The BioPoly RS Shoulder is similar to the BioPoly RS Partial Resurfacing Knee which has been used clinically in Europe and parts of Asia since 2012 and is having excellent outcomes. Like the knee, the BioPoly shoulder is minimally invasive and tissue sparing.
“I am thrilled that our BioPoly RS Shoulder products have been granted the CE mark. They complement our already successful knee and patella product lines and now provide shoulder surgeons with a partial resurfacing option with a cartilage-friendly implant,” said Herb Schwartz, Ph.D., president of BioPoly. According to the Company, the BioPoly RS Partial Resurfacing Shoulder will be launched in the European markets in the very near future.
BioPoly combines a polymer (ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene or UHMWPE) with a molecule found in joint fluid, hyaluronic acid, thus, creating a “self-lubricated” polymer. The end result is that BioPoly is compatible with native tissues such as cartilage and meniscus because it attracts lubricating fluid to its surface, similar to native cartilage. Thus, BioPoly implants can be used to repair the damaged cartilage (i.e. partially resurface) in joints. Although the BioPoly family of partial resurfacing products (RS Knee, RS Patella, and RS Shoulder) are CE marked, they have not yet been approved for use in the United States.
BioPoly LLC is an ISO 13485 certified orthopedic implant manufacturer located in Fort Wayne, Ind. The company is developing, manufacturing and marketing products for use in sports medicine, orthopedics, and spinal markets. Additional medical applications of the BioPoly technology in cardiovascular and trauma markets are also being pursued.