Arthrosurface Continues to Expand into Fast Growing Shoulder Market

FRANKLIN, Mass., Sept. 28, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Arthrosurface, Inc. (www.arthrosurface.com), the developer of less-invasive joint resurfacing systems, announced that a total shoulder resurfacing procedure has been performed without removing the humeral head using its new HemiCAP^GRS Glenoid combined with its existing HemiCAP Humeral implant.  Shoulder arthroplasty is the third largest and fastest growing market in orthopaedics with over 25,000 procedures performed annually.  This market is forecasted to grow to nearly 60,000 procedures by 2020.  Arthrosurface's demographic is the active baby boomer that desires pain relief and function in combination with joint preservation.

"Standard shoulder replacement involves removing the humeral head which has a negative cascading effect as it forces surgeons to make a series of compromises.  Once the head is removed, restoring normal biomechanics becomes difficult as the surgeon loses reference to the anatomy.  Typically with shoulder replacements, four adjustments are needed in order to position the humeral implant at the right location; head height, neck-shaft angle and retroversion.  These, along with proper placement of the stem, to recreate the normal head offset, are critical to restoring the damaged anatomy," said John Macy, MD.

Anatomical research shows that the humeral head has an egg-shaped geometry yet existing shoulder implants are ball-shaped.  Furthermore there is research to show that the inherent mismatch between implant and anatomy can lead to loss of motion and wear.  Using its patented 3D articular surface mapping technology, Arthrosurface can map the two diameters of the humeral head and match the shape with one of its HemiCAP® implants.  "Being able to perform a stemless total shoulder resurfacing and the ability to determine and match both diameters is critical to reproducing proper biomechanics in the joint," continued Dr. Macy.

Arthrosurface reports that it is the only company to offer a full range of humeral head resurfacing implants so that surgeons can match both the size of the defect and the anatomical curves of the patients' humeral head.  With the introduction of the HemiCAP^GRS Glenoid, surgeons are now able to resurface both cartilage surfaces and still respect the patients' existing anatomy.

Arthrosurface offers unique resurfacing implants designed to adhere to anatomical principles and to avoid typical patient-implant mismatches currently used in traditional orthopaedics.  "No radiographic imaging nor robotic technology can match the ability and accuracy of a surgeon that can map a patients' articular surface in 3D under direct observation and at the time of surgery when using the HemiCAP® system," said co-founder and designer, Steve Ek.

SOURCE Arthrosurface, Inc.