ANDOVER, Mass., Sept. 26 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Smith & Nephew’s Endoscopy Division today announced the launch of the KINSA RC 5.5 Suture Anchor, designed to provide secure repair of shoulder injuries stemming from tears to the rotator cuff -- the group of muscles and tendons that control shoulder motion.
Surgeons can repair these injuries using arthroscopic -- or minimally invasive -- techniques with specialized instruments and devices such as the KINSA RC Suture Anchor, which re-attaches the torn tissue to restore mobility.
The KINSA RC Suture Anchor is the second in Smith & Nephew Endoscopy’s line of KINSA suture anchors. The original KINSA anchor, for treatment of shoulder instability, was released in 2006. Both KINSA anchors encase a sliding, self-locking knot that permits the surgeon to secure the repair without tying knots on top of the tissue. Surgical knots in arthroscopic repairs can sometimes loosen or cause irritation of surrounding tissue. The KINSA RC anchor instead delivers “low profile” repair, without knots or protrusions to interfere with the joint motion.
Successful rotator cuff repair requires that a suture anchor sit securely in the cortical, or dense outer layer of bone, and that the surgeon controls the tension of the sutures that hold repaired tissue in place.
The anchor is well suited for “double-row” fixation, a procedure that clinical studies have shown delivers the superior rotator cuff repair and shoulder mobility. This technique calls for the surgeon to anchor the rotator cuff tissue at several points, distributing the strength of fixation across the shoulder.
A surgeon taps the anchor into the bone surface, and then seats it with a final twist. The surgeon controls the amount of tension applied to the repair by manually tightening the KINSA suture. Surgeons who use competing anchors don’t have total control over the tension.
“Its design allows me to properly sink the anchor first, and then apply the amount of tension for optimal tissue-to-bone contact to promote healing,” said Dr. Michael Terry, orthopedic surgeon based at the University of Chicago. “This is important because too much tension can interfere with blood flow in the tissue and compromise healing.
“Another benefit of this system is that it is so easy to use,” Dr. Terry said. “There are no knots to tie and the instrumentation is simple and familiar.”
The KINSA RC anchor is small -- about 1/2-inch in length -- and made from a unique, implantable PEEK-OPTIMA(R) polymer from Invibio(R), which closely matches the density of cortical bone. The implants deliver strong repair but do not show up on X-rays or distort MRIs, as metal anchors would.
“The KINSA RC Suture Anchor enhances our innovative line of shoulder fixation devices, which have been designed to provide the best possible repair for patients, and the most efficient delivery for busy shoulder surgeons,” said Joe Darling, senior vice president and general manager of Smith & Nephew Endoscopy’s Arthroscopic Repair strategic business unit.
About Smith & Nephew
Smith & Nephew is a global medical technology business, specialising in Orthopaedic Reconstruction, Orthopaedic Trauma and Clinical Therapies, Endoscopy and Advanced Wound Management products. Smith & Nephew is a global leader in arthroscopy and advanced wound management and is one of the leading global orthopaedics companies.
Smith & Nephew is dedicated to helping improve people’s lives. The Company prides itself on the strength of its relationships with its surgeons and professional healthcare customers, with whom its name is synonymous with high standards of performance, innovation and trust. The Company has 9,600 employees and operates in 31 countries around the world. Annual sales in 2006 were nearly $2.8 billion.
This press release contains certain “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. In particular, statements regarding planned growth in our business and in our operating margins discussed under “Outlook” are forward-looking statements as are discussions of our product pipeline. These statements, as well as the phrases “aim”, “plan”, “intend”, “anticipate”, “well-placed”, “believe”, “estimate”, “expect”, “target”, “consider” and similar expressions, are generally intended to identify forward-looking statements. Such forward- looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other important factors (including, but not limited to, the outcome of litigation and regulatory approvals) that could cause the actual results, performance or achievements of Smith & Nephew, or industry results, to differ materially from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Please refer to the documents that Smith & Nephew has filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission under the U.S. Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, including Smith & Nephew’s most recent annual report on Form 20F, for a discussion of certain of these factors.
All forward-looking statements in this press release are based on information available to Smith & Nephew as of the date hereof. All written or oral forward-looking statements attributable to Smith & Nephew or any person acting on behalf of Smith & Nephew are expressly qualified in their entirety by the foregoing. Smith & Nephew does not undertake any obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statement contained herein to reflect any change in Smith & Nephew’s expectation with regard thereto or any change in events, conditions or circumstances on which any such statement is based
Contact: Joe Metzger
Smith & Nephew Endoscopy (978) 749-1330
Smith & Nephew
CONTACT: Joe Metzger of Smith & Nephew Endoscopy, +1-978-749-1330
Web site: http://www.smith-nephew.com/
