A trauma surgeon’s frustration became a breakthrough device. Now, Suturion is scaling globally, cutting surgery time in half and exploring new frontiers in both civilian and military care.
“Why sew like it is still the 1800s?”
In surgery rooms around the world, one of the most critical moments comes at the very end: closing the wound.
It is meticulous, repetitive and often exhausting/tiring.
—Suturing is still a craft. It takes time, it strains your hands, and it often happens when you are already fatigued, like in the middle of the night,” says Paan Hermansson, CEO of Suturion.
That frustration is where the story begins.
Paan Hermansson, CEO, and Gabriel Börner, Founder of Suturion
Suturion was founded in 2018 by trauma surgeon Gabriel Börner in Helsingborg. After years of stitching patients by hand, he reached a breaking point.
—He was tired of sewing manually, especially during long night shifts, says Hermansson. So, he teamed up with an engineer to rethink the entire process.
The result: a handheld surgical “sewing machine.”
A small device solving a big problem
Suturion’s device is designed to close the abdominal wall after trauma or surgery; faster, more consistently, and with less strain on the surgeon.
Instead of relying on manual technique, the device guides the surgeon with precision.
—The tip of the device shows where to place each stitch. That means even spacing, consistent quality, and a much more ergonomic workflow,” says Hermansson.
The impact is significant. Surgeons can work twice as fast, procedures become more consistent and reliable and hand strain is reduced, improving ergonomics.
—You can save at least 15-20 minutes per procedure. In the US, that translates to roughly 1,000 dollars saved every time not including reduced costs for less complications,” he adds.
Clinical studies at the hospital in Helsingborg confirm both faster suturing and improved quality.
Engineering the impossible needle
At the heart of the innovation lies a few deceptively simple things. One is the needle.
—No one has managed to build a needle like this before,” says Hermansson. It is straight, short, strong, and sharp at both ends.
The needle itself is produced in Sweden by a specialized manufacturer supplying high-precision components to industries like nuclear energy and defense.
Combined with a unique mechanism, also at the heart of the innovation, that switches the needle’s position and secures an absorbable thread, it enables the device to function like a true surgical sewing machine.
—The real innovation is not just the device; it is mainly how we manufacture it and how the mechanism works together as a system,” he explains.
From prototype to global market
When Hermansson joined as CEO in 2022, Suturion was still early-stage. Since then, the company has scaled rapidly.
—We have gone from our first employee to a full organization with sales, marketing, regulatory approvals, and production capacity,” he says.
With a background spanning 25 years in medtech, including leadership roles at Johnson & Johnson across Europe, the Middle East, and Africa, Hermansson is no stranger to complex markets.
—I am used to long sales cycles, strict regulations, and slow approvals. That is the reality in medtech,” he says.
Still, one hurdle stood out:
—The most challenging part has been CE marking. This is a class III invasive product, the highest regulatory level in Europe. It is demanding, but necessary.”
Today, Suturion is commercially active in the US, the UK, Nordics, Ireland, Benelux and Greece, and preparing to expand further.
—We are entering Sweden now, and looking ahead to Australia, Singapore, and Hong Kong,” he says.
Since 2025, Suturion has been active in the Middle East.
Exploring the military frontier
Beyond civilian healthcare, Suturion is now exploring a new application: military medicine.
Through Ideon Science Park’s Amyna accelerator, the company is testing the waters in the defense sector.
—We are curious about this market. Our product could make a real difference in military healthcare, where speed and efficiency are critical,” says Hermansson.
In field hospitals, the device is already proving useful. Faster wound closure can reduce infection risk and complications, key challenges in trauma care.
—In military settings, it is all about working quickly to stabilize patients and avoid complications. That is where we can contribute,” he explains.
Still, the path forward is uncertain.
—We are dipping our toes in the water, building networks, understanding how the market works, and how to approach it,” he says. As a scaleup, long sales cycles and bureaucracy can be intimidating. Even compared to medtech, this is a different game.”
A platform for the future of surgery
While the current focus is trauma surgery, Suturion’s ambitions stretch far beyond.
“This is not just a product, it is a platform,” says Hermansson.
The long-term vision includes applications in orthopedics, plastic surgery, and beyond, with different needles, threads, and configurations.
Internally, the company is balancing short-term improvements with long-term innovation.
—Right now, about 75% of our work is focused on improvements, better materials, suppliers, components. The remaining 25% is pure innovation,” he says. Over time, we see that shifting to 50/50.
Hence, Suturion has a clear innovation strategy.
The military track is part of the innovation track.
—That is where we see true innovation happening right now,” he adds.
Next stop: Los Angeles
Suturion’s journey is gaining international attention.
The company is now a finalist in the prestigious MedTech Innovator program in Los Angeles, where they will compete in global pitch events.
—It is big opportunity for us. Keep your fingers crossed,” says Hermansson.
Closing the gap; faster
At its core, Suturion is solving a fundamental problem: closing wounds; better, faster, and more safely.
—The faster you can close a wound, the better. That is common sense,” says Hermansson.
And in a world where every minute of surgery matters, that difference can be measured not just in time, but in outcomes, costs, and ultimately, lives.
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