Talk about perseverance.

Robodoc, a Sacramento company founded nearly two decades ago, could be on the verge of its first U.S. sales.

"It's like we're finally open for business," says CEO Ramesh Trivedi.

The big breakthrough? After years of clinical trials and product modifications, the Natomas company recently received federal Food and Drug Administration approval to start selling its namesake – a computerized, robotic system that aids in hip and knee replacement surgeries.

Sales talks are already under way with several hospitals, and a major marketing effort kicks off this week when Trivedi and other company officials travel to Dallas to show off the product at a surgeons conference.

Their pitch: The Robodoc – a system of hardware and software that costs more than $1 million – pinpoints and precisely drills out the bone cavities that are filled with implant material during hip and knee replacement operations.

"It removes the variability," says Trivedi. "It eliminates human error."

It also reduces infection and fosters faster healing – a claim that he maintains is supported by more than 20,000 Robodoc surgeries performed in clinical trials here and hospitals overseas, where two dozen of the company's systems are in use.

Still, Trivedi knows sales won't come easily. At least not at first.

Some docs will be scared away by the price. Others will be skeptical because Robodoc – founded in Davis under the name Integrated Surgical Systems – closed down briefly in 2005 before getting fresh capital from its new owner, Curexo Inc. of South Korea.

Says Trivedi, who joined the company in 1996: "We have to convince people we are for real (and) that we are back for good."

High dive

Jamie's Bar & Grill near downtown Sacramento always draws a good lunch-time crowd. This week, business will be especially brisk.

"Word's gotten around," says owner Jamie Bunnell, referring to a national TV crew that will be at his joint all day Wednesday and Thursday filming a segment for the Food Network's highly rated show, "Diners, Drive-ins and Dives."

Jamie's, at 427 Broadway across from the News 10 TV tower, was selected for the honor a couple of weeks ago.

But only after Bunnell was grilled during several phone interviews with network staffers.

They knew his food was good and served with heaping helpings. But they wanted to make sure the eatery qualified as a "dive."

Bunnell sent them pictures of his building's nondescript exterior. And a dining room that's never seen a tablecloth.

The TV folks were sold.

Bunnell, who has owned the place for 23 years, knows he wouldn't be getting the network's attention if he owned a better-looking restaurant.

"This is the first time," the 50-year-old says, "that owning a dive has really worked out for me."

Coming up short

Good idea. Bad timing.

That describes the Sacramento Theatre Co.'s efforts to raffle off a new West Sac condominium to raise money for its educational efforts.

To give away the JTS Communities riverfront unit, STC needed to sell at least 4,000 raffle tickets, at $100 a pop.

Alas, only 642 tickets were purchased by last week's deadline.

Mark Standriff, STC's managing director, says he was disappointed, but it was difficult selling tickets in the midst of widespread financial worries. Getting the word out "above the din" of the presidential election was tough, too.

Still, he says, the event was a success, even if no condo is being given away.

Raffle winner Tammy Borah of Sacramento will collect 10 percent of the proceeds – or $6,420. STC will haul in the rest – $57,780 – for its educational programs. And JTS keeps its condo.

"We learned some valuable lessons," Standriff says, adding: "We'll try to do it again next year."

Reach Bob Shallit at (916) 321-1049. Back columns: www.sacbee.com/shallit.