Smith & Nephew Endoscopy debuted a new system for repairing torn biceps muscles.
The Andover endoscopic products maker said its Biceptor Tenodesis System is designed to allow surgeons to re-attach the biceps tendon to the humerus in the shoulder during arthroscopic procedures.
Other operations require reinforcement of the biceps tendon before re-attachment, meaning it must be pulled out of the shoulder and sutured before it’s replaced.
{IMAGELEFT:http://www.massdevice.com/sites/default/wp-content/uploads/featureArt/SmithNephewBiceptor_200.jpg}The procedure is a common step during rotator cuff repair, according to the company, which said more than 68,000 biceps tenodesis procedures are expected worldwide this year.
The system consists of a screw used to secure the biceps tendon to a tunnel drilled into the humerus. The screw is made from a polymer with similar strength and stiffness as cortical bone.