Small Preserves

Don’t expect any further acts of spontaneity from Tony Finau. Particularly those involving a hole-in-one.
 
After severely injuring his left ankle celebrating an ace at the Masters 2018 Par-3 contest, the 28-year-old professional golfer will likely think twice (or more) before attempting another backwards run on the golf course.
 
Fortunately, the extent of Finau’s injury was limited to soft tissue damage and torn ligaments (a sprain). An overnight regimen of ice packs and anti-inflammatory drugs, along with a cold/compression treatment device and heavy taping, enabled Finau to return to the course and participate in the Masters Tournament in early April (he eventually finished tied for 10th place).
 
Though his injury wasn’t severe, Finau’s ankle sprain could have long-term consequences. Not only is the strapping 6-foot 4-inch golfer prone to re-injury, prolonged symptoms, and limited activity, he also is at greater risk for developing ankle osteoarthritis—a condition that is expected to help fuel the global extremities market over the next half-dozen years.
 
ODT’s May/June feature story “Shouldering Growth” details the shoulder and ankle technologies that are driving growth in the worldwide extremities reconstructive devices market. Jason Pringle, marketing coordinator for BioPro Inc., was among several experts interviewed for the feature; his full input is provided in the following Q&A.
 
Michael Barbella: Please discuss the trends in the extremities market. What trends have you noticed this year and how do they differ (if at all) from past trends?
Jason Pringle: The trend that is most prevalent to our company is the increasing competition in the marketplace. When BioPro first started focusing on th extremity market in the early 2000s, there were fewer large orthopedic players focused on extremities. Now with the acquisitions of startup extremity device companies, the large orthopedic companies have really started to focus on the market and expand their portfolios.

Barbella: Where does innovation come from in the extremities market? How does BioPro stay innovative?
Pringle: We believe that successful innovation ultimately comes from the minds of surgeons. It is important for our company to participate in open discussions with surgeons to help better understand their needs and what we can do as a company to improve patient outcomes. This collaborative effort with surgeons has led BioPro in a multitude of design efforts; whether that be a modification to an existing product, such as redesigning our thumb implant from a one piece into a modular design to better fit a patient’s anatomy, or developing an entirely new product, such as our Tendon Anchor System to improve pull-out strength compared to standard suture anchors.

Barbella: How do the technological/physiological demands of small joints differ from other orthopedic markets? Aside from the implants, how does the extremities market differ from large joints, or spine? What makes extremities implants a design challenge?
Pringle: To answer both: Small joints such as the thumb (TCM) joint or toe (MTP) joint are at high risk for osteoarthritis and often need surgical intervention, just like osteoarthritis in a hip or knee. BioPro was founded as a total joint company and has always believed in joint preservation, but the acceptance of joint replacement in small joints as opposed to large joints is very different. The standard of care for both the TCM and the MTP joints does not preserve the natural biomechanics of the joints, so it is our job as a company to educate patients and surgeons on the benefits of small joint implants that do.