Smith+Nephew announced the launch of its NOVOSTITCH PRO Meniscal Repair System in Europe after successfully receiving CE mark certification. The NOVOSTITCH PRO Meniscal Repair System expands meniscal repair options to around 600,000¹ European patients annually where the only previous option was removal.
 
Meniscal tears are one of the most common orthopedic injuries,² with 70 percent of patients expecting a repair,³ yet only 15 percent actually getting one. Instead, the majority may receive a partial removal or a full meniscectomy^4,5,6 which has been shown to increase the risk of osteoarthritis in the knee by 53 percent compared to baseline.⁷ The NOVOSTITCH PRO Meniscal Repair System is designed to provide surgeons with a means to treat more meniscal tears with repair and close the gap on meniscectomy. 
 
The first clinical experiences in Europe, Middle East and Africa have been well received. Dr. Ramon Cugat from Hospital Quiron Barcelona commented, "The NOVOSTITCH PRO Meniscal Repair System represents a versatile and essential tool allowing surgeons the ability to repair meniscal tears that other devices, up until now, couldn't." 
 
Further, Dr. Ricardo Cueller from Policlínica Gipuzkoa Hospital, (País Vasco) offered a similar report after his first case explaining, "The NOVOSTITCH PRO Meniscal Repair System provided great versatility and a new way for surgeons to treat meniscal tears. We are excited by the possibility of providing meniscal repair to more patients."
 
The NOVOSTITCH PRO Meniscal Repair System enables surgeons to place stitches arthroscopically in tight joint compartments, utilizing a meniscus-to-meniscus circumferential compression stitch allowing repair of tears that may not have been repaired in the past.⁸ The system includes an ergonomic and intuitive handle design and well-defined visual cues for precise stitch placement and control. 
 
In the UK, early clinical experiences were also positive. David Hahn, The Park Hospital, Nottingham exclaimed "The NOVOSTITCH PRO will allow me to address more meniscal tears than previously thought possible. I look forward to using this promising device at all my locations."
 
"We are delighted to be able to offer this ground-breaking technology to surgeons in Europe," commented Terry Byca, Vice President, Marketing Sports Medicine EMEA, Smith+Nephew. "The NOVOSTITCH PRO Meniscal Repair System's unique capabilities, along with our industry leading All Tears, All Repairs Meniscal Repair portfolio brings us closer to making repair, not removal, the standard-of-care for meniscal tears." 
 
The NOVOSTITCH PRO Meniscal Repair System is commercially available for sale in the US, Europe, Middle East, Africa, and select countries.
 
References
¹ Smith + Nephew Internal Data. 2020
² Mordecai SC, Al-Hadithy N, Ware HE, Gupte CM. Treatment of meniscal tears: An evidence based approach. World Journal of Orthopedics 2014;5(3):233-241.
³ Brophy RH, Gefen AM, Matava MD, et al. Understanding of Meniscus Injury and Expectations of Meniscus Surgery in Patients Presenting for Orthopaedic Care. Arthroscopy 2015;31(12):2295-2300.
⁴ 2018 SmartTRAK US Meniscal Repair Fixation market report.
⁵ Abrams GD, Frank RM, Gupta AK, Harris JD, McCormick FM, Cole BJ. Trends in Meniscus Repair and Meniscectomy in the United States, 2005-2011. AJSM 2013;41(10):2333-9.
⁶ Katano H, Koga H, Ozeki N, et al. Trends in isolated meniscus repair and meniscectomy in Japan, 2011-2016, Int. J. Orthop Sci. 2018;23(4):678-81.
⁷ Papalia R, Del AD, Osti L, Denaro V. Meniscectomy as a risk factor for knee osteoarthritis: a systematic review. British Medical Bulletin. 2011;99:89-106.
⁸ Saliman, JD. The Circumferential Compression Stitch for Meniscus Repair.  Arthroscopy Techniques 2013;2(3):e257-e264.