Dr. James Lachman of St. Luke’s University Health Network performed the first procedure last week in Easton, Pennsylvania.
“It is exciting to be the first to implant Exactech’s latest ankle products and provide my patients with their differentiating benefits,” said Lachman. “The Vantage Ankle 3D+ prosthesis particularly stands out with its ability to address a greater variety of cases with simplified instrumentation.”
Vantage Ankle 3D and 3D+ offer tibial stem heights from 10mm to 30mm and the added benefits of 3D printing. Additive manufacturing creates a surface that mimics the trabecular nature of cancellous bone, Exactech says. With the 3D-printed surface, the implants also feature spiked pegs and a tall, sharp central cage with growing diameters. These aid with initial fixation.
“After several years of developing the 3D+ tibial component with the outstanding Exactech engineers and other design team surgeons, Jim [Nunley], Jim [Lachman] and I are pleased how the new tibial components and instrumentation seamlessly melded with the existing talar component options,” said Exactech Design Team Surgeon Dr. Mark Easley. “The additive manufacturing, and the press-fit pegs and augmented central cage afford satisfying initial tibial component stability. Particularly exciting is how the intuitive instrumentation allows for reliable and reproducible insertion of a stemmed tibial component through a routine anterior ankle surgical approach.”
