DePuy Mitek, Inc., recently announced the launch of its OMNISPAN Meniscal Repair System for all-inside repairs of meniscus tears at the American Orthopaedic Society for Sports Medicine 2010 Annual Meeting.
The System features a low-profile needle pre-loaded with two PEEK backstops and proprietary ORTHOCORD suture for enhanced strength.
Meniscus tears are among the most common knee injuries, especially in athletes, leading to an estimated 850,000 surgeries every year in the U.S.1 The arthroscopic all-inside technique is less invasive than inside-out or outside-in approaches, allowing surgeons to make fewer incisions during repair and reduce the risk of trauma to surrounding tissue.
The OMNISPAN System offers strength and precision through a minimally invasive approach, said Andrew Chen, MD,* of The Alpine Clinic in Franconia, NH. Its active backstop deployment, low-profile repair and innovative suture allow surgeons to perform a precise meniscal repair.
The ORTHOCORD Suture, made from Ultra-High Molecular Weight Polyethylene and PDS (Polydioxanone) minimizes tissue abrasion and the PDS component is resorbable, resulting in less suture mass on the meniscus surface over time. In addition, the suture knot is made in the backside of the meniscus to avoid contact with the femoral condyles.
The OMNISPAN System includes a disposable applier and needles available in three angle options for repair in horizontal, vertical or oblique configurations. With the active deployment provided by the applier, surgeons can release backstops with accuracy. Rather than plunging to the back of the meniscus to deploy, this System barely penetrates the back of the meniscus, minimizing needle exposure.
- 1. University of Washington, Department of Orthopaedics and Sports Medicine. Retrieved from: www.orthop.washington.edu/uw/allograftmeniscus/tabID__ 3374/ItemID__287/PageID__2/Articles/Default.aspx*Paid clinical consultant to DePuy Mitek
