Healthcare Industry News: bone void filler
News Release - January 17, 2013
Milestone Orthopedic Procedures Performed at UNC & Duke Hospitals Using KARL STORZ Technologies
Advanced Joint Reconstruction Solutions Speed Patients’ Return to Regular ActivitiesEL SEGUNDO, Calif.--(Healthcare Sales & Marketing Network)--KARL STORZ Endoscopy-America, Inc., a leader in endoscopy and operating room integration solutions, is pleased to announce that surgeons at two U.S. locations successfully performed innovative bone and joint reconstruction procedures using specialized instrumentation and advanced ceramic bone void fillers now offered by KARL STORZ. The first surgery was performed in October by R. Alexander Creighton, MD, at the University of North Carolina Memorial Hospital (Chapel Hill, NC). The second procedure was performed on December 18 by Clifford Wheeless, MD, at Duke Raleigh Hospital (Raleigh, NC).
The milestone procedures used technologies and methods developed originally by Prof. Dr. Klaus D. Draenert in Germany, who applied them with outstanding results and follow-up for nearly 20 years. These instruments and materials are now part of the KARL STORZ Endoscopy product line in the United States and include Diamond TwInS® instruments for gentle, autologous bone and joint reconstruction, as well as Synthacer® and Syntricer® ceramic bone void fillers that help stimulate bone growth.
Commenting on the procedure he performed at UNC Memorial Hospital, Dr. Creighton said, “I was most impressed with the precision and ease of use. I believe that the Diamond TwInS® technique offers an excellent choice for young and physically active patients that will allow return to normal physical activity.”
The Diamond TwInS® instruments comprise sharp-edged extractors to cut soft tissue such as cartilage and diamond-coated cutters to grind even totally sclerotic bone. They are mainly used to harvest bone and bone-cartilage plugs while protecting the surrounding microanatomic bone structures. Due to their extremely precise finishing and a wet grinding approach, the press-fit of such bone or bone-cartilage plugs is stunning. Even larger surfaces, such as in indications for unicondylar knee replacement, can be reconstructed by grinding one plug into another. Synthacer® and Syntricer® are especially porous synthetic ceramic bone void fillers composed of pure hydroxyapatite and biodegradable ß-tricalcium phosphate ceramic and are produced in a variety of stable shapes and forms, including micro-chambered beads, blocks, cylinders, wedges and more. The new autologous joint reconstruction solution helps provide long-term pain relief while enabling patients to return to full weight bearing within weeks and returning to participation in competitive and even impact sports. Patients also benefit from shorter hospital stays.
“The instruments enable the surgeon to reconstruct even larger surfaces with several interconnected bone-cartilage plugs. They can be used in an open as well as arthroscopic manner. The bone void filler materials offer a promising solution for successful reconstruction of cancellous bone,” said Dr. Wheeless after performing a joint reconstruction surgery using the KARL STORZ RECON technique at Duke Raleigh Hospital. “The high stability of the press-fit implantation provides better long-term restoration of the load-bearing cancellous bone.”
As a wider range of potential applications are explored, beyond autologous joint and bone reconstruction, and bone harvesting, the Diamond TwInS® instruments could eventually be considered surgical multitools. According to Hosam Afifi, Executive Director for the KARL STORZ Recon Division, USA, “We envision that this technique using the Diamond TwInS® technologies will become the new gold standard for reconstruction of joints and the preferred method of treatment that orthopedic surgeons will use for young and physically active patients.”
Although RECON is a new product line for KARL STORZ, the company intends to assume a pioneering role in the field and is committed to offering an innovative product range in ceramics and related technologies. Charlie Wilhelm, President and COO, KARL STORZ Endoscopy-America, said, “KARL STORZ is a market leader in a broad range of market segments we serve, including Laparoscopy, Neurosurgery, ENT and more. Now we are expanding into autologous joint reconstruction and use of ceramic bone void fillers. Our plan is to establish the same leading position in this new area.”
About UNC Health Care
UNC Health Care System is a not-for-profit integrated health care system, owned by the State of North Carolina and based in Chapel Hill. It exists to further the teaching mission of the University of North Carolina and to provide state-of-the-art patient care. A distinguishing characteristic of UNC Health Care is its association with the UNC-Chapel Hill School of Medicine, a nationally eminent research institution. This relationship gives UNC Health Care a powerful pathway for moving the results of biomedical research from medical school laboratories to patient care settings. UNC Health Care has been granted broad powers by the North Carolina General Assembly to assure its management flexibility and competitiveness in a rapidly changing health care business environment. The enterprise is governed by a board of directors appointed by the University of North Carolina.
About Duke University Health System (DUHS)
DUHS is a world-renowned institution dedicated to providing outstanding patient care, educating tomorrow's health care leaders, and discovering new and better ways to treat disease through biomedical research. In addition to the three hospitals, DUHS includes a network of community and specialty doctor practices throughout North Carolina. Duke University Hospital, the health system’s flagship hospital, is ranked in the top 10 nationally and No. 1 in North Carolina and the Triangle by U.S. News & World Report. The magazine ranked Durham Regional No. 5 among North Carolina hospitals and gave it high performing marks in nine specialties. Duke Raleigh was ranked No. 15 in the state by U.S. News and received high performing status in four specialties.
About KARL STORZ
KARL STORZ Endoscopy-America, Inc., is an affiliate of KARL STORZ GmbH & Co. KG, an international leader for more than 65 years in reusable endoscope technology, encompassing all endoscopic specialties. Based in Tuttlingen, Germany, KARL STORZ GmbH & Co. KG is a family-owned company that designs, engineers, manufactures, and markets all its products with an emphasis on visionary design, precision craftsmanship and clinical effectiveness. For more information, call (800) 421-0837 or visit the company’s Web site at www.karlstorz.com.
Source: KARL STORZ Endoscopy
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