New Zimmer Institute training center opened at TMT facility in Parsippany, New Jersey

Zimmer Holdings, Inc.Apr 24 2010

Zimmer Holdings, Inc. (NYSE: ZMH; SIX: ZMH) today announced the opening of a new Zimmer Institute training center at its Trabecular Metal Technology (TMT) facility in Parsippany, New Jersey.  The Zimmer Institute at TMT will be Zimmer's first full-time BioSkills training center outside of the Zimmer Institute's headquarters in Warsaw, Indiana.  The new learning center includes both orthopaedic BioSkills and dental labs and will provide training courses to clinicians from around the world.

The Zimmer Institute at TMT encompasses more than 15,000 square feet within the 113,000 square foot Zimmer TMT facility.  The Zimmer Institute at TMT will offer attendees cadaveric-based training, intensive case study reviews, simulations and anatomical model workshops.  The center also includes a state-of-the-art dental facility, providing training in both surgery and prosthetics.  Zimmer estimates that more than 1,000 orthopaedic surgeons and dental clinicians could potentially be trained at the new facility annually.

"The Zimmer Institute model is redefining the industry's approach to medical education and meets the needs of surgeons and clinicians at any experience level," said Audrey Beckman, Senior Vice President, Zimmer Institute and Grants Office.  "Clinicians have requested more conveniently located training options to minimize their time away from families and practices.  As a premier training facility, the Zimmer Institute at TMT offers an accessible, collaborative learning environment to help professionals improve and refine their skill sets and knowledge of orthopaedics and dental implantology."

In line with the Zimmer Institute's goal of providing surgeons and clinicians with best-in-class training and direct access to instructors, Zimmer Institute features low faculty-to-participant ratios, meaning more personalized instruction for professionals and the opportunity to both perform and assist on a procedure using anatomical material.  Surgeons can expect upcoming courses at the Parsippany facility to focus on revision hip arthroplasty and other reconstructive-specific topics.

Trabecular Metal Technology is a highly porous biomaterial that simulates the structure, function and physiology of cancellous bone like no other prosthetic material and is one of Zimmer's most advanced technologies.  The unique trabecular configuration is conducive to more normal bone formation and bone in-growth, decreased stress-shielding, and the potential for improved long term implant fixation.