Personalized Orthopedics

As part of a growing trend toward personalized healthcare, the medical device community has contributed “cutting edge” technologies enabling a variety of custom orthopedic procedures. Let’s take a look at a couple of the players!

One exciting new development in customized orthopedic implant procedures is the 510(k) clearance of Zimmer’s Patient Specific Instruments Shoulder device in August.¹ This system works in tandem with Zimmer’s Trabecular Metal^TM Reverse Shoulder base plate implant system in reverse shoulder arthroplasty procedures, using 3D visualization software to enable surgeons to create patient-specific surgical plans and corresponding surgical instrument guides.¹ In addition, Zimmer’s Continuum^TM Acetabular System provides surgeons with the ability to customize hip implants with the load bearing technology best suited to each patient.²

Late last year Pittsburgh’s own Blue Belt Technologies received FDA 510(k) clearance for its NavioPFS™ robot-assisted orthopedic surgical system.³ In June the company also gained clearance for the STRIDE™ Unicondylar Knee implant system, which is meant to be used with the NavioPFS^TM system in personalized, minimally invasive, partial knee replacement procedures.³

I may be 27, but my joints already don’t move like they used to! It’s encouraging to see advances in medical technology that personalize orthopedic implants to the needs of patients and minimize the impact to their daily lives.

-KB

Image credit: Libertas Academica @ Flikr

¹ Zimmer Holdings, Inc. Zimmer Receives FDA Clearance For Patient Specific Instruments (PSI) Shoulder. -- WARSAW, Ind., Aug. 23, 2013 /PRNewswire/ --. PR Newswire, 23 Aug. 2013. Web. 02 Sept. 2013.

² Zimmer Holdings, Inc. New Hip Implant Provides Personalized Fit. -- WARSAW, Ind., March 11 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ --. PR Newswire, 11 Mar. 2010. Web. 02 Sept. 2013.

³ Simmons, Abby. "News Brief: Carnegie Mellon Spinoff, Blue Belt Technologies Inc., Receives FDA Clearances-Carnegie Mellon News - Carnegie Mellon University." Carnegie Mellon News (25 June 2013): n. pag. Carnegie Mellon News. 25 June 2013. Web. 02 Sept. 2013.