New System to Safely Remove Vertiflex Implants and Preserve the Spinous Processes -- Launched by KIC Ventures

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla., Dec. 1, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- KIC Ventures, inventor of the global movement in LESS Exposure Spine Surgery (LESS™) and a leader in interventional spine surgery innovation, today announced the release of VertiFix, a breakthrough technology designed to address a critical and growing challenge facing interventional pain management (IPM) physicians: the safe removal of failed or improperly placed interspinous process implants while preserving the spinous processes.

Following widespread implantation of various interspinous process devices, such as Boston Scientific Vertiflex Superion device, the industry is now seeing an increasing number of revision cases attributed to poor placement, suboptimal patient selection, or disease progression—factors that ultimately contributed to the device's recall . While Vertiflex offered value for patients with mild spinal stenosis, physicians are now confronting a harsh reality: removal is often extremely difficult—and sometimes nearly impossible—without causing significant anatomical damage.

Dr. Kingsley R. Chin, orthopedic spine surgeon, CEO and Founder of KIC Ventures, personally observed the magnitude of this issue during a case in Long Island.

"I watched an IPM physician struggle for more than two hours to remove a Vertiflex implant so he could revise with InSpan—if he could preserve the spinous processes. The case was eventually aborted because the device could not be removed. The patient ultimately required a full laminectomy by a spine surgeon, and both spinous processes had to be sacrificed. That moment made it clear: the industry needed a solution—and quickly."   — Dr. Kingsley R. Chin

This scenario is becoming increasingly common nationwide. IPM physicians are struggling to revise interspinous fixation devices without damaging anatomy or escalating patients to major surgery, highlighting the need for better education and supportive clinical systems.

In response, KIC Ventures began educating physicians to use the InSpan® instrumentation system to carefully dissect around interspinous implants and remove them with minimal disruption. These early successful revisions sparked a deeper engineering effort to create a definitive long-term solution.

That solution is VertiFix — a patented system developed in collaboration between spine surgeons and leading IPM physicians, including Dr. Luis Fandos (NY) and Dr. Jonathan Daitch (FL), who personally faced these revision challenges and urged the team to engineer a solution, and Vito Lore, CTO of KIC Ventures. The system underwent extensive clinical insight development, engineering refinement, and cadaveric validation.

VertiFix works by reversing the mechanical steps used to insert an interspinous device like Vertiflex, giving physicians—for the first time—a predictable and controlled method to:

• Safely dissect around interspinous implants
• Reverse the device's deployment mechanism
• Extract the implant without destroying the spinous processes
• Immediately stabilize the segment with InSpan®

KIC Ventures has successfully completed multiple VertiFix removals in real-world clinical cases and has extensively validated the system in cadaver laboratories. Results demonstrate that:

• The spinous processes can be preserved, preventing unnecessary laminectomies
• Revisions can remain in the domain of LESS invasive outpatient procedures
• Physicians can immediately restore stability with InSpan® following device removal

With Boston Scientific recalling Vertiflex , tens of thousands of implanted patients may require evaluation and possible revision.  VertiFix is the first and only system designed specifically to address this emerging need.

"Our goal is to support physicians and patients during this transition. VertiFix gives IPM doctors, orthopedic surgeons, and neurosurgeons the ability to safely remove Vertiflex and preserve spinal anatomy. We stand ready to assist Boston Scientific and the entire clinical community in addressing this growing demand."   — Dr. Erik Spayde, CTO and Harvard-trained orthopedic spine surgeon, and Dr. Josue Gabriel, Director of Physician Training and orthopedic spine surgeon

VertiFix represents a significant milestone in KIC Ventures' mission to innovate specialized solutions for interventional spine surgery under its portfolio company NANISX, dedicated to advancing anatomy-preserving outpatient spine surgery globally. The company continues to invest in technologies that empower physicians to treat patients earlier via LESS™ invasive, anatomy-preserving REP principles—before major reconstructive surgery becomes necessary.

Disclaimer
This press release is for educational and informational purposes only and does not constitute financial, investment, or tax advice. All financial examples are illustrative and hypothetical based on commonly used assumptions. Results will vary. Individuals should always consult with a licensed financial advisor before making any investment or retirement planning decisions.

About KIC Ventures

Founded in 2013, KIC Ventures is a physician-founded and physician-led healthtech private equity firm and the creator of the LESS Exposure Spine Surgery (LESS™) treatment philosophy and technologies. Its portfolio includes MedTech spine-focused companies such as NANISX, AxioMed , and NanoFuse Biologics, and technology-driven ventures including  Mediconnects and AxioMedX Smart Disc Technologies .

KIC Ventures partners with physicians to design and invest in innovative solutions that empower IPM physicians, orthopedic spine surgeons, and neurosurgeons with advanced, anatomy-preserving technologies.

We invent, innovate, and improve.

SOURCE KIC Ventures