Meniscal Preservation

Tried and True: All-inside Meniscal Repair

When the original FAST-FIX^◊ Meniscal Repair System was introduced, the benchmark for non-invasive, all-inside repairs was set. Thanks to an innovative design, this system enabled surgeons to deploy two implants vertically or horizontally on either side of the meniscus, tighten the suture, and trim the excess.

Building on the success of this original design, are the ULTRA FAST-FIX and FAST-FIX 360 Meniscal Repair Systems.

Unlike conventional suture-based repair systems, the ULTRA FAST-FIX System delivers a pre-tied, self-sliding knot designed to eliminate the need for intra-articular knot tying. Additional features include our ULTRABRAID^◊ Suture, which provides easy knot sliding advantages over traditional polyester suture, the choice of curved and reversed-curved needles designed for easy access to a multitude of tear sites and your pick of PEEK-OPTIMA® or PLLA implant material.

First we set the standard: then we raised the bar. The FAST-FIX 360 System improves on those standards by raising the bar with new features and benefits which include:

One-handed, fast-click, active implant deployment
The unique 360° actuation design enables one-handed, fast-click, active deployment of implants in any hand position – vertically, horizontally on either side of the meniscus.

Minimal disruption to the meniscus
Smaller implants and pre-tied, self-sliding knot made of ULTRABRAID 2-0 Suture
create smaller needle insertions, designed to reduce disruption to the meniscus.

Low profile with improved control
Low-profile, stiffer needle shaft improves control and is designed to enable access and visibility to hard-to-reach areas of the meniscus.

Built-in adjustable depth penetration
Set needle depth penetration from 10mm to18mm with the simple push of a button.

Strong with clinically proven FAST-FIX Meniscal Repair Technology
Like its predecessor, the FAST-FIX 360 System has biomechanical properties that best reproduce the vertical mattress suture technique.¹

Resources

1 Data on file at Smith & Nephew: ITR 4080, “FAST-FIX 360 System vs. Competitors,” (2010).

Meniscus Mender II Repair Set: OUTSIDE-IN Access to Anterior Tears

The Meniscus Mender II Set is designed for repairing the meniscus under arthroscopic visualization and is ideally suited for anterior horn tears and middle-third tears. The Set allows surgeons to work from the outside of the knee into the joint, instead of starting sutures inside the capsule and exiting less predictably out the back.

The Meniscus Mender II Repair Set utilizes curved and straight needles and a patented suture capture loop.

Depending on the patient’s anatomy, a combination of curved and straight needles may be used to best access the tear. The flexibility of these components allows the surgeon to use the outside-in approach, which may help minimize the risk of damage to neurovascular structures during the repair.

MENISCAL STITCHER Repair Set: INSIDE-OUT Delivery with Smaller Needle Diameter

Classic inside-out techniques remain a viable solution for the repair of many kinds of meniscal tears. Providing the versatility to address a variety of tear patterns, the ability to deliver sutures with smaller needles, and with proven long-term results, inside-out techniques have been considered the gold standard for arthroscopic meniscus repair².

Designed specifically for inside-out procedures and to be customized to the unique needs of each procedure the Meniscal Stitcher Set features several straight and curved double lumen cannulas, as well as a posterior access cannula, thimble and bending tool. The set is completed with its own sterilization tray and is complimented by a variety of disposable needles.

Resources

2 Nelson C and Bonner K, “Inside-Out Meniscus Repair,” Arthroscopy Techniques 2 no. 4 (2013):453-460. 

MENISCAL ROOT Repair System: Reproduce the anatomical footprint

A meniscus root tear may be defined as either an avulsion of the meniscal root from its attachment point or a radial root tear within1cm of the root attachment.

Our Meniscal Root Repair System features aimers designed to maneuver around the tibial eminence and is designed to support one- or two-tunnel procedures. The included guide has offsets of between 5-8mm, which allow it to facilitate the ideal location of the second tunnel.

Transplantation

MAT Meniscal Allograft Transplantation: Solutions and surgical technique

Meniscal allograft transplantation can be used for the reconstruction of large meniscal defects or when the meniscal rim is deficient and the meniscus is no longer functional. Smith & Nephew provides a complete suite of meniscal repair solutions designed for arthroscopic meniscal allograft transplantation procedures. Please see our resource page for additional information.

Prepare for unpredictability with quality and performance
The treatment path of a meniscal tear – repair or partial meniscectomy – is sometimes hard to predict until it can be visualized arthroscopically.

Our full portfolio includes everything from market-leading meniscal repair and handheld instruments solutions, to state-of-the-art DYONICS^◊ blades and COBLATION^◊ Wands for meniscal repair, contouring and resection.

Manual Resection with ACUFEX^◊ Handheld Instruments
Designed for easy access, our extensive line of ACUFEX Instruments includes punches, scissors and graspers, and are offered in a wide range of tips and handle configurations.

Narrowline Family: Small, aggressive tip design and narrow shaft are intended to provide excellent maneuverability and multiple plane-cutting capability in the posterior horn

DUCKBILL^◊ Basket Punch: Low-profile punches designed to produce a large, square bite. The wave-tooth design allows for the maximum amount of tissue to be smoothly resected in tight knees.

DUCKLING^◊ Basket Punch: Combines the wide-bite of the DUCKBILL-style punch with the thinnest possible tip, allowing optimum maneuverability under the condyle and greater posterior advancement.

STINGRAY^◊ Basket Punch: Back-biting capability is intended to offer the most direct access to the anterior horn.

90º Rotary Basket Punch: Designed to offer an effective angle for trimming the difficult-to-access anterior meniscus. The unique tip design allows for successive bites, making this instrument ideal for balancing the meniscal rim.

Mechanical Resection with DYONICS^◊ PLATINUM Blades
DYONICS PLATINUM Blades have been designed to provide surgical solutions that efficiently resect tissue and bone and effectively navigate hard-to-reach areas.

SYNOVATOR^◊ PLATINUM Blade: features acute, beveled blade edges and dual inner cutting windows to allow shallow cuts, designed to remove torn tissue while sparing adjacent healthy tissue.

INCISOR^◊ Plus PLATINUM Blade: designed for highly degenerated tears, this blade offers a precision-sharpened, tooth-to-tooth design for rapid resection.

DYONICS Full Radius Curved Blades: are designed to access especially tight knees.

DYONICS ORBIT^◊ Curved Blades: feature a unique cutting window that can be rotated up to 360° while in the joint. This allows for convex and concave blade orientation, and eliminates the need for removing and bending blades.

COBLATION^◊ WEREWOLF FLOW 50 Wand
The WEREWOLF FLOW 50 Wand enables surgeons to access and address all soft tissue types in the knee without compromise.

• Indicated for meniscus and all soft tissue in the knee.
• Precisely removes meniscal tissue while preserving remaining delicate tissue structures.^1,2
• Designed to provide optimal access to the posterior horn and root of the meniscus.

1. Smith & Nephew data on file P/N 54952-01. The results of in-vitro simulation testing have not been proven to predict clinical performance.
2. Smith & Nephew data on file (P/N 52918-01). The results of in-vitro simulation testing have not been proven to predict clinical performance.

 * Our portfolio is extensive, it is important you contact your local Smith & Nephew Representative for product information and availability.

Visit http://www.smith-nephew.com/about-us/where-we-operate/  for more information.