When it really is brain surgery:
Inventing for the most demanding surgeries

Stryker is dedicated to innovation and continuous improvement on behalf of our customers and their patients. No one exemplifies this spirit better than Ray Umber, Ph.D., business development manager at Stryker Neuro, Spine & ENT. Dr. Ray, as he is known by his Stryker colleagues, has devoted his career to developing and perfecting air drills for neurosurgery procedures.

Thanks to Dr. Ray, our Maestro Drill provides greater power at lower pressure so that neurosurgeons can cut through bone quickly and precisely. The drill protects the brain tissue beneath the bone and keeps the surgeon’s hand from tiring before the delicate work begins.

Today, Dr. Ray spends much of his time training surgeons to use our neurosurgery instruments effectively. In hands-on workshops, he gauges their ability to use the Maestro Drill by having them cut away the shell of a fresh egg — and leave the membrane intact. The vast majority of surgeons fail the egg test on their first try. But, Dr. Ray notes with satisfaction, with practice they gain the control and confidence to succeed.