About | Tiger Buford

MEDICREA launches a "Lifetime Warranty" for Patient-Specific UNiD rods

MEDICREA Launches LIFETIME WARRANTY for its Patient-Specific UNiD™ Constructs at the 2016 Annual Meeting of the North American Spine Society (NASS) (press release)
Lyon and New York, October 25, 2016 – – The Medicrea Group,® (Alternext Paris: FR0004178572 – ALMED) worldwide leader pioneering the development and manufacture of personalized analytical services and implant solutions for the treatment of complex spinal conditions, announced today that the Company will implement a LIFETIME WARRANTY on its patient-specific UNiD™ technology. The warranty will cover all UNiD™ Thoracolumbar Rods, UNiD™ Cervical Rods and all associated MEDICREA components implanted in the United States from November 1, 2016.

Denys Sournac, President and CEO, stated, “Because of the overwhelmingly positive results obtained in all of the 950 plus UNiD™ patient-specific cases performed to date and our confidence in the science behind UNiD™ technology, MEDICREA is taking the extra step to warranty each patient-specific implanted construct for the duration of the patient’s life. This is a true testament to our belief that, by offering surgical planning services with a patient-specific device, MEDICREA is eliminating the inherent risks and associated costs to the healthcare system that are created by manually bending a rod during surgery.”

Mr Sournac continued, “While we know scientifically that sagittal alignment is linked to patient outcomes, our experience with UNiD™ has shown that applying the correct alignment to the rod, using proprietary digital analysis organization that we have developed, may also be directly linked to a reduction in surgical complications such as mechanical failures and revision rate – something that was previously only theorized.”

Currently, MEDICREA is the only company to propose a warranty on spinal implants used in posterior spinal fusions, a procedure that more than 409,000 patients suffering from back pain undergo each year in the US alone.1 In complex spinal indications such as adult deformity, research shows that nearly 1 in 10 patients who have undergone spinal fusion experience symptomatic rod fracture.2 This poses a significant cost to the patient and the healthcare system with the associated costs of readmission with reoperation totaling an average of $80,000, a 70% cost increase from initial treatment.3 Further, these patients often require more than one revision surgery, with each subsequent intervention becoming more and more complex leading to a reported complication rate as high as 59%.4

“The UNiD™ LIFETIME WARRANTY Program is offered as an affiliated benefit of the UNiD™ Lab Premier Service, which includes a real-time support team of biomechanical engineers supporting all pre-operative planning and post-operative analytical services. MEDICREA will extend this LIFETIME WARRANTY to all countries using UNiD™ technology, in order for patients and healthcare providers to receive the maximum benefit of the Company’s personalized services for complex spinal indications all over the world. The LIFETIME WARRANTY proposed will fully cover UNiD™ Lab services, patient-specific UNiD™ Rod replacement and all associated MEDICREA implant components required to treat any patient undergoing a revision surgery.”

This announcement is released for the commencement of the North American Spine Society (NASS) Annual Meeting in Boston. The scientific event held from the 26th to the 29th of October is the largest of its kind bringing together the global community of spinal surgeons, industry and healthcare experts to present and exchange on the latest spinal research. MEDICREA will host a Solution Showcase in the NASS Theater on Thursday, October 27 at 12:30pm to present the early results showing improved alignment and patient outcomes using UNiD™ patient-specific planning and implant technology. The symposium is led by Dr. Andrew King of New Orleans, LA and Dr. Themistocles Protopsaltis of New York, NY and will feature MEDICREA’s innovative and growing portfolio of solutions for complex spine, including PASS OCT®, PASS LP® and LigaPASS®.

Interested parties are encouraged to visit MEDICREA at NASS booth #943 or contact the company for more details about the UNiD™ Lab Premier Service and UNiD™ LIFETIME WARRANTY Program.

References:
1. 2015 Thoracolumbar Procedures annually (409k). Millennium Research Group, Inc., “Traditional Thoracolumbar Implant Market, by Indication.”
2. Smith JS, Shaffrey CI, Klineberg E, et al. Prospective multicenter assessment of risk factors for rod fracture following surgery for adult spinal deformity. J Neurosurg Spine 21:994–1003, 2014.
3. McCarthy IM, Hostin RA, Ames CP, et al. Total hospital costs of surgical treatment for adult spinal deformity: an extended follow-up study. Spine J. 2014
4. Cho SK, Bridwell KH, Lenke LG, et al. Comparative analysis of clinical outcome and complications in primary versus revision adult scoliosis surgery. Spine (Phila. Pa. 1976). 2012

About Medicrea (www.medicrea.com)
MEDICREA specializes in the design, manufacture, and distribution of innovative proprietary technologies devoted exclusively to spinal surgery. Operating in a $10 billion market, MEDICREA operates with 150 employees, including 45 at its MEDICREA USA Corp. subsidiary based in New York City.

MEDICREA is the only company to offer personalized value-based healthcare solutions to the global complex spine market. The Company has driven innovation in Spine by focusing development on market-disrupting technologies focused on patient outcomes, including the growing UNiD™ Technology Platform of Patient-Specific Implants and Analytical Services, which received the first-ever FDA Clearance in November 2014 for a personalized spinal treatment modality.

MEDICREA has uniquely positioned itself outside of the traditional implant manufacturer’s role in order to engage with each market player as a collaborator, offering customized implants to patients, personalized services to doctors and immediate cost-savings to providers. By leveraging its proprietary software analysis tools with big data technologies, MEDICREA is well-placed to improve the efficacy of spinal care efficiency for all stakeholders in this market.

Nextremity Solutions signs exclusive global distribution over to Zimmer Biomet

Zimmer Biomet Expands Foot and Ankle Portfolio Through Exclusive Global Distribution Agreement with Nextremity Solutions, Inc. (press release)
website Nextremity Solutions
Zimmer Biomet Holdings, Inc. (NYSE and SIX: ZBH), a global leader in musculoskeletal healthcare, today announced an exclusive agreement with Nextremity Solutions, Inc. to globally distribute the company’s foot and ankle deformity correction products. The financial terms of the transaction were not disclosed.
“We’re excited to expand the clinical capabilities of our foot and ankle portfolio with Nextremity Solutions’ deformity correction products,” said Brad Quick, General Manager of Zimmer Biomet Foot and Ankle. “The agreement helps advance our commitment to provide customers with the broadest range of cutting-edge technologies and strengthens our position in the $2 billion foot and ankle market.”
Nextremity Solutions designs and manufactures the following procedure-ready, sterile implant systems for the correction of foot and ankle pathologies, which will be globally distributed by Zimmer Biomet:

Nextra® Hammertoe Correction System, the industry’s only adjustable two-piece hammertoe implant.
MSP™ Metatarsal Shortening System, an osteotomy guide and implant in one. The innovative design provides precision and stability for metatarsal shortening procedures.
Re+Line® Bunion Correction System, a unique, low profile tension-band compression plate designed for performing precise, repeatable bunion correction surgery.
ArcusTM Staple System, an arc-styled staple design that provides greater and more uniform compression than conventional staples[1].

“The agreement with Zimmer Biomet allows us to expand the reach and influence of our forefoot portfolio by leveraging the commercial capabilities of a global musculoskeletal healthcare leader,” said Rod K. Mayer, President and Chief Executive Officer of Nextremity Solutions, Inc. “Our partnership with Zimmer Biomet enables us to focus on our current strategy of working with our surgeon partners to deliver innovative solutions that help advance the standard of care in the foot and ankle market with speed, efficiency and excellence.”
About Zimmer Biomet
Founded in 1927 and headquartered in Warsaw, Indiana, Zimmer Biomet is a global leader in musculoskeletal healthcare. We design, manufacture and market orthopaedic reconstructive products; sports medicine, biologics, extremities and trauma products; office based technologies; spine, craniomaxillofacial and thoracic products; dental implants; and related surgical products.
We collaborate with healthcare professionals around the globe to advance the pace of innovation. Our products and solutions help treat patients suffering from disorders of, or injuries to, bones, joints or supporting soft tissues. Together with healthcare professionals, we help millions of people live better lives.
We have operations in more than 25 countries around the world and sell products in more than 100 countries. For more information, visit www.zimmerbiomet.com or follow Zimmer Biomet on Twitter at www.twitter.com/zimmerbiomet.
About Nextremity Solutions
Founded in 2010, Nextremity Solutions, Inc. is a privately held medical device company offering innovative solutions and approaches to foot and ankle surgical intervention. The Company’s procedure-ready, sterile implant systems for the correction of foot and ankle pathologies include uniquely precise, proprietary technology designed to achieve repeatable and superior clinical outcomes. Nextremity Solutions, Inc. continues to develop and introduce new, innovative products to the foot and ankle market. For more information, visit nextremitysolutions.com.

Startups can ACCELERATE your career

I know startups.
I have worked in startups, my friends are now running startups, and I have interviewed successful leaders in startups.

The work inside a startup is challenging. And on top of that, there is a sense of urgency, there are high expectations, the funding is finite, and there are few resources to fall back on. It’s hard work.

But there is a reason why many professionals yearn to work inside a startup. If you have the right stuff, a move to a startup can change the trajectory of your career.

So let’s look at seven benefits of working at a startup.
1. Experience
You will be given more responsibility. You will gain experience faster – 3X is my rule of thumb. Your projects are completed faster. You will work way outside your primary job description. You will be pushed outside your comfort zone. And you will become exposed to functions and areas of the business that are “off-limits” inside a big company. Heck, eat lunch with the CEO. All of these experiences will super-charge your resume.
2. Opportunities
You will be given more opportunities. It’s simple. Look around and there just aren’t enough people to do all this work. So, you will be given new opportunities way faster than in a big company where you have to get in line for years “to be ready”.
3. Innovation
You will work on innovative technologies. Startups are lead by entrepreneurs who have a different mindset. They enjoy challenging the status quo. Every clinical problem that they see is an opportunity for innovation. Then during the execution phase, they approach challenges differently because they have to squeeze the most results out the least amount of time. You will have the opportunity to learn from these innovators every day. It rubs off on you.
4. Ownership
You will “own” work at a startup and you will make a difference every day. You matter. You can affect the success of the company. This is very satisfying and may be the #1 benefit of working in a startup.
Financially, you will actually “own” part of the company. The stock ownership can go a long way at a startup. The earlier you arrive at the startup when the risk is greater, the higher percentage of the company that you will “own”.
5. Transparency
You will know what is going on in the company in real time. It’s a small office and everyone know what everyone is doing. If you do good work, it is recognized immediately. And if you screw up, it is recognized immediately. This transparency is very motivating. You get great praise for good work and you try like hell to eliminate mistakes in order to avoid disappointing your colleagues.
Another benefit is that this transparency will also protect you from being blind-sided by bad business conditions. You will see the issues that the company faces first-hand and can leave on your own terms, rather than getting surprised with a reduction-in-force.

6. Exit
If your startup succeeds (acquired, IPO or hyper-growth) then you are a rockstar. You will likely have a financial windfall and you will forever be associated with a winner. You can choose your next career move on your own terms. If your startup fails, then you have acquired all the benefits listed above and you have more career options because you have taken the startup adventure.
7. Little Downside
Working in a startup, you get to do the work that you enjoy for long hours, and you have the potential to make LOTS of money. If the startup doesn’t make a zillion dollars, you gained valuable experience that will pay dividends your whole life. In short, experience has shown there is really NO downside to the startup experience.

Swiss startup offers non-metallic carbon/PEEK composite implants for trauma and spine

CARBON REINFORCED PEEK VS METAL IMPLANTS (Orthopedics This Week)
website – http://www.icotec.ch/home/
A medical device company based in Altstätten, Switzerland, that spells its name in lower-case type is icotec AG. The company develops and manufactures non-metallic carbon/PEEK composite medical devices under the brand name BlackArmor. Its carbon/PEEK material boosts a 15-year and 20,000 implantation clinical track record in spinal and fracture surgical care, according to the company’s press release.
As the manufacturer explains, BlackArmor is a combination of continuous, high-strength carbon fiber reinforced PEEK and the company’s composite flow molding (CFM) process. The result, say its designers, is a medical device with an interwoven 3D fiber architecture that provides unmatched strength and endurance. icotec’s technology is useful for complex designs such as pedicle screws, vertebral body replacement devices or supplemental fixation devices, such as anatomical bone plates.
They claim that the combination of mechanical strength and non-metallic properties make BlackArmor ideally suited for the treatment of spinal tumors.
Radiation therapy plays a major role in the treatment of spinal tumors. Radiologists rely on accurate CT images. The presence of metal spinal implants makes it more difficult to delineate anatomic structures during radiation therapy planning, according to the release. It also suggests that metal spinal implants may also shield tumor cells from the radiation.
BlackArmor is radiolucent in all diagnostic imaging modes (MRI, CT and X-ray) and will therefore not create imaging artifacts. The non-metallic nature of the BlackArmor material minimizes the risk for patients where metal allergies are a concern. Orthopedic implants manufactured from BlackArmor carbon/PEEK material were approved for CE-mark in 2000 and received FDA clearance in 2005

Novastep enhances its Nexis® headless screw portfolio

Novastep Enhances its Nexis® Headless Screws Portfolio (press release)
Novastep, Inc., and its affiliates (“Novastep” or the “Company”), a global medical technologies company specializing in the foot and ankle, has further expanded its coverage of midfoot and rearfoot indications with the addition of a full range of Nexis® 5.0 and 7.0mm headless, cannulated compression screws.
The implants feature all of the hallmark design attributes inherent to the Company’s Nexis® brand, including helical thread flutes that are self-drilling, self-tapping and reverse-cutting; Torx drive recess interfaces for optimal force distribution and tapered, self-penetrating compression cones. Loïc Girod, Novastep’s Vice President of Research and Development, noted that “The Nexis® system provides surgeons with a complete and versatile selection of sterile packaged, low-profile, cannulated screws that are designed to address a broad spectrum of midfoot and hindfoot pathologies.”
The system is likewise supported with a robust instrumentation platform that is neatly stored in a versatile, light-weight, space-saving tray to combine the Nexis® 5.0 and 7.0mm instruments with interchangeable Nexis® 4.0mm headless screw or Arcad 18/20/25mm nitinol compression clip instrument modules that serve to further enhance its versatility. “Operating room efficiency and cost reduction are prime areas of focus for Novastep” said Joseph Larsen, DPM of ProHealthCare Foot & Ankle in New York; adding that “Novastep’s implant and cleanSTART® deployment technologies provide a systematized logistics platform that is easily customizable to fit virtually anyone’s needs and substantially reduces inventory requirements and sterile field volumes.”
All Novastep implants are packaged sterile in quickSTACK™ containers or quickTUBE™ nested cylinders, depending on the size and configuration of the product. The STACKS and TUBES are housed and organized in the cleanSTART® Implant Dispenser console, which may be uniquely tailored to address individual surgeon preferences.
Nexis® and other key elements of Novastep’s portfolio will be featured at the Desert Foot 2016 meeting on October 19–22 in Phoenix, AZ and the upcoming 2016 Global Foot and Ankle Symposium in New York City on December 2–3.

About Novastep
Novastep is a global medical device company specializing in the design, development and commercialization of advanced technologies that treat conditions affecting the foot and ankle. The Company is focused on optimizing clinical efficiencies, inventory management and healthcare economics by transforming the way foot and ankle products are deployed and utilized in the surgical environment. Novastep has allied itself with a strategic network of key international opinion leaders to deliver breakthrough technologies, innovative services and compelling medical education programs to the foot and ankle community. Novastep’s portfolio, services and distribution platforms are uniquely positioned to address foot and ankle trauma, deformity corrections and Charcot fracture management.
For further information concerning this announcement and/or Novastep, Inc., send all inquiries to [email protected] or call 877.287.0795.

Related Links

MEDICREA launches a "Lifetime Warranty" for Patient-Specific UNiD rods

Nextremity Solutions signs exclusive global distribution over to Zimmer Biomet

Startups can ACCELERATE your career

Swiss startup offers non-metallic carbon/PEEK composite implants for trauma and spine

Novastep enhances its Nexis® headless screw portfolio

Technology, Startup News, Career Advice & More

Archives

Pin It on Pinterest