Lapovations of Fayetteville said Wednesday that it received a nearly $1 million grant to further develop and commercialize its AbGrab device.
The AbGrab is designed to aid in laparoscopy -- minimally invasive abdominal surgery. The device is used to lift the abdominal wall at the start of the procedure.
The $999,429 Small Business Innovation Research Phase II grant comes from the National Science Foundation. The company was awarded a $225,000 Phase I grant in 2019.
"This grant validates the scientific merit and commercial opportunity of AbGrab. We are excited to receive this SBIR award from the National Science Foundation," Nhiem Cao, director of operations for Lapovations, said in a company statement.
While major complications are rare in laparoscopic procedures, AbGrab uses suction to grasp the abdominal wall, making it more reliable and less invasive than current methods, according to the company. Laparoscopic procedures, sometimes called Band-Aid, or keyhole surgery, are performed through a small incision.