Cranial reconstruction is often done after neurosurgical procedures to fill in areas after removing a tumor or re-entering the skull for routine follow-up neurosurgeries. To that aim, a company founded by Johns Hopkins director of neuroplastic and reconstructive surgery Chad Gordon and medical device executive Jesse Christopher created two technologies to add function to otherwise unused space in the skull after reconstruction and implant insertions.

Using robotic and laser technology licensed through Johns Hopkins Technology Ventures, the team created the InvisiShunt, which is an aesthetically pleasing shunt that has had three, first-in-human case publications, and the L.I.D. platform, the first customizable power supply within the cranial hemisphere.

The InvisiShunt was used for the first time on a patient in October 2017. The single-use sterile surgical implant for different areas of the craniofacial skeleton is pitched as a way to leave behind fewer cranial deformities due to repeated surgeries. It uses a high-density polyethylene to support location and orientation while restoring the natural shape of the cranium.

The L.I.D. platform is currently making its way through the federal approval process. The custom-shaped devices will act as a vessel for medical devices that must be implanted to manage medical conditions such as hydrocephalus, epilepsy and tumors. Encapsulating devices will allow for easier access for future surgeries.

Called Longeviti Neuro Solutions, the company’s goal is to improve both neurologic and cosmetic outcomes by giving patients and doctors more options when it comes to the installation and retrieval of neurosurgical device implants.

“We want to be the company that plans for the many surgeries these patients will face and ensures getting in and out won’t leave patients less than whole,” says Christopher.

As a virtual member of FastForward, a coordinated suite of resources designed to move technologies from startup to marketplace, Longeviti received help connecting with industry and fundraising experts. The company has attained financing and secured 510(k) clearance from the Food and Drug Administration, which is submitted to demonstrate that a device is as safe and effective as a legally marketed device that is not subject to premarket approval.

Read More: Longeviti Wants to Help Neurosurgery Patients Be Whole Again