An Innovative Implant for the Creation of an Anastomosis

Clinical Need

Each year, over 1.9 million people receive a colon cancer diagnosis, and a significant portion of them undergo surgery to remove tumours and restore the healthy function of their bowels.

Unfortunately, post-surgery leakage is a major complication that affects approximately 8.6% of cases, and in some procedures, this rate can rise as high as 20%.

This condition, where intestinal content leaks into the abdomen, can severely impact patients, often leading to sepsis and requiring urgent reoperation. Patients experience an extended hospital stay of about 12 days and incur an additional cost of €35,000 for their care.

1.9m Cases Annually

+12 Days of Hospitalisation

8.6% Leak Rate

+€35,000/Patient cost of care

Technology

The PLIO Surgical Implant is a new anastomosis device that is laparoscopically deployed into the healthy lumen of the bowel

Utilizing the patented tissue gripping features on the face of the implant it grips to the inside walls of the intestine

The rings are coupled together through magnetic elements. An anastomosis is created without the need for sutures or staples via the compressive force of the magnetic attraction

Once healing occurs, the implant detaches and passes naturally leaving no foreign body behind

Team

Plio Surgical is a spin-out of Trinity College Dublin, developing an innovative and evidence-based solution to address the unmet clinical need of conducting an intestinal anastomosis (joining of two lumens together following a resection)

Cristina Purtill - CEO

Cristina has over 15 years’ experience in the healthcare industry and in product management, acquired while working as a Global Product Manager with GE Healthcare in the USA and in marketing roles with Dell. Cristina had previously led the development of five Class II high acuity patient monitors and managed the product commercialisation following 510(k) approval and CE mark in the USA, Europe and Asia.

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Prof. Bruce Murphy - CSO

Prof. Bruce Murphy has deep technical expertise in developing minimally invasive surgical devices. Prof. Murphy’s lab has a strong track record of success in developing and commercialising innovative, proprietary medical technologies with spin-outs such as CroiValve, Proverum, Selio Medical and OneProjects emanating from his lab and he is well connected to the investment community.

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Stephen Johnson Barker - Head of Design

Stephen has a strong industrial design background having completed BSc in Product Design and an M.Sc. in Medical Device Design. Stephen’s strengths lie in the design and manufacturing of the devices Plio Surgical are developing with skills in rapid prototyping techniques, human factors engineering and managing the IP landscape.

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News

Accepted Into Medtech Innovator Accelerator Program

EIC Transition Grant from the European Innovation Council (EIC)

Plio Surgical is proud to announce that it has been awarded a highly competitive EIC Transition Grant from the European Innovation Council (EIC): https://eic.ec.europa.eu/news/european-innovation-council-transition-accelerating-40-groundbreaking-technologies-lab-market-2025-01-22_en

The €2.5m funding will support the next phase of Plio Surgical’s product development, enabling the integration of micro-sensors on Plio’s magnetic anastomosis implant.

Irish Times Innovation Award Finalist 2024

Plio Surgical are finalist on the 2024 Irish Times Innovation Award in the Life Sciences & Healthcare category.

2024 European Prize for Women Innovators

We are thrilled that our CEO, Cristina Purtill was awarded 3^rd prize in the 2024 European Prize for Women Innovators the EIT Women Leadership category. Read More…