Arthrosurface Reaches Implant Milestone

Medical device development often is about milestones. Arthrosurface Inc., of Franklin, Mass., recently reported reaching a significant goal. The developer of inlay joint resurfacing systems claims that 20,000 patients–mostly middle age–have been treated with the company’s cartilage resurfacing systems. The earlierst patients now would be six years post surgery.

“For very advanced disease in the older aged patient, joint replacement still provides a good option. However, the baby boomer population has been the silent sufferer,” explained Anthony Schepsis, M.D., professor of orthopedic surgery at Boston University. “They have joint pain, limited mobility and all the signs of early articular cartilage damage. In my opinion, a well-accepted treatment for early disease in the boomer population does not exist. Having the Arthrosurface technology as an interim treatment has provided a great new option for these patients,”

Schepsis said the system has been a “very effective solution” for patients that have failed early treatments and yet are too young for a total joint replacement.

The Arthrosurface inlay resurfacing technology was developed to treat young and active patients. The company uses a family of implants with different shapes and sizes to recreate the patient’s joint geometry with an intraoperative 3-D mapping instrument set. The firm’s resurfacing technology received FDA clearance for use in the knee, shoulder, hip and toe.

“Back in 2003, there was no accepted surgical next step for those patients that had exhausted conservative and biological therapies such as drug injections and microfracture,” said Steven Ek, chief operating officer of Arthrosurface. “With the passing of the 20,000 patient milestone and with more than 98 percent of the implants still in place, we have achieved our initial goal of providing a less-invasive option that would allow patients to go back to an active lifestyle while delaying the need for a joint replacement.”