Smith & Nephew (NYSE:SNN) said today that it’s adding a total knee arthroplasty application to the Navio handheld robot-assisted platform.
The European Union’s largest orthopedics player said the Navio system can be used with its Journey II, Legion Primary and Genesis II total knees. Smith & Nephew acquired Minnesota-based Blue Belt Technologies – Navio’s original maker – in January 2016 for $275 million.
“The Navio partial knee replacement application has been commercially available since 2014, including UKA and PFJ options, and has developed a strong surgeon following,” U.S. commerical president Glenn Warner said in prepared remarks. “The full market release of the TKA application provides a robotics-assisted solution for one of the largest markets in orthopaedics. Smith & Nephew is committed to continued expansion and growth of the Navio robotics-assisted platform.”
“The Navio system offers game changing improvements in precision and accuracy without sacrificing efficiency. It allows surgeons the control to create a patient-specific plan in the OR and the confidence to execute with robotic precision,” added Dr. Joseph Burkhardt of Battle Creek Hospital in southwest Michigan. “For the total knee, it provides surgeons the ability to do more than they have ever been able to do with standard instruments, resulting in improved functional outcomes for the patient.”
Blue Belt won its first FDA clearance in 2012, for a partial knee replacement system then called the NavioPFS. U.S. market clearance for its Stride unicondylar knee implant followed in June 2013.
