LEESBURG, Va.--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Stryker announced today the expansion of its lateral spine portfolio with the full launch of the Niagara Lateral Access System following the completion of 600 surgeries. With the addition of Niagara, Stryker offers a comprehensive and integrated portfolio of minimally invasive lateral solutions for treating spinal deformities in skeletally mature patients. The company will showcase its lateral portfolio during the virtual North American Spine Society (NASS) Annual Meeting, Oct. 6-9, 2020.

The Niagara Lateral Access System is designed to allow surgeons control through precision, visibility, and flexibility. The broad array of instruments is designed for all types of lateral lumbar fusion surgery. From straightforward to complex procedures, total blade precision allows for direct device deployment and thorough disc preparation to streamline workflow and potentially help reduce operative time with lumbar fusion procedures, anterior to psoas approaches, corpectomies and complex cases, including multi-level and deformity correction.

“As someone who routinely performs lateral spine surgery, Niagara has given me unprecedented precision and versatility for a tubular retractor,” said John Williams, MD, SpineOne, a division of Ortho NorthEast. “The ability to independently move all three blades and drop the intradiscal shim with dilators still intact gives me the necessary control to achieve placement accuracy and mitigate my need for repositioning mid-procedure.”

The Niagara Lateral Access System’s PEEK-infused carbon fiber features integrated illumination to further enhance visibility intraoperatively, which can reduce the need for intraoperative, image-driven adjustments. This material formulation was specifically engineered to give surgeons the visibility of carbon fiber with the strength and firmness of steel, and even demonstrated equivalence to metal-based retractors in a benchtop test.¹

“Niagara offers visibility that clearly distinguishes this system from other retractors currently on the market,” said Justin Bundy, MD, Augusta Orthopedic & Sports Medicine Specialists. “Design aspects like the PEEK-infused carbon fiber material can help decrease the number of X-rays I need to confirm implant location and placement.”

The Niagara Lateral Access System complements Stryker’s existing lateral portfolio, including the Cascadia Lateral 3D Interbody System featuring Lamellar 3D Titanium Technology, the Aleutian Lateral Interbody System, the Cayman United Plate System and the Ravine Lateral Access System.

“Niagara reiterates our mission – together with our customers, we are driven to make healthcare better – which has held strong throughout the COVID-19 pandemic,” said Eric Major, President of Stryker’s Spine division. “Designed in collaboration with leading surgeons specializing in lateral lumbar interbody fusion, Niagara represents a key addition to our minimally invasive lateral portfolio to help ensure that surgeons have the most advanced tools they need to meet a wide variety of operative needs.”

More information is available at www.strykerspine.com.

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.

References: 1. Test Report TR 2020

Drs. Bundy and Williams are paid consultants of Stryker. Their statements represent their own opinions based on personal experience and are not necessarily those of Stryker. Individual results 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.

Stryker or its divisions or other corporate affiliated entities own, use or have applied for the following trademarks or service marks: Niagara Stryker. All other trademarks are trademarks of their respective owners or holders.

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