Healthcare Industry News: arthroscopic surgery
News Release - November 1, 2007
ArthroCare Launches New, Intelligent Controller and Upgraded Coblation Wands to Enable Advanced Arthroscopic Surgery
Quantum(TM) Provides Surgeons More Power, Control and FlexibilityAUSTIN, Texas, Nov. 1 (HSMN NewsFeed) -- ArthroCare Corp. (Nasdaq: ARTC ), a multi-business medical device company that develops minimally invasive surgical products, today launched Quantum(TM), a novel platform for arthroscopic surgery that will provide surgeons with the most advanced technology available to help improve clinical outcomes. The company also released new versions of its two most popular Coblation® Wands -- Super TurboVac® and Super MultiVac® -- that are now equipped with finger switches and work with the Quantum controller to provide surgeons with more flexibility. The Quantum controller is compatible with all existing Coblation Wands.
The Quantum controller powers Coblation Wands that offer surgeons an extensive variety of angles and electrode configurations to perform arthroscopic surgery in any joint. Coblation Wands provide a larger and more aggressive plasma layer at lower power settings than other radiofrequency devices, resulting in faster ablation speeds with less total energy delivered to the joint in order to preserve healthy surrounding tissue.
Quantum has been designed with novel, intelligent features to meet the demand from doctors for greater control, ease of use and flexibility in order to achieve superior clinical performance for the most demanding arthroscopic procedures, including:
-- Variable coagulation to deliver the precise level of hemostasis
required to stop bleeding and keep the visual field clear
-- Integrated TOPAZ® timer to increase convenience and safety when
using the TOPAZ® Microdebrider for minimally invasive treatments of
tendons and fascia
-- Wireless footswitch to eliminate wires and increase ease-of-use
-- Designed to fit in an arthroscopy tower for easy and convenient set-up
"We expect Quantum to take arthroscopic surgery to an entirely new level. This advanced controller will serve as the platform for all future Coblation Wands and is an important step in solving many unmet clinical needs," said Jack Giroux, president of ArthroCare Sports Medicine. "Our 15 years of experience treating soft-tissue fueled the development of Quantum's new and unique features, making it the most advanced arthroscopic system available."
Coblation is a patented technology utilizing bipolar radiofrequency to gently and precisely remove soft tissue at low temperatures, generally 40 to 70 degrees Celsius. Coblation is delivered through a variety of Coblation Wands, including the Super TurboVac, designed for use in shoulder and knee procedures, and the Super MultiVac, designed for meniscal sculpting in the knee.
ABOUT ARTHROCARE
Founded in 1993, ArthroCare Corp. (http://www.arthrocare.com) is a highly innovative, multi-business medical device company that develops, manufactures and markets minimally invasive surgical products. With these products, ArthroCare targets a multi-billion dollar market opportunity across several medical specialties, significantly improving existing surgical procedures and enabling new, minimally invasive procedures. Many of ArthroCare's products are based on its patented Coblation technology, which uses low-temperature radiofrequency energy to gently and precisely dissolve rather than burn soft tissue - minimizing damage to healthy tissue. Used in more than four million surgeries worldwide, Coblation-based devices have been developed and marketed for sports medicine; spine/neurologic; ear, nose and throat (ENT); cosmetic; urologic and gynecologic procedures. ArthroCare also has added a number of novel technologies to its portfolio, including Opus Medical sports medicine, Parallax spine and Applied Therapeutics ENT products, to complement Coblation within key indications.
SAFE HARBOR STATEMENTS
Except for historical information, this press release includes forward-looking statements. These statements include, but are not limited to, the Company's stated business outlook for fiscal 2007, continued strength of the Company's fundamental position, the strength of the Company's technology, the Company's belief that strategic moves will enhance achievement of the Company's long term potential, the potential and expected rate of growth of new businesses, continued success of product diversification efforts, and other statements that involve risks and uncertainties. These risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to the uncertainty of success of the Company's non-arthroscopic products, competitive risk, uncertainty of the success of strategic business alliances, uncertainty over reimbursement, need for governmental clearances or approvals before selling products, the uncertainty of protecting the Company's patent position, and any changes in financial results from completion of year-end audit activities. These and other risks and uncertainties are detailed from time to time in the Company's Securities and Exchange Commission filings, including ArthroCare's Form 10-Q for the quarter ended September 30, 2007 and its Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2006. Forward-looking statements are indicated by words or phrases such as "anticipates," "estimates," "projects," "believes," "intends," "expects," and similar words and phrases. Actual results may differ materially from management expectations.
Source: ArthroCare
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