Surgeon Spotlight Series showcases interview with top orthopaedic surgeons

Oct 5 2009

Allen Medical Systems, a Hill-Rom company, (NYSE: HRC), announces the second in its Surgeon Spotlight Series showcasing interviews with top orthopaedic surgeons. Carlos A. Guanche, M.D., managing partner at Southern California Orthopaedic Institute, is the featured surgeon and is recognized for his contributions in expanding the use of the Allen Intraoperative Arm Positioner for elbow fractures, scopes and clavicle repair procedures.

Launched in January 2009, the Allen Intraoperative Arm Positioner was originally designed for use in both open and arthroscopic shoulder procedures where patients are seated in the beach chair position. Dr. Guanche saw an opportunity for use of the device in an arthroscopic elbow procedure. He says he was pleased with the results, since it enables his assistant to assist rather than hold the arm, and planned to use the device for his subsequent arthroscopic elbow procedures. "I can put it into any position that I want with a minimum of effort, and I will be using it in all of my open shoulder procedures. More importantly, I have already found a couple of new uses for it including elbow arthroscopy," said Dr. Guanche.

Darren Friedman, M.D., clinical assistant professor of Orthopaedic Surgery, New York University School of Medicine, used the device in an elbow fracture case. This procedure is usually performed with the patient in the supine position, with their elbow resting on a sterile pillow on the chest. The pillow tends to shift during these cases, often sliding towards the patient's neck and interfering with the intubation tube. Dr. Friedman described his experience using the device in elbow cases, "I have found the Allen Intraoperative Arm Positioner to be useful during surgery about the elbow. With the patient in the supine or lateral position, and the Allen Arm Positioner attached on the contralateral side of the bed, the arm can be precisely controlled and held off the chest. This obviates the need for a "bump" and allows the anesthesia team freedom and access to the airway thus increasing the safety of the procedure."

As a result of the surgeons' feedback, the Allen arm positioner was further tested and verified for use in both elbow and clavicle procedures. "Our product development philosophy is centered on the voice of customer. In other words, we are focused on developing high quality products that meet the needs of our customers because this directly impacts patient care. We are honored and excited to be working with esteemed surgeons such as Dr. Guanche and Dr. Friedman. The feedback they provide is vital," said Mark Cole, national sales director for Allen.

Dr. Guanche, Allen's Spotlight Surgeon, is a world-renown expert in hip and shoulder arthroscopy as well as complex shoulder reconstruction.