area-based MDC, which boasts the slogan “Creating a new era in minimally invasive surgery,” believes the answer lies in robotics. Robotics undoubtedly represents the future of surgery, but this application field also presents its own challenges. After all, existing robotics contains many elements that cannot operate inside an MRI.
The company participated in the Startup Battlefield stage at TechCrunch Disrupt 2024.
MDC’s challenge at the time was to create a robotic system that could operate on patients inside an MRI without relying on electric motors, rare earth metals and other elements that interfere with the operation of the imaging equipment.
The young startup’s work builds on research conducted by founder and CEO Sam Frishman during his time at John Hopkins and Stanford. Frishman describes this solution as a “high-rigidity, low-friction hydraulic transmission and actuator.” The system is water-powered and connected to the outside of the MRI via a tube.
“There are several differentiating factors in our system,” Frishman tells TechCrunch. “One is the ability to be very skillfully controlled directly by the physician. They are controlling the needle: positioning, advancing, and actuating. “It’s like holding a needle in your hand.”
MDC is specifically targeting biopsy and resection in its initial offering. The CEO said these minimally invasive procedures are just the beginning.
“It’s actually enabling new capabilities beyond what’s possible today,” Frishman says. “This is where digitization, power assistance, guidance through AI and all the data we collect start to add up beyond human capabilities. But doctors still have full control and can make all decisions.”
MDC recently graduated from SOSV’s HAX accelerator and took the stage today as part of Startup Battlefield at Disrupt. The company has raised $1.2 million in pre-seed funding.
