From AAOS: New Drill Bit From Surgionix Simplifies Trauma Surgery

Boston, Mass.-based Surgionix Ltd. is showcasing a surgical drill bit this week at the 2015 American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons Annual Meeting (March 25-28) in Las Vegas, Nev.

The company claims its Slick Universal Drill Bit simplifies trauma surgery, lowers costs and improves patient outcomes. It also touts the product as a disruptive change to surgical instrumentation.

The Slick Universal Drill Bit helps orthopedic surgeons prepare bone for the insertion of screws and plates safely, accurately and easily without the need for a depth gauge. Orthopedic surgeons have long complained about using a depth gauge to fix bone fractures, contending the century-old technology is often inacurrate.

Surgeons currently have to drill into bone, and then remove the drill to insert a depth gauge. The Slick Universal Drill Bit, however, includes a retractable wire and clip that extends near the tip of the drill bit, acting like the hook of a depth gauge. This allows the surgeon to take accurate measurements from the drill bit itself, Surgionix bigwigs noted in a news release.

Surgionix founder Pranesh Kumar, M.D., is an orthopedic specialist whose inventions are inspired by patients with challenging problems.  

“I work with our team of R&D engineers at Surgionix to develop solutions that are practical and cost-effective,” he said. “The Slick drill-bit is one example. We have been able to incorporate a depth gauge wire-hook into a drill bit and thereby reduce waste and costs in the operating theatre.”

Rapid advances in technology and manufacturing have encouraged surgeons to question the frustrations, error rates and time wastage associated with the use of ‘old’ surgical depth gauge technology, Kumar added. The advent of 3-D printing, rapid prototyping, new materials and advanced manufacturing techniques also has helped surgeon-designers tackle this nagging problem. The Slick Universal Drill Bit works with the trauma sets and power drills available in the hospital operating room. This system has been approved by both European and American regulators.

Surgionix maintains offices in Boston and Cheshire, United Kingdom, and operates a research facility in Auckland, New Zealand. The company was founded in 2010 by a New Zealand-based orthopedic doctor to develop and manufacture musculoskeletal injury and disease treatments.

AAOS attendees can visit Surgionix at booth 3607 during the show.