incidental-durotomy
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Adam Azzara
He turned a fiddly, high-stakes moment in spine surgery into a business - and put a small Austin device company on shelves next to Medtronic.
DuraStat
DuraStat is an Austin, Texas medical device company that makes a purpose-built surgical instrument for repairing tears in the dura - the membrane surrounding the brain and spinal cord. Its handheld device automates suture passage so surgeons can create precise, watertight closures to prevent cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) leaks, even through the limited access typical of spine and neurosurgical procedures. Invented by practicing spine surgeons, DuraStat and its companion fascial-closure device TissueStat are stocked in surgical facilities across all 50 U.S. states, and in late 2024 the company entered an exclusive U.S. commercial partnership with Medtronic.