Livsmed

Livsmed is a medical device company that develops and manufactures advanced surgical instruments for minimally invasive surgery. The company was founded in 2011 by Dr. Jung Joo Lee, who has a background in electrical and electronic engineering from KAIST, a master's and doctorate in Biomedical Engineering from Seoul National University, and an MBA from Korea University. Initially focused on developing an artificial heart, the company shifted its focus to surgical instruments due to the high development costs and market limitations of the former.

The company's flagship product line is the ArtiSential™, a series of single-use, hand-held laparoscopic instruments with multi-jointed end effectors. These instruments are designed to mimic the dexterity of a surgeon's hand and wrist, providing seven degrees of freedom and the ability to articulate up to 90 degrees. This allows surgeons to perform complex maneuvers in difficult-to-reach anatomical spaces during procedures. Unlike robotic surgery systems, ArtiSential instruments provide tactile feedback, allowing surgeons to feel the tissue and apply appropriate pressure. The product line includes various instruments such as dissectors, forceps, needle holders, and clip appliers, available in both 5mm and 8mm sizes. In 2024, the company introduced the ArtiSential 5, the first 5mm wristed articulating instrument on the market.

Livsmed operates on a business-to-business model, selling its devices to hospitals and medical institutions. The company's instruments offer a cost-effective alternative to robotic surgery systems, as they do not require a significant capital investment in large robotic platforms. The products were first introduced in South Korea in 2018 and expanded to the U.S. market in 2019, receiving FDA 510(k) clearance for various instruments. The company has since expanded its global presence with subsidiaries in Japan and Germany. In January 2026, Livsmed completed an initial public offering (IPO) on the KOSDAQ market, raising approximately $94 million to fund production expansion and research and development.

The company's product portfolio is expanding to include the ArtiSeal™, a 90-degree articulating vessel sealer, the ArtiStapler, the LivsCam 3D4K laparoscopic camera, and the STARK™ telesurgery-native robotic system.

Keywords: minimally invasive surgery, laparoscopic instruments, articulating surgical tools, medical devices, surgical technology, ArtiSential, robotic surgery alternative, surgical precision, tactile feedback, surgical dexterity, end effectors, single-use instruments, colorectal surgery, thoracic surgery, urological surgery, gynecological surgery, bariatric surgery, vessel sealer, surgical stapler, telesurgery