Mitek Sports Medicine Launches Two New Arthroscopy Devices

The Raynham, Mass.-based Mitek Sports Medicine division of the DePuy Synthes companies of Johnson & Johnson, rolled out two new arthroscopic surgery radiofrequency devices this week at the recent American Orthopaedic Society for Sports Medicine 2015 annual meeting in Orlands, Fla.

The VAPR Tripolar 90 Suction Electrode and the VAPR Arctic Suction Electrode are handheld, energy-based devices used by orthopedic surgeons to ablate or coagulate targeted soft tissue. The electrodes were co-developed with surgeons and, according to Mitek, offer “innovative design features aimed at enhancing performance, procedural efficiency and patient safety” during shoulder and hip arthroscopy.

The VAPR Tripolar 90 Suction Electrode primarily is used for shoulder arthroscopy. The company claims it is the first radiofrequency device with a proprietary tip design that independently optimizes ablation and coagulation performance. The device also incorporates the industry’s first integrated suction flow control, providing surgeons with a new way to visualize and target tissue for resection or coagulation, according to Mitek officials.

The VAPR Arctic Suction Electrode is used during hip arthroscopy and is the first radiofrequency device to combine bipolar energy flow, integrated suction and tip articulation (flexion) in the same device, with the ability to flex up to 110 degrees. These features may eliminate the need for additional saline suction ports or use of multiple electrodes during the same procedure, and provide access to hard-to-reach spaces in the confined hip joint, company officials noted.

“The VAPR Arctic Suction Electrode allows me to use a single device instead of multiple ones, which has the potential to save time and cost, and the ability to articulate allows me to quickly and safely prepare my acetabular rim without damaging the labral tissue,” said Sean McMillan, D.O., orthopedic surgeon at Lourdes Medical Associates in Cherry Hill, N.J., and a consultant to Mitek Sports Medicine.

Both electrodes use the company’s proprietary CoolPulse Technology, which enables faster, more efficient tissue ablation while generating equal or less heat. In a comparison study conducted by Mitek Sports Medicine, the VAPR Arctic Suction Electrode ablated 216 percent more soft tissue per minute than a leading articulating radiofrequency electrode.¹ In a similar comparison, the VAPR Tripolar 90 Suction Electrode ablated 25 percent more soft tissue per minute than a leading 90-degree radiofrequency electrode, while maintaining a lower in-joint saline temperature.² The ability to enhance ablation efficiency while maintaining low in-joint saline temperatures may help minimize charring and the risk of accidental damage to healthy tissue.

“The VAPR Arctic and VAPR Tripolar 90 Electrodes for arthroscopy are the latest examples of our continued commitment to meaningful innovation that delivers value to healthcare providers, patients and hospital customers,” said Max Reinhardt, franchise unit leader for joint reconstruction, Mitek Sports Medicine and Power Tools. “Our expanding and comprehensive arthroscopy portfolio offers our customers a single source solution for access, visualization, resection and repair.”

The VAPR Tripolar 90 Suction Electrode is intended for resection, ablation and excision of soft tissue, hemostasis of blood vessels and coagulation of soft tissue in patients requiring arthroscopic surgery. The Arctic Suction Electrode is intended for resection, ablation and excision of soft tissue, hemostasis of blood vessels and coagulation of soft tissue in patients requiring arthroscopic surgery of the hip.


References
1. DSUS/MTK/0315/0487 VAPR ARCTIC Suction Electrode (Dome) Ablation and Coagulation Performance Comparison
2. DSUS/MTK/0515/0560 VAPR TRIPOLAR 90 Suction Electrode In Vitro Ablation, Coagulation, and Temperature Increase Comparison