Resurgens Spine Center welcomes three fellowship-trained surgeons to Georgia’s largest spine practice

ATLANTASept. 28, 2017 /PRNewswire/ — Resurgens Spine Center, the largest spine specialty center in the state, recently announced the addition of three fellowship-trained surgeons. With the addition of Dr. Uzondu Agochukwu, Dr. Christopher Blanchard, and Dr. Vamsi Kancherla, Resurgens Spine Center now offers nearly 30 spine physicians to serve our local communities.

“These three highly-trained spine surgeons make Resurgens Spine Center even more equipped to serve all patients experiencing neck and back pain throughout metro Atlanta,” said Dr. Thomas Dopson, Co-Medical Director of Resurgens Spine Center.  “Each of them have been trained in the latest nonsurgical and surgical techniques, including Minimally Invasive Spine Surgery and Total Disc Replacement.”

The Resurgens Spine Center staff uses clinical protocols and the latest technology for a range of specialties. These include: Physiatry (Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation); Spine Surgery; Minimally Invasive Spine Surgery; Spine Therapy; Diagnostic Imaging; Interventional Injections; Electrodiagnostics; and treatment of Worker’s Compensation Injuries.

“Our goal is to help people overcome their injuries and get back to doing what they love,” Dr. Dopson explained. “We are excited for these doctors to join us in achieving that mission.”

Resurgens Spine Center is pleased to introduce the following spine specialists to the communities they serve:

Dr. Uzondu Agochukwu

  • Education: He received his medical degree from Indiana University and completed his residency at Madigan Army Medical Center in Tacoma, Wash. He completed his Spine Fellowship at Augusta University Health in Augusta, Ga.and is board certified.
  • Locations: 105 Regency Park Drive, McDonough. 770-506-4119.
    665 South 8th St., Griffin. 770-227-7050.
    6635 Lake Drive, Morrow. 770-968-1323.

Dr. Christopher Blanchard

  • Education: After receiving his medical degree from Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine in Suwanee, Georgia, he completed his residency at Doctors Hospital in Columbus, Ohio. He completed his Spine Fellowship at Duke University Medical Center in Durham, N.C.
  • Location: 4150 Deputy Bill Cantrell Memorial Road, Suite 300, Cumming. 770-886-8111.

Dr. Vamsi Kancherla

  • Education: He received his medical degree from the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvaniain Philadelphia, Penn. and completed his residency at St. Luke’s University Hospital in Bethlehem, Penn. He completed his Spine Fellowship at the Cleveland Clinic Foundation in Cleveland, Ohio.
  • Location: 5671 Peachtree Dunwoody Road, Suite 900, Atlanta, Ga. 404-847-9999.

Resurgens Spine Center is a member of Resurgens Orthopaedics, one of the nation’s largest orthopaedic practices. Resurgens Orthopaedics has 22 offices throughout metro Atlanta, serving the residents of Georgia, the Southeast and beyond. Each location offers comprehensive operative and non-operative musculoskeletal care, from injury diagnosis and treatment to rehabilitation and imaging services. With more than 100 physicians, Resurgens Orthopaedics provides specialized expertise and broad experience in the areas of sports medicine, joint replacement, neck and back surgery, foot and ankle surgery, shoulder and elbow surgery, non-operative spine care, hand surgery, arthroscopic surgery, epidural steroid injection, general orthopaedics, and trauma care.

Resurgens Spine Center – Reach for MORE. 

Learn more at resurgens.com/spine.

Patient and physician interviews available upon request.

Contact: Jon Waterhouse | Lenz, Inc.
404-373-2021
jwaterhouse@lenzmarketing.com

SOURCE Resurgens Spine Center

EOI Announces FDA Clearance for the FLXfit15, the Only 3D Articulated Expandable Cage With 15 degrees of Lordosis Correction

OR AKIVA, IsraelSeptember 28, 2017 /PRNewswire/ —

Expanding Orthopedics Inc. (EOI), a privately-held medical device company focused on developing and commercializing innovative expandable devices for spine surgery, today announced FDA 510(k) clearance for the FLXfit™15, enhancing the already successful FLXfit™ 3D Expandable Cage System. The FLXfit™15 will expand the surgeon’s flexibility and capability by offering a family of products in different length options with infinitely adjustable expansion and lordosis correction of upto 4mm and 15⁰.

Dale Binke, EOI’s VP of US Sales, notes that, “One of the major trends in fusion surgeries is progression towards MIS style procedures, inpatient or outpatient.” However, Dale explains, “There is an inherent challenge in inserting a large interbody cage that restores lumbar lordosis while controlling sagittal and coronal alignment.” He adds, “The FLXfit expandable cage is already providing the ultimate expandable TLIF solution, combining the best-in-class footprint that can be delivered through a MIS window and a unique expansion mechanism that restores lordosis.” Dale summarizes, “With the FLXfit15™, EOI’s engineering team has pushed the envelope a step further by combining an articulating cage with optimal footprint which can be easily delivered and expanded in a controlled manner up to 4mm and 15⁰ of lordotic restoration.”

Expandable cages are gaining market momentum and play a key role in successful fusion procedures. Ofer Bokobza, CEO of Expanding Orthopedics, comments, “The FLXfit™ System has already trail blazed the way for anatomical fit, expandable cages by providing great clinical promise so far.” Ofer says, “The FLXfit15™ will further enhance the anatomical fit with its 15⁰ lordosis and the shorter footprint version (32mm) will offer great flexibility in treating patients with smaller anatomies.” He concludes, “We are thrilled with the release of the FLXfit™15 in the US and certain that the enhanced versatility of the new FLXfit™ family will help gain a greater share in the fusion surgery market, both in MIS and open approaches.”

About Expanding Orthopedics Inc.

Expanding Orthopedics Inc. is medical device company developing and marketing innovative products designed to address unmet clinical needs for spine care and improve long-term patients’ outcome. The Company is spearheaded by a seasoned management team, and is advised by a prominent team of spine surgeons. EOI owns a broad patent portfolio around anatomically fit, expandable devices for enhanced stability through a minimally invasive approach.

Contact info:
David Elkaim,
VP Marketing and Sales
E-mail: david@xortho.com
Phone: (347)-3219683

Providence Medical Technology Expands Offering of Posterior Cervical Fusion Solutions

WALNUT CREEK, Calif.Sept. 27, 2017 /PRNewswire/ — Providence Medical Technology, an innovator in cervical spine fusion, today announced FDA 510K clearance for its ALLY™ Posterior Fixation System. The system is intended to provide immobilization and stabilization of spinal segments as an adjunct to fusion for acute and chronic instabilities of the cervical spine (C1 to C7) and is compatible with the company’s flagship DTRAX® Spinal System.

DTRAX Spinal System is a set of sterile packaged, single-use instruments designed to perform posterior cervical fusion and has been used in over 7,000 cases worldwide. Posterior cervical fusion is indicated for patients with symptomatic nerve root involvement and/or mechanical instability. Spinal implants are typically used as an adjunct to posterior cervical fusion cases, and the newly cleared ALLY Posterior Fixation System is the latest addition to the family of spinal fusion implants offered by Providence. Providence also offers CAVUX® Cervical Cages, ALLY Bone Screws, and ALLY Facet Screws as options for spinal instrumentation during cervical fusion procedures.

“We are encouraged by the continued adoption of our posterior cervical fusion technology. Surgeons are increasingly considering posterior cervical fusion with intervertebral cages and supplemental screw fixation when treating patients with cervical spine disorders,” said Providence CEO, Jeff Smith. “The regulatory clearance of ALLY Posterior Fixation System is an important milestone and reflects our commitment to continued innovation and expansion of our differentiated product offering.”

Providence recently announced multiple independent clinical studies supporting the safety, efficacy, and cost-efficiency of its posterior cervical fusion technology. The company will be exhibiting at the annual meeting of the North American Spine Society (NASS) in Orlando, Florida, on October 25-28, booth #1140.

About Providence Medical Technology, Inc.
Providence Medical Technology, Inc. is a privately-held medical device company focused on innovative solutions for cervical spinal conditions. The company has pioneered a proprietary approach to posterior cervical fusion and has developed surgical instrumentation and implants that offer unique benefits to the $2 billion worldwide cervical spine market. The Providence family of products includes the DTRAX® Spinal Instrumentation System, CAVUX® intervertebral implants, and the ALLY™ line of bone and facet screws. All products are shipped-sterile and single-use to maximize perioperative efficiency and ensure consistent quality and performance. For more information, visit www.providencemt.com

 

SOURCE Providence Medical Technology

Global Surgeon Experience Demonstrates AxioMed Freedom® Viscoelastic Disc Will Be Revolutionary

AxioMed clinical experience across continents continues to point to the benefits of the AxioMed disc replacement, as Professor Dr. Kingsley R. Chin shares his clinical assessment, stating, “I was pleased with the motion seen between the spinous processes and facets immediately after implanting the AxioMed viscoelastic cervical disc during a recent case in Kingston, Jamaica. I noted that the disc needs some time to warm to body temperature to see more compression of the disc. In this case we inspected the motion immediately after implantation while the wound was still open.”

President of AxioMed Jake Lubinski added, “Dr. Chin’s experience is being echoed by surgeons, many implanting the disc for the first time, who can’t believe how simple and natural the sizing and placement of the disc is.”

Dr. Chin emphasized how easy the surgery is, pointing out, “Surgeons who have implanted the cervical or lumbar AxioMed Freedom discs all share their amazement at how simple the discs are to implant and how well the patients do. I expect this experience will result in a revolutionary change in spinal care from fusions to viscoelastic discs.”

Dr. Kingsley R. Chin is a Bohlman trained and board certified orthopedic spine surgeon who practices at the LESS Institute in Florida.

To view the latest cervical and lumbar AxioMed cases done in the past two weeks, visit AxioMed on YouTube.

About AxioMed 
Founded in 2001, AxioMed began its journey of exhaustively proving the Freedom® disc through clinical studies in the U.S. and Europe, research, development and testing. In 2014, KICVentures recognized the disc’s enormous potential and acquired the company into their healthcare portfolio. AxioMed owns an exclusive viscoelastic material license on its proprietary Freedom disc technology.

Wenzel Spine Announces Refinements and Extended Size Range of the VariLift®-C

AUSTIN, TX September 26, 2017 – Wenzel Spine, Inc., a medical technology company focused on providing minimally invasive solutions for the treatment of spinal disorders, today announced the commercial availability of the revised VariLift®-C System throughout the U.S.

VariLift-C is now available in three heights, 8mm 9mm and 10mm, allowing surgeons to implant an optimally sized device in a broader patient population. Instrumentation has been modified to reduce size and to improve usability and ergonomics.

“The new features of the VariLift-C system enhances ease of use, and reduces overall exposure and instrumentation footprint. My patients have experienced excellent symptom relief and very low complication rates.  In nearly all cases, VariLift-C procedures are done as outpatient surgeries, with patients returning home same day.” said Dr. Benjamin Gelber, M.D., Chairman, Division of Neurosurgery, Bryan LGH Medical Center in Lincoln, NB and Clinical Associate Professor, Department of Neurosurgery, University of Nebraska College of Medicine.  He further added “Another benefit is no separate bone graft harvest or extenders are necessary for the VariLift-C. procedure. These enhanced features contribute to a very high success rate for my patients.”

VariLift-C is indicated for use in skeletally mature patients with degenerative disc disease (DDD) of the cervical spine with accompanying radicular symptoms at one disc level. VariLift-C is used to facilitate intervertebral body fusion in the cervical spine and is placed in a unilateral or a bilateral fashion via an anterior approach at the C3 to C7 disc levels using autograft bone.

VariLift-C may be used with or without supplemental fixation.

Wenzel Spine’s Cervical VariLift® Stand-Alone Expandable Interbody Fusion System and the redesigned instruments are now commercially available in the U.S.

About Wenzel Spine, Inc.

Wenzel Spine, Inc. is a medical technology company focused on providing minimally invasive solutions for the treatment of spinal disorders.  Headquartered in Austin, TX, Wenzel Spine is focused on delivering surgical solutions that improve the overall quality of spine care by simplifying procedures and reducing recovery time. Wenzel Spine seeks to improve patient quality of life by designing and producing devices of the highest quality to support our surgeon clients in the care and treatment of their patients. For more information about the company and our products, visit www.wenzelspine.com.

 

Follow Wenzel Spine on LinkedIn:  https://www.linkedin.com/company/wenzel-spine
Follow Wenzel Spine on Twitter: https://twitter.com/WenzelSpine
Follow Wenzel Spine on Facebook: https://facebook.com/WenzelSpine
Follow Wenzel Spine on Instagram: https://Instagram.com/wenzelspine

For further information, contact:
Chad Neely, Chief Executive Officer
(512) 469-0600

SeaSpine Announces Launch of Shoreline® Anterior Cervical Standalone System

CARLSBAD, Calif., Sept. 26, 2017 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — SeaSpine Holdings Corporation (NASDAQ:SPNE), a global medical technology company focused on surgical solutions for the treatment of spinal disorders, today announced the full commercial launch of the Shoreline Anterior Cervical Standalone (ACS) System, featuring TruProfile technology.

The Shoreline ACS System is designed to deliver maximum flexibility and modularity, offering zero- and low-profile plating options, including two, three and four hole variations, as well as 10 and 15 degree lordotic implants.  This selection provides surgeons the ability to intraoperatively address a wide range of anatomy, surgical situations or bone.  In addition, TruProfile technology offers a low profile plate design at 1.6mm thickness, minimizing the profile on the anterior aspect of the spine and minimizing cephalad caudal encroachment of adjacent segments.

“Shoreline with TruProfile has met the challenge of combining ease of implant placement and plate fixation to allow for a more responsive approach to specific patient requirements,” stated Dr. James Bruffey, an orthopedic surgeon in San Diego, CA.

All Shoreline interbody implants feature proprietary NanoMetalene surface technology designed to provide a bone-friendly titanium surface while retaining the benefits associated with traditional PEEK devices, such as biocompatibility, a modulus of elasticity like bone, and excellent radiographic visibility for post-operative imaging. NanoMetalene describes a sub-micron layer of commercially pure titanium molecularly bonded to a PEEK implant using a proprietary, high-energy, low-temperature process.  Unlike other titanium coating applications, this process maximizes the implant surface area that has titanium nanotopography.

“The modular design of Shoreline with TruProfile is intended to optimize operating room efficiency and maximize procedural flexibility, while NanoMetalene provides the latest in surface technology,” stated Keith Valentine, President and Chief Executive Officer of SeaSpine.  “In addition, we believe the hyperlordotic and large footprint offerings enable surgeons to assemble the best construct option to match patient anatomy.”

About SeaSpine
SeaSpine is a global medical technology company focused on the design, development and commercialization of surgical solutions for the treatment of patients suffering from spinal disorders. SeaSpine has a comprehensive portfolio of orthobiologics and spinal implant solutions to meet the varying combinations of products that neurosurgeons and orthopedic spine surgeons need to perform fusion procedures on the lumbar, thoracic and cervical spine. SeaSpine’s orthobiologics products consist of a broad range of advanced and traditional bone graft substitutes that are designed to improve bone fusion rates following a wide range of orthopedic surgeries, including spine, hip, and extremities procedures. SeaSpine’s spinal implant portfolio consists of an extensive line of products to facilitate spinal fusion in minimally invasive surgery (MIS), complex spine, deformity and degenerative procedures. Expertise in both orthobiologic sciences and spinal implant product development allows SeaSpine to offer its surgeon customers a differentiated portfolio and a complete solution to meet their fusion requirements. SeaSpine currently markets its products in the United States and in over 30 countries worldwide.

Forward-Looking Statements
SeaSpine cautions you that statements included in this news release that are not a description of historical facts are forward-looking statements that are based on the Company’s current expectations and assumptions. Such forward-looking statements may include, but are not limited to, statements relating to: the design and other benefits of the Shoreline ACS System, TruProfile technology, and NanoMetalene; the ability of the Shoreline ACS System to optimize operating room efficiency, maximize procedural flexibility, or enable surgeons to assemble the best construct option.  Among the factors that could cause or contribute to material differences between our actual results and the expectations indicated by our forward-looking statements are risks and uncertainties that include, but are not limited to: the ability of newly launched products to perform as designed and intended and to meet the clinical needs of surgeons and patients; the limited clinical experience supporting the commercial launch of new products and the risk that such products may require substantial additional development activities, which could introduce unexpected expense and delay; the lack of long-term clinical data supporting the safety and efficacy of the Company’s products; and other risks and uncertainties more fully described in our news releases and periodic filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The Company’s public filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission are available at www.sec.gov.

You are cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date when made. SeaSpine does not intend to revise or update any forward-looking statement set forth in this news release to reflect events or circumstances arising after the date hereof, except as may be required by law.

Investor Relations Contact
Lynn Pieper
(415) 309-5999
ir@seaspine.com

Primary Logo

SeaSpine Holdings Corporation

1st Private Payor Positive Coverage Policy For A Novel & Proven Treatment For Lumbar Spinal Stenosis

NEW YORKSept. 26, 2017 /PRNewswire/ — Paradigm Spine, LLC, a leader in providing solutions for the treatment of lumbar spinal stenosis, announces issuance of a Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan Medical Policy, entitled “Interspinous/Interlaminar Stabilization/Distraction Devices (Spacers)” dated September 1, 2017.  The coverage policy may be found here https://www.bcbsm.com/mprApp/MedicalPolicyDocument?fileId=2112720.

Lumbar spinal stenosis (“LSS”), affecting 1.6 million patients annually, is a debilitating and degenerative disease in older patients (>50 yrs) often associated with significant leg and back pain, leg numbness and weakness, causing a significant reduction in an active lifestyle.  Traditional surgical treatment options for LSS includes a decompression that removes bone and soft tissue and may also require a fusion to stabilize the spine.  The coflex® device is a non-fusion, motion preserving stabilization implant, that is FDA PMA approved for the treatment of Lumbar Spinal Stenosis, and can be used in conjunction with a decompression or used in lieu of a spinal fusion.

To learn more about coflex® Interlaminar Stabilization®, please visit www.coflexsolution.com.

Matthew Songer MD, MBA, Assistant Professor College of Human Medicine, Michigan State University – “Over the last four years, I’ve treated 80 patients with coflex®.  In comparison to fusion, coflex® is less-invasive, requires a short hospital stay, allows for a much quicker recovery with return-to-work time in as little as two weeks.  In comparison to decompression-alone, coflex® adds durability to already good outcomes, while maintaining the fast recovery.  I’m delighted insurance coverage will now be available to more of my patients.”

Marc Viscogliosi, Chairman & CEO – “With over 85 peer-review published articles, including landmark 5 year follow-up studies, medical society guidelines, and now with commercial insurance coverage, it is wonderful to be able to expand patient access to the coflex® technology.”

About Paradigm Spine, LLC
Paradigm Spine, LLC was founded in 2004 and remains focused on the design and development of solutions for the disease management of spinal stenosis.  The Company’s signature product is the coflex® Interlaminar Stabilization®device, which has more than 20 years of clinical history and patients treated in more than 40 countries worldwide.

 

SOURCE Paradigm Spine, LLC

PRNewsfoto/Paradigm Spine, LLC)…

Medicrea Partners with Orthopaedic Surgeon in World’s First 360-Degree Personalized Spine Surgery

September 26, 2017

LYON, France & NEW YORK–(BUSINESS WIRE)–The Medicrea Group (Euronext Growth Paris: FR0004178572 – ALMED), pioneering the convergence of healthcare IT and next-generation, outcome-centered device design and manufacturing with UNiD ASI™ technology, announced today the successful completion of a 360-degree spinal surgery using a bespoke combination of patient-specific implants generated by Medicrea’s proprietary UNiD ASI™ system technology.

The complex two-stage operation took place in London at the Wellington Hospital and was performed by Orthopaedic Surgeon, Dr. Benjamin Taylor, MB, BS, MCh(ortho), FRCS, FRCS(Ed). Dr. Taylor partnered with Medicrea’s UNiD LAB™ team of specialized biomedical engineers to strategically plan the operation and design four custom implants to be precisely manufactured in titanium at the company’s new ultra-modern facilities, all within a tight deadline before surgery. The successful outcome was the result of patient-specific spinal instrumentation being implanted from the front and back to create the first-ever 360-degree personalized spinal surgery.

“The ability to strategically plan and manufacture personalized implants in a controlled iterative process generated by Medicrea’s proprietary UNiD ASI™ system technology was a key element in the success of this operation, helping me to simplify and expedite the procedure. Because the implants are scientifically designed using clinical data, I am confident that this patient will continue to see improvements in their quality of life due to the sophisticated outcome-based technology that UNiD ASI™ injects throughout the process,” stated Dr. Taylor following the operation.

Medicrea’s UNiD ASI™ systems technology was used to create a fully personalized solution for the operation that was adapted to both surgeon and patient requirements. The process began with the Company’s UNiD LAB™ engineers using proprietary planning software to turn Dr. Taylor’s surgical plan into a fully digital simulation using patient imaging. The optimal surgical strategy was then identified by Dr. Taylor who was able to draw on the technology’s Adaptive Spine Intelligence™ to directly answer to his and his patient’s needs. Medicrea’s engineering team took this strategy and translated the digital plans into patient-specific implants, using its proprietary manufacturing techniques to create bespoke spinal rods and interbody devices for the operation.

On the day of the surgery, the implants were already at the hospital, prepared to be placed in two stages. First, Dr. Taylor addressed the patient’s spine through an anterior approach where three custom UNiD™ Cages were inserted between the patient’s lumbar vertebrae to restore the exact height to the spine according to the patient’s unique anatomy. The implants were also perfectly sized to form an exact fit between the patient’s vertebrae, leading to a marked reduction in the operation time required to size and place standard off-the-shelf implants.

In the second stage of the operation, the patient’s spine was approached posteriorly. Here, Dr. Taylor inserted two patient-specific UNiD™ Rods to stabilize the patient’s spine in a predetermined patient-specific alignment. Sagittal alignment of the spine is well known to be directly correlated with the long-term success of a spinal surgery, and as such, matching the rod’s shape with the patient’s unique spinal curvature is a critical component of the surgery and was previously only achieved by manually bending the rod during the operation.

Denys Sournac, President and CEO of Medicrea, stated, “Our partnership with Dr. Taylor in this case demonstrates the power of UNiD ASI™’s system-based approach. We offer true collaboration with surgeons to deliver outcome-based data science that is adapted to surgeon and patient in each spine surgery. The result has been to drive improved outcomes and efficiencies in more than 1,500 UNiD ASI™ cases to date. ”

About Medicrea (www.Medicrea.com)

Through the lens of predictive medicine, Medicrea leads the design, integrated manufacture, and distribution of 30+ FDA approved spinal implant technologies that have been utilized in over 100,000 spinal surgeries to date. By leveraging its proprietary software analysis tools with big data and machine learning technologies and supported by an expansive collection of clinical and scientific data, Medicrea is well-placed to streamline the efficiency of spinal care, reduce procedural complications and limit time spent in the operating room.

Operating in a $10 billion marketplace, Medicrea is a Small and Medium sized Enterprise (SME) with 175 employees worldwide, which includes 50 who are based in the U.S. The Company has an ultra-modern manufacturing facility in Lyon, France housing the development and production of 3D-printed titanium patient-specific implants.

For further information, please visit: Medicrea.com.

Connect with Medicrea:
FACEBOOK | INSTAGRAM | TWITTER | WEBSITE | YOUTUBE

Medicrea is listed on
EURONEXT Growth Paris
ISIN: FR 0004178572
Ticker: ALMED

Contacts

Medicrea
Denys Sournac
Founder, Chairman and CEO
dsournac@Medicrea.com
or
Fabrice Kilfiger, +33 (0)4 72 01 87 87
Chief Financial Officer
fkilfiger@Medicrea.com

Stryker’s Serrato Pedicle Screws Implanted by More Than 100 Surgeons in First Month, Prior to Full Commercialization

September 26, 2017

ALLENDALE, N.J.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Stryker’s Spine division today announced that Serrato™ Pedicle Screws have been implanted by more than 100 surgeons across the U.S. during the first 30 days since release, prior to full commercialization.

The Serrato Pedicle Screw is the first dual-thread screw with enhanced cutting flutes (serrations) that are designed to reduce work by lowering the insertion torque, and True-tip geometry, which allows for precise insertion and immediate bone engagement. Stryker’s design innovations elevate one of the most basic spinal surgery tools, with the goal of reducing work, increasing speed, and enhancing surgeon efficiency.

“We are very excited by the initial response to Serrato from our early users,” said Bradley Paddock, President of Stryker’s Spine division. “The feedback from surgeons is exceeding expectations.”

“Game-changing screw,” said Roderick Sanden, M.D., an orthopedic surgeon with Advanced Neurospinal Care and Sutter Roseville Medical Center in Northern California. “I never thought a pedicle screw made that much of a difference until I put in a Serrato screw.”

“The Serrato screw insertion was exactly what I was hoping for,” said Scott Luhmann, M.D., Head of Surgery, Pediatric Orthopaedics at Shriners Hospital for Children in St. Louis. “It allowed for easy initiation of the screw, good tactile feedback, and excellent purchase!”

The Serrato pedicle screw, intended for use in the non-cervical spine as part of the company’s Xia® 3 Spinal System, received 510(k) clearance from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration in May 2017. Serrato leverages the broad portfolio of the Xia 3 Spinal System, an orthopedic spinal system comprised of a variety of shapes and sizes of screws, blockers, and hooks that affix several different types of rods and connectors to vertebrae or the spinal column for purpose of stabilization. The screws accommodate a variety of rod diameters and materials to suit the patient’s needs—5.5 and 6.0mm diameter rods in commercially pure titanium, titanium alloy, and Vitallium.

Intended Use

The Xia 3 Spinal System is intended for use in the non-cervical spine. When used as an anterior/anterolateral and posterior, non-cervical pedicle and non-pedicle fixation system, the Xia 3 Spinal System is intended to provide additional support during fusion using autograft or allograft in skeletally mature patients in the treatment of the following acute and chronic instabilities or deformities: degenerative disc disease, spondylolisthesis, trauma, spinal stenosis, curvatures, tumor, pseudarthrosis, and failed previous fusion. For the full Indications for Use, please refer to the Xia 3 Spinal System Instructions for Use.

About Stryker

Stryker is one of the world’s leading medical technology companies and, together with its customers, is driven to make healthcare better. The company offers innovative products and services in Orthopaedics, Medical and Surgical, and Neurotechnology and Spine that help improve patient and hospital outcomes. More information is available at www.stryker.com.

Content ID: TLSER-PR-2_15523

Dr. Luhmann is a paid consultant of Stryker. His statements represent his own opinions based on personal experience and are not necessarily those of Stryker. Individual experiences may vary. A surgeon must always rely on his or her own professional clinical judgment when deciding whether to use a particular product when treating a particular patient. Stryker does not dispense medical advice and recommends that surgeons be trained in the use of any particular product before using it in surgery.

The information presented is intended to demonstrate the breadth of Stryker product offerings. A surgeon must always refer to the package insert, product label and/or instructions for use before using any Stryker product. Products may not be available in all markets because product availability is subject to the regulatory and/or medical practices in individual markets. Please contact your Stryker representative if you have questions about the availability of Stryker products in your area.

Contacts

Sullivan & Associates
Barbara Sullivan, 714-374–6174
bsullivan@sullivanpr.com

SI-BONE Announces Publication of iMIA – a 2nd Multicenter Randomized Controlled Trial of the iFuse Implant System®

SAN JOSE, Calif.Sept. 25, 2017 /PRNewswire/ — SI-BONE, Inc., an innovative medical device company which pioneered the use of the iFuse Implant System® (iFuse), a triangular-shaped minimally invasive surgical (MIS) device indicated for fusion for certain disorders of the sacroiliac (SI) joint, announced the publication of one-year results from iMIA (iFuse Implant System Minimally Invasive Arthrodesis; ClinicalTrials.gov ID NCT01741025).  iMIA is a randomized controlled trial, conducted at 9 hospitals in 4 countries in Europe, that assessed the safety and effectiveness of SI joint fusion with the iFuse Implant compared to conservative management (CM) in patients with chronic SI joint dysfunction.  This Level 1 study was published in Pain Physician, the official journal of the American Society of Interventional Pain Physicians and titled 1-Year Results of a Randomized Controlled Trial of Conservative Management vs. Minimally Invasive Surgical Treatment for Sacroiliac Joint1.  The study showed that for patients with chronic low back pain (LBP) due to certain types of SI joint dysfunction, minimally invasive SI joint fusion with the iFuse Implant was safe and more effective than CM in relieving pain, reducing disability, and improving patient function and quality of life at one year.  The full article can be found at the following link: http://www.painphysicianjournal.com/current/pdf?article=NDYwOQ%3D%3D

The study included 109 subjects enrolled between June, 2013 and May, 2015 and follow-up for this publication extends through October, 2016.  Mean age was 48.1 years, 75 subjects (72.8%) were women and mean SI joint pain duration was 4.7 years.  Most (72.8%) had undergone prior SI joint steroid injections, a minority (16.5%) had had prior radiofrequency ablation and about 1/3 (35.9%) had undergone prior lumbar fusion, a known risk factor for SI joint pain.  Patients in the surgical arm of the study were treated with the iFuse Implant, which has been commercially available in the United States since 2009.

As shown in the figures below, at one year, mean LBP improved by 41.6 VAS points (0 – 100 VAS pain scale) in the SI joint fusion group compared to 14.0 points in the CM group (Figure 1), and the mean Oswestry Disability Index (ODI) improved by 25.0 points in the SI joint fusion group compared to 8.7 points in the CM group (Figure 2).  Also, mean improvements in leg pain and EQ-5D-3L were large after SI joint fusion and superior to those after CM.  CM subjects were allowed to cross over to SI joint fusion after six months and subjects who crossed over to surgical treatment had no pre-crossover improvement in pain and ODI scores.  After crossover, improvements in most measures were as large as those patients originally assigned to SI joint fusion.

“It’s been most gratifying to be a part of this important trial to help identify the value and benefits of the use of the iFuse Implant for SI joint patients who no longer benefit from conservative therapies,” said Bengt Sturesson, MD, from Ängelholm Hospital, Ängelholm, Sweden and one of the study authors.  “The one-year results from iMIA clearly show consistent outcomes with the previously published U.S. RCT, INSITE, thus further validating the applicability of the iFuse Implant to patients across a broad spectrum of clinical practitioners.”

Aaron Calodney, MD of Texas Spine & Joint Hospital in Tyler, TX said, “as a member and past president of the American Society of Interventional Pain Physicians, I am delighted to see such a high-quality study be published in the Pain Physician journal.  In addition, I continue to be impressed with both the quantity and quality of the clinical evidence being generated that clearly separates the iFuse Implant from all other SI joint surgical options.”

About SI joint dysfunction
The SI joint has been attributed as a source of pain in 15-30 percent of patients with chronic low back pain2-5, and in up to 43 percent of patients with new onset or persistent low back pain after lumbar fusion.6 Like all other major joints, the SI joint can be injured or degenerate, which can cause debilitating pain in the lower back, buttocks and legs.  Simple movements such as standing up, sitting down, stepping up or down, bending and lifting, walking, or even sleeping or sitting on the affected side can provoke a symptomatic SI joint.

SI joint dysfunction is often misdiagnosed and the resulting pain can be incorrectly attributed to other causes.  Not all healthcare providers evaluate the SI joint and many patients do not know to ask about it. While not commonly diagnosed, SI joint disorders can be identified when a patient points to their source of pain directly over the posterior superior iliac spine (PSIS) known as the Fortin Finger Test, combined with a number of positive provocative maneuvers to stress the SI joint and elicit the pain, followed by image-guided diagnostic injections to confirm the diagnosis.

The other major joints in the human body, such as knees, hips, ankles and shoulders, have specialized device-based surgical solutions.  The SI joint is the largest and the last of eight major joints in the human body to have a proven surgical solution.  The iFuse Implant™ was designed specifically to withstand the extreme forces resulting from load-bearing and the unique rotational and translational motion of the SI joint referred to as nutation, and is supported by more than 50 peer-reviewed publications including two Level 1 randomized controlled trials.

About SI-BONE, Inc.
SI-BONE, Inc. (San Jose, California) is a leading medical device company that has developed the iFuse Implant System, a proprietary minimally invasive surgical implant system to fuse the sacroiliac joint to treat common disorders of the joint that can cause lower back pain.  Patients with certain types of sacroiliac joint dysfunction experience pain that can be debilitating.  SI-BONE believes that the sacroiliac joint is the last of the eight major joints in the human body to have a proven surgical treatment and that the iFuse Implant, first FDA-cleared in 2009, is the only device for treatment of SI joint dysfunction supported by significant published clinical evidence, including level 1 trials, showing safety and durable effectiveness, including providing lasting pain relief.

The iFuse Implant System is intended for sacroiliac fusion for conditions including sacroiliac joint dysfunction that is a direct result of sacroiliac joint disruption and degenerative sacroiliitis.  This includes conditions whose symptoms began during pregnancy or in the peripartum period and have persisted postpartum for more than 6 months.  There are potential risks associated with the iFuse Implant System.  It may not be appropriate for all patients and all patients may not benefit.  For information about the risks, visit: www.si-bone.com/risks

SI-BONE and iFuse Implant System are registered trademarks of SI-BONE, Inc. ©2017 SI-BONE, Inc. All Rights Reserved. 9760.092517

1.        Dengler J, Kools D, Pflugmacher R, et al. 1-Year Results of a Randomized Controlled Trial of Conservative Management vs.
Minimally Invasive Surgical Treatment for Sacroiliac Joint Pain. Pain Physician. 2017;20:537-50.
2.        Bernard TN, Kirkaldy-Willis WH. Recognizing specific characteristics of nonspecific low back pain. Clin Orthop Relat Res.
1987;217:266–80.
3.        Schwarzer AC, Aprill CN, Bogduk N. The Sacroiliac Joint in Chronic Low Back Pain. Spine. 1995;20:31–7.
4.        Maigne JY, Aivaliklis A, Pfefer F. Results of Sacroiliac Joint Double Block and Value of Sacroiliac Pain Provocation Tests in
54 Patients with Low Back Pain. Spine. 1996;21:1889–92.
5.        Sembrano JN, Polly DW Jr. How Often is Low Back Pain Not Coming From The Back? Spine. 2009;34:E27–32.
6.        DePalma M, Ketchum JM, Saullo TR. Etiology of Chronic Low Back Pain Patients Having Undergone Lumbar Fusion. Pain
Med
. 2011;12:732–9.

 

SOURCE SI-BONE, Inc.