ALLENDALE, N.J.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Stryker’s Spine division will demonstrate its 3D-printed Tritanium Posterior Lumbar (PL) Cage, an interbody fusion device designed to aid in lumbar spinal fixation for patients with degenerative disc disease, including up to Grade 1 spondylolisthesis, and degenerative scoliosis, at the North American Spine Society (NASS) Annual Meeting, Oct. 26-29, 2016, in Boston (booth No. 1415).
As part of the exhibit, Stryker’s proprietary Tritanium In-Growth Technology will be featured in a virtual reality “tour,” providing surgeons with a unique perspective on how 3D printing, also known as additive manufacturing, allows Stryker to produce highly porous implants that would be difficult or impossible to create using traditional manufacturing techniques.
Stryker’s Tritanium Technology, which reflects years of extensive research and development, allows for the creation of porous structures designed to mimic cancellous bone, a type of spongy bone tissue, with the goal of bone in-growth.1
“We are excited to showcase the Tritanium PL Cage and unveil our new 3D virtual reality experience to surgeons during the NASS conference,” said Bradley Paddock, president of Stryker’s Spine division. “Oculus headsets will take surgeons on a journey through the evolution of Stryker’s pioneering additive manufacturing technology. They will then ‘travel’ to Stryker’s state-of-the-art additive manufacturing facility in Ireland for an up-close view of Tritanium and explore how our highly porous Tritanium implants may benefit their patients.”
Also at NASS, results will be presented from a pre-clinical animal study, titled, “Biomechanical and Histologic Comparison of a Novel 3D-Printed Porous Titanium Interbody Cage to PEEK,” that evaluated the biomechanical performance and bone in-growth potential of various lumbar interbody fusion implants utilizing different materials, including the Tritanium PL Cage.
The Tritanium Posterior Lumbar Cage features fully interconnected pores that span endplate to endplate. It is available in a variety of widths, lengths, heights, and lordotic angles that can adapt to a variety of patient anatomies. Its large lateral windows and open architecture allow visualization of fusion on CT and X-ray,2 and its solid-tipped, precisely angled serrations are designed to allow for bidirectional fixation and to maximize surface area for endplate contact with the cage.
About Stryker
Stryker is one of the world's leading medical technology companies and, together with our customers, we are driven to make healthcare better. The Company offers a diverse array of innovative products and services in Orthopaedics, Medical and Surgical, and Neurotechnology and Spine that help improve patient and hospital outcomes. Stryker is active in over 100 countries around the world. Please contact us for more information at www.stryker.com.
Editor’s note: For images, video footage, or animation of the Tritanium PL Cage and Stryker’s 3D additive manufacturing process, contact Barbara Sullivan at 714/374-6174 or bsullivan@sullivanpr.com. A media backgrounder about Tritanium and the Tritanium PL Cage also is available at www.stryker.com/builttofuse.
References
1. Karageorgiou V, Kaplan D. (2005) Porosity of 3D biomaterial scaffolds and osteogenesis. Biomaterials, 26, 5474-5491.
2. Abbushi A, Cabraja M, Ulrich-Wilhelm T, Woiciechowsky C, Kroppenstedt S. The influence of cage positioning and cage type on cage migration and fusion rates in patients with monosegmental posterior lumbar interbody fusion and posterior fixation. Eur Spine J. 2009;18: 1621–1628.
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