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Description Of Business
12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2016
Description Of Business [Abstract]  
Description Of Business

1. Description of Business

Stereotaxis designs, manufactures and markets the Epoch Solution, which is an advanced remote robotic navigation system for use in a hospital’s interventional surgical suite, or “interventional lab”, that we believe revolutionizes the treatment of arrhythmias and coronary artery disease by enabling enhanced safety, efficiency and efficacy for catheter-based, or interventional, procedures.  The Epoch Solution is comprised of the Niobe ES Remote Magnetic Navigation System (“Niobe ES system”), Odyssey Information Management Solution (“Odyssey Solution”), and the Vdrive Robotic Navigation System (“Vdrive system”), and related devices.

The Niobe system is designed to enable physicians to complete more complex interventional procedures by providing image-guided delivery of catheters and guidewires through the blood vessels and chambers of the heart to treatment sites. This is achieved using externally applied magnetic fields that govern the motion of the working tip of the catheter or guidewire, resulting in improved navigation, efficient procedures and reduced x-ray exposure. As of December 31, 2016, the Company had an installed base of 129 Niobe ES systems.

In addition to the Niobe system and its components, Stereotaxis also has developed the Odyssey Solution, which consolidates all lab information enabling doctors to focus on the patient for optimal procedure efficiency. The system also features a remote viewing and recording capability called Odyssey Cinema, which is an innovative solution delivering synchronized content for optimized workflow, advanced care and improved productivity. This tool includes an archiving capability that allows clinicians to store and replay entire procedures or segments of procedures. This information can be accessed from locations throughout the hospital local area network and over the global Odyssey Network providing physicians with a tool for clinical collaboration, remote consultation and training.

Our Vdrive system provides navigation and stability for diagnostic and therapeutic devices designed to improve interventional procedures. The Vdrive system complements the Niobe ES system control of therapeutic catheters for fully remote procedures and enables single-operator workflow and is sold as two options, the Vdrive system and the Vdrive Duo system. In addition to the Vdrive system and the Vdrive Duo system, we also manufacture and market various disposable components which can be manipulated by these systems.

We promote the full Epoch Solution in a typical hospital implementation, subject to regulatory approvals or clearances. The full Epoch Solution implementation requires a hospital to agree to an upfront capital payment and recurring payments. The upfront capital payment typically includes equipment and installation charges. The recurring payments typically include disposable costs for each procedure, equipment service costs beyond warranty period, and software licenses. In hospitals where the full Epoch Solution has not been implemented, equipment upgrade or expansion can be implemented upon purchasing of the necessary upgrade or expansion.

The core components of Stereotaxis systems, such as Niobe system, Odyssey Solution, Cardiodrive and various disposable interventional devices have received regulatory clearance in the U.S., Europe, Canada, China, Japan and various other countries. We have received the regulatory clearance, licensing and/or CE Mark approvals that allow us to market the Vdrive and Vdrive Duo systems with the V-CAS,  V-Loop and V-Sono devices in the U.S., Canada and European Union.  The V-CAS Deflect catheter advancement system has been CE Marked for sale in the European Union.

The Company believes the cash on hand at December 31, 2016 as well as expected borrowing capacity available will be sufficient to meet its obligations as they become due in the ordinary course of business for at least 12 months following the date these financial statements are issued. However, this evaluation assumes the Company’s ability to borrow under its asset based revolving credit facility which matures on March 31, 2018.  The Company expects to be able to renew this facility at similar terms, as it has successfully done so in the past. However, there is no assurance that the revolving credit facility will be renewed in a timely manner, in amounts that are sufficient to meet the Company's obligations as they become due, or on terms acceptable to the Company, or at all. The Company has sustained operating losses throughout its corporate history and expects that its 2017 expenses will exceed its 2017 gross margin. The Company expects to continue to incur operating losses and negative cash flows until revenues reach a level sufficient to support ongoing operations or expense reductions are in place. Accordingly, management has analyzed its planned operations to evaluate the Company’s ability to continue as a going concern. The Company’s liquidity needs will be largely determined by the success of clinical adoption within the installed base of Niobe systems as well as by new placements of capital systems. The Company’s plans, which are probable of effectively being implemented and improving the liquidity conditions, primarily include its ability to control the timing and spending of its operating expenses and raising additional funds through capital transactions. Specifically, cash outflows for operating expenses could be reduced or delayed by transitioning certain cash payments to stock payments, by reducing project expenses, or by reducing headcount. The Company also may consider raising cash through capital transactions, which could include either debt or equity financing.