A hip replacement system designed by four pioneering Sheffield surgeons has been acquired by healthcare company JRI Orthopaedics.
Ian Stockley, Andrew Hamer, Robert Kerry and Simon Buckley formed Sheffield Medical Products Ltd (SMPL) eight years ago to bring to market a new total hip replacement system.
“There are very good cemented implants on the market,” said Andrew Hamer, who is based at Sheffield’s Northern General Hospital. “However, we felt we could improve on the best design by making it more user-friendly, with much more streamlined instrumentation, more cost-effective and compatible with the widest range of hip sockets.”
After securing European CE quality and safety accreditation, the first patients received their new AEON hips in September 2011 and over the last five years around 700 patients – largely in Sheffield – have received the implant.
AEON became the first hip replacement system to go beyond standard regulatory requirements by entering the Beyond Compliance scheme, ensuring close post-market follow-up. It has now been awarded the coveted 3A* ODEP rating.
During this process SMPL have partnered with JRI Orthopaedics, who have expertise in the design, development and manufacture of orthopaedic implants and surgical instruments.
JRI Orthopaedics has been the exclusive distributor of the AEON hip system and, over the last 18 months, has also been sub-contract manufacturing some of the instruments and implants. The company has worked in partnership with SMPL on enhancements to the instrumentation and extensions to the product range, based on post-market surveillance feedback.
“With most competitor implants you have two or three boxes of kit but we have a single tray of very simple, high-quality instruments that have been designed from the surgeon’s perspective to make them as simple to use as possible,” said Hamer.
“We have had a lot of time to make sure that the instruments function correctly and have worked closely with the team at JRI on modifications and enhancements to the system.”
JRI Orthopaedics will manufacture all AEON implants, which will now rebranded as Avanteon, at its state-of-the-art manufacturing facility in Chapeltown.
Chief executive Keith Jackson said: “The Avanteon hip system will be fully integrated with our own developed products to provide a comprehensive total hip and hemiarthroplasty hip offering to the market.
“This is a hugely important step in our business growth strategy as we expect Avanteon to feature as a significant and increasingly important part of our product portfolio over the coming years.
“We are delighted that the surgeons who developed it will continue to be involved, providing training based on a wealth of experience, and expert input to further enhancements of the implant range and instrumentation.”
