New Minimally Invasive Hip Retractor Revolutionizes Anterior Hip Replacement Procedures

TeDan Surgical Innovations, industry leader in surgical access instrumentation, announces the launch of the Phantom Series MIS Anterior Hip Retractor System. TeDan Surgical's revolutionary hip retractor utilizes a system of adjustable surgical arms with attachable retractors, enabling surgeons to perform the entire procedure without a fracture table or a surgical assistant.

Dr. Lawrence Menendez and Dr. Daniel Allison, Orthopedic Surgeons at the University of Southern California Medical Center, partnered with TeDan Surgical to design and develop this innovative retractor.

U-M develops new system to reduce incidence of retained surgical instruments

It may sound like something from a TV medical drama, but the incidence of surgeons leaving something behind in the body is very real at hospitals across the country.

For decades, surgical teams have relied on counting -- and recounting -- the sponges, needles, blades, retractors, and other items used during operations.

But the University of Michigan Health System has created a new system using state-of-the-art technologies to insure that no foreign objects are left behind during surgery, reducing potentially serious medical errors.

Custom Spine achieves ISO-13485 and receives CE Mark for all current products

In an effort to support global expansion plans, Custom Spine announced that it has achieved ISO-13485 and received CE Mark for all its current products sold in the U.S. This approval allows the Company to commercialize its products into the international market.

Mahmoud Abdelgany, President of Custom Spine commented, "We are excited to receive CE clearance and to take the next steps into distributing our products in the international arena. This is a significant milestone for Custom Spine, and we are looking forward to working with our international partners in offering our products outside of the U.S."

Custom Spine's product portfolio includes its flagship pedicle screw system, ISSYS LP. The advanced design of ISSYS LP allows the surgeon to fully seat the screw against bone providing 63% greater shear force resistance than traditional unseated screws, while maintaining full polyaxial motion of the screw head. Also included in the product portfolio is Pathway AVID,

Fears of faulty 'toxic' hip replacement implant

Today many newspapers and TV stations have reported that medical regulators have launched an investigation into a type of hip replacement called a metal-on-metal (MoM) device (DePuy ASR hip replacement implant). The concern is that as the hip replacements wear down, metal particles can be released from the artificial hip, react with the soft tissue (such as muscle and ligaments) surrounding the joint and enter the bloodstream. In 2010, the UK regulator, the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) issued a product recall for DePuy ASR, a brand of MoM artificial hip. This meant that surgeons were told not to implant DePuy ASR hip replacements and return any unused implants to the manufacturer.

Interview: Paul Nichols of Bio2 Technologies Answers Questions About the State of Orthopedic Industry

Interview: Paul Nichols of Bio2 Technologies Answers Questions About the State of Orthopedic Industry

An Inteview with Paul Nichols (Editor @ HealthPointCapital)

We recently spoke with Paul Nichols, the current Executive Chairman of Bio2 Technologies who formerly worked with HealthpointCapital as President and CEO of Nexa Orthopedics. Learn what he has to say about the opportunities and challenges of the musculoskeletal industry and his advice for young companies.

Can you tell us about your background and experience in the orthopedic sector?

PAUL NICHOLS: My career in the orthopedics sector began in 1985, when I was recruited by Sutter Biomedical, a San Diego manufacturer of orthopedic implants and postoperative rehabilitation products. I wore many management “hats” during my ten years at Sutter, including oversight of the Small Joint Orthopedics division. This business unit manufactured silicone implants for hand and foot surgery and was the primary competitor to the Wright Medical Swanson product line. In 1994, I was presented with the opportunity to purchase the assets of the SJO division, which led to the formation of Avanta Orthopaedics, Inc. (now a part of Small Bone Innovations) and subsequently to Futura Biomedical (products now owned by Tornier).

Sector Snapshot: The Orthopaedic OEM and Supplier Markets

In 2009, ORTHOWORLD estimated annual global orthopaedic supplier market sales to be approximately $2 billion. At that time, slowing growth in the orthopaedic original equipment manufacturer (OEM) sector was reflected in the supplier side, though competition remained high and consolidation/collaborations continued around the globe. To this day, the orthopaedic supplier market remains highly fragmented and competitive.

On the OEM side, seven multinational OEMs – Stryker, DePuy/J&J, Zimmer, Medtronic Sofamor Danek, Synthes, Smith & Nephew and Biomet – each with $1 billion or more in annual orthopaedic device sales, currently hold the predominant share of the orthopaedic device market. The ten largest orthopaedic OEMs account for approximately 90% of the market. These leaders rely heavily upon independent suppliers for the manufacturing of implants, instruments, cases and other elements of an implant system.

Patient-specific mechanical navigation system addresses hip replacement problems

More than half of acetabular components placed are malpositioned, according to a recent study from Massachusetts General Hospital.

Component malposition is associated with the most common reasons for revision surgery including instability, wear and wear-associated loosening, and impingement.

The HipSextant Navigation System (Surgical Planning Associates Inc., Boston) is a mechanical instrument, adjusted on a patient-specific basis, designed to achieve appropriate component alignment. The method was invented and developed by Stephen B. Murphy, MD, of Boston.

New technology to track movement, durability of hip, knee implants

A new tracking system enables physicians to determine how a hip or knee implant is interacting with their patients' bodies through use of a radiostereometric analysis device.

The device can help physicians monitor if a replacement implant is wearing down or moving. The implant procedure, according to a Midwest Orthopaedics at Rush news release, also provides a radiostereometric analysis (RSA) registry for implants — allowing researchers to collect data on materials and designs used for hip and knee replacement prostheses.

Scott Sporer, MD, is one of the first physicians in the country to use the new device in all compliant patients, according to the release.

Cementless straight stem proved bone preserving and less invasive

Belgian and French orthopedists determined a new bone-preserving straight, cementless hip stem proved less invasive, preserved bone and performed as well as other hip stems, according to a recently presented study.

Didier Mainard, MD, presented findings from the prospective study at the SICOT XXV Triennial World Congress 2011 in Prague.

“Uncemented stems can have the same good results as the cemented stem,” Mainard told Orthopedics Today in an interview.

Merits of the new stem

Mainard and colleagues theorized a stem coated with a special calcium phosphate called brushite would better preserve bone biology and invented a new uncemented stem that used the material, the Excia implant (B. Braun; Tuttlingen, Germany). The femoral prosthesis is coated proximally with titanium plasma and brushite.

Computer navigation unnecessary for proper component positioning in THA

Although computer navigation can increase accuracy in total hip arthroplasty (THA), surgeons using conventional instruments can achieve proper component positioning without additional costs and time, according to a presentation at Orthopedics Today Hawaii 2012.

“Ideal component position can be achieved with conventional instruments and a consistent surgical technique, so I see no reason to use computer navigation, at least on a regular basis,” Michael D. Ries, MD, said during his presentation.

Templating and positioning

Proper component positioning, Ries said, starts with patient positioning. He noted that the most important thing is to have the pelvis in a secure position.