Both Stryker and Biomet have recently signed up to OrthoSensor’s sensor-assisted knee replacement technology. Now Zimmer Holdings, Inc., has also entered into a co-marketing partnership which will marry Zimmer knee systems with OrthoSensor’s VERASENSE™ Sensor-Assisted Technology.
Background
It’s perhaps unsurprising that knee replacement turns out to be about more than straightforward joint implantation. It’s now accepted that optimising other aspects including soft tissue balance may aid in the reduction of pain, wear, and implant loosening, while also improving how the knee replacement feels to the patient.
The big players have recognised this and are now seemingly queuing up to sign marketing collaborations with OrthoSensor, Inc. OrthoSensor develops and commercializes intelligent orthopaedic devices and data services that provide quantitative feedback to surgeons and hospitals during surgery and post-operatively. The company’s intelligent orthopaedic devices utilize proprietary software, as well as advanced sensor and communications technologies, to enable evidence-based surgical decisions with the goal of improving patient outcomes and reducing the cost of treating musculoskeletal disease.
OrthoSensor’s VERASENSE is an intelligent, low-cost, single-use instrument system that replaces the standard plastic tibial trial spacer used during knee replacement surgery. The system uses advanced proprietary sensor and communications technologies to give surgeons real-time feedback on soft tissue balance during knee-replacement surgery. This quantitative data enables surgeons to make informed, evidence-based intraoperative decisions and adjustments to the soft tissues and implant placement through a full range of motion.
Company comments
for Zimmer
“While we currently lead the industry in Patient Reported Outcomes (PROMs) with our NexGen Knee, we know that component placement and soft-tissue balancing are critical to patient satisfaction and implant longevity,” said Jeff McCaulley, Zimmer Reconstructive President. “As such, Zimmer is committed to offering the widest array of intelligent instrumentation to assist surgeons. Our collaboration with OrthoSensor, and the ability to leverage real data in soft tissue balancing with VERASENSE, should allow for even more satisfied patients.”
for OrthoSensor
“VERASENSE gives orthopaedic surgeons actionable data during their procedures that helps quantify and verify implant positioning and knee balance,” said Jay Pierce, CEO and President of OrthoSensor. “This agreement allows development of VERASENSE technology that will be used initially with the Zimmer NexGen system, allowing more surgeons to benefit from the data provided to them by VERASENSE. We welcome the Zimmer knee portfolio into the VERASENSE technology platform and look forward to working with Zimmer to improve patient outcomes and satisfaction.”
Source: OrthoSensor, Inc., PR Newswire