Insurgical single-use orthopaedic power tools used in total knee replacement procedure

Feb 12 2014

On February, 5, orthopaedic surgeon Thomas Ferro, MD, successfully performed a total knee replacement procedure using Insurgical single-use orthopaedic power tools. This operation marked the first time FDA cleared single-use, cordless, handheld power tools were used in an orthopaedic operation in the United States. Specialty surgical power tools used to cut and shape bone are required in over 1.5 million orthopaedic procedures annually in the United States.

"I evaluated the Insurgical tools after my staff discovered a tear in the sterile wrapping on the tools we were scheduled to use," says Dr. Ferro. "Instead of waiting two hours or so to allow time to wash and resterilize the compromised tools, we used the Insurgical saw and drill, which were available at the hospital for such emergencies. Within a matter of minutes we were able to continue with the procedure, saving the hospital, the patient, and me much valuable time." When asked about the performance of the tools, which are often used to cut through hard, arthritic bone, Dr. Ferro added, "Frankly, I was pleasantly surprised that the saw had sufficient power and battery life to make very precise bone cuts. I plan to have these tools as back up at every hospital I work in, specifically for situations like the one we encountered today. Additionally, I would go as far to say that I will be utilizing the system as my primary power system at our ASC (ambulatory surgical center), where we routinely perform outpatient Unicompartmental arthroplasties, and where the physical and economic constraints limit our ability to handle multiple surgical cases requiring saws and drills."

Insurgical power tools are an on-demand, cost-effective alternative to expensive reusable power tool systems used at hospitals worldwide. Unlike traditional orthopaedic power tool kits which are reused on hundreds of patients, and reprocessed at the hospital after each surgery, Insurgical tools are supplied to the hospital clean, pre-sterilized, in a single-use format. Insurgical tools are purchased by hospitals to relieve instrument backlogs, which are common in hospital-based tool reprocessing departments. Insurgical tools also enable hospitals to significantly reduce the high capital expenditures necessary to purchase and maintain the numerous, duplicate reusable tool sets required to accommodate the high volume of daily orthopaedic procedures in many US hospitals.

Insurgical disposable power tools were cleared by the FDA in November 2012. Since then, the company has been working with customers and industry leaders to develop a cost effective, high performance tool line, while concurrently building scalable manufacturing capabilities, and an independent representative sales force to support the large, and growing opportunity for sterile, single-use devices. "Performing the first US orthopaedic surgery with single-use power tools is a significant milestone for Insurgical, and for the field of orthopaedic surgery," says Pete Aman, President and CEO of Insurgical. "Having an accomplished and respected surgeon like Dr. Ferro confirm the benefits of this tool concept for both his patients and the hospital is a strong signal that points towards the high potential of the single-use tool concept for a wide variety of orthopaedic applications."

Insurgical will be exhibiting and demonstrating their innovative tool concept in booth #4930 during the annual meeting of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons (AAOS), scheduled to be held in New Orleans, Louisiana, March 11-15, 2014.