ZAP Surgical expands into Latin America with first ZAP-X gyroscopic radiosurgery treatments in rural Paraguay

ZAP Surgical Systems, Inc., a privately held medical device company headquartered in San Carlos, California, has formally entered the Latin American market with the first clinical use of its ZAP-X® Gyroscopic Radiosurgery® platform in Paraguay. The inaugural patient treatments were conducted at Radioterapia Concordia, a new oncology facility located in Neuland, Boquerón, Paraguay, signifying a major step in broadening access to high-precision, non-invasive brain tumor therapy for underserved rural populations across the continent.

The milestone represents the first time ZAP Surgical’s gyroscopic radiosurgery system has been deployed in Latin America. In its debut clinical session, Radioterapia Concordia successfully treated four patients using the ZAP-X platform, addressing a range of conditions including meningioma, acoustic neuroma, trigeminal neuralgia, and arteriovenous malformations (AVMs). This event not only signals the geographic expansion of ZAP-X technology but also marks a broader movement toward democratizing access to advanced radiosurgical tools in regions where such infrastructure has historically been unavailable.

ZAP Surgical, founded in 2014 by Stanford neurosurgeon Dr. John R. Adler—renowned for inventing the CyberKnife® system—continues to pursue a global strategy aimed at delivering cost-effective, vault-free stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS) solutions to new and underserved markets.

How does ZAP Surgical’s deployment in Paraguay address regional healthcare access disparities in Latin America?

Historically, rural and inland regions of Latin America have lacked access to modern stereotactic radiosurgery platforms. Patients seeking specialized care for complex brain conditions have typically been required to travel hundreds or even thousands of kilometers to metropolitan hubs like Buenos Aires, São Paulo, or Santiago to access tertiary care hospitals offering Gamma Knife or CyberKnife procedures. This logistical and financial burden has been a long-standing barrier to timely intervention and equitable treatment outcomes.

Radioterapia Concordia’s deployment of the ZAP-X system offers a dramatic reversal of that paradigm. Located strategically along the Bi-Oceanic Corridor—a key infrastructure project connecting Brazil, Paraguay, Argentina, and Chile—the clinic is positioned to serve both local and cross-border patients. Its location enables easier access for underserved populations and improves patient retention within Paraguay’s domestic healthcare system, which has previously faced high rates of medical outmigration for oncology and neurosurgery services.

Dr. Peter Douglas Klassen, Founder of Saludconcordia SA, the organization behind Radioterapia Concordia, emphasized the mission-driven approach in his remarks: “People in rural areas deserve to receive world-class medical care where they live, from people they understand, and at a fair price. With ZAP-X, we are bringing the most advanced SRS capabilities to communities that have long been underserved.”

What makes the ZAP-X gyroscopic radiosurgery system technologically distinct from legacy brain tumor treatment methods?

The ZAP-X platform introduces a new engineering architecture that redefines how radiosurgical care is delivered. Most notably, it is the world’s first and only vault-free radiosurgery system, eliminating the need for lead-lined treatment rooms typically required for housing high-dose radiation equipment. This substantially lowers both capital expenditure and regulatory barriers for clinics aiming to offer SRS treatment in small or remote locations.

Unlike Gamma Knife systems that rely on Cobalt-60 isotopes, ZAP-X utilizes a modern linear accelerator (LINAC) to generate high-energy beams. This avoids the ongoing cost, safety hazards, and regulatory complexities associated with radioactive source replacement and disposal. Additionally, ZAP-X’s signature gyroscopic design allows it to deliver radiation from thousands of unique angles, enabling highly conformal dose distribution around the target volume while minimizing exposure to surrounding healthy brain tissue.

According to neurosurgical practitioners and radiation oncologists, these innovations translate into improved treatment safety profiles, shorter recovery times, and increased cognitive preservation for patients. Clinical literature cited by ZAP Surgical has indicated that gyroscopic targeting may outperform conventional single-axis systems in sparing organs-at-risk while maintaining dose escalation potential for tumor control.

How are institutional stakeholders framing this deployment as a model for cooperative oncology care in underserved regions?

The launch of ZAP-X in Paraguay was made possible through an international partnership with ZAP-X Zentrum Lingen in Germany, home to Europe’s first ZAP-X clinical site. The Lingen-based facility has provided technical guidance, clinical training, and operational expertise to help accelerate Radioterapia Concordia’s go-live timeline. This transcontinental collaboration reflects what ZAP Surgical and its partners describe as a new framework for “cooperative medicine.”

MBA MSc Edelgard Loewen, Case Manager at ZAP-X Zentrum Lingen, described the initiative as a patient-first paradigm shift: “This is more than just a technology deployment—it’s a movement toward cooperative medicine. We’re witnessing a new model emerge in Latin America—one that rises above the limitations of national and purely private healthcare systems to prioritize patients through altruistic, turnkey cancer care.”

Institutional voices across the medical technology sector have taken note of this partnership, citing it as an early proof point in the growing trend toward scalable, decentralized oncology solutions that bypass the traditional reliance on large academic centers.

What does this milestone mean for ZAP Surgical’s international growth strategy and future investor appeal?

ZAP Surgical’s Latin American expansion aligns with its global strategy to tap into emerging markets where unmet need for precision radiosurgery remains high and infrastructure barriers are prevalent. Although the company remains privately held, its moves into regions like Asia and Latin America are being closely watched by institutional investors and strategic healthcare partners.

Analysts who follow the precision oncology and medtech sectors see vault-free systems like ZAP-X as a disruptive force capable of reducing both fixed infrastructure costs and variable operating costs in cancer treatment. These financial characteristics make the system attractive to public-private partnerships, government-funded clinics, and non-profit cancer initiatives.

The successful rollout in Paraguay also strengthens ZAP Surgical’s commercial credibility, demonstrating that the ZAP-X system can be installed and brought online efficiently even in remote or resource-constrained settings. That ability may increase its appeal among stakeholders seeking turnkey, high-impact solutions in developing countries, particularly as global healthcare policy increasingly favors distributed treatment networks over centralized mega-facilities.

How do analysts view the long-term outlook for gyroscopic radiosurgery systems in the global oncology market?

Analysts expect that demand for non-invasive radiosurgical platforms will continue to rise in line with the global increase in primary and metastatic brain tumors. Additionally, advances in imaging, artificial intelligence planning software, and molecular oncology are expanding the number of indications for which radiosurgery is a clinically validated treatment.

Within this expanding landscape, ZAP-X’s unique value proposition—vault-free design, isotope-free delivery, and cooperative medicine deployment model—positions it favorably for further adoption. Industry observers suggest that future growth could involve additional installations across Latin America, Southeast Asia, and Sub-Saharan Africa.

Institutional sentiment also indicates that ZAP Surgical’s commitment to affordability and accessibility aligns well with international development agendas and philanthropic health initiatives. Given the success of the Paraguay launch, more rural deployments may follow, particularly in areas where travel to capital cities poses a major obstacle to timely care.

For now, Radioterapia Concordia stands as a flagship example of how innovative technology, strategic alliances, and patient-first mission alignment can deliver life-saving care to regions that have long been overlooked by mainstream medtech developers.