Arthrosurface Launches the SpeedSpiral CMC System

Arthrosurface Inc., a global leader in joint preservation technology, announced the launch of its SpeedSpiral CMC System. Designed for patients suffering from osteoarthritis (OA) in the thumb, the SpeedSpiral carpometacarpal (CMC) implant is the first to replace the arthritic bone with a structurally sound, load-bearing biologic implant. 
 
In the United States, hand osteoarthritis is second in prevalence only to knee arthritis and thumb CMC OA is a common and disabling degenerative disease that affects up to 33 percent of women and 11 percent of men in their 50s and 60s. The thumb is critical to hand function with nearly all the basic activities of daily living requiring precision pinching and grasping. Loss of thumb function due to CMC OA causes a 40 to 50 percent impairment to the upper extremity, severely impacting a patient’s quality of life.
 
“The joint at the base of the thumb is the most mobile in the hand, allowing us to effortlessly perform the most basic tasks like writing, eating, and getting dressed,” said Steve Ek, CEO of Arthrosurface. “But over time, all of the movement and pressure at the thumb joint can cause ‘wear and tear,’ resulting in joint deterioration and arthritis for many individuals. Arthrosurface has been searching for the most effective surgical treatment for addressing this joint pathology for over a decade. With the guidance of our surgeon design team, I’m convinced we now have it.”
 
The SpeedSpiral CMC System utilizes a pre-shaped, dense, strong, and flexible allograft implant to treat thumb CMC joint pain and/or instability caused by OA. It is designed to supplement and support the FCR tendon and/or the capsuloligamentous structures at the thumb while also minimizing operating room time. The implant shape diminishes the risk of metacarpal subsidence that is common to other autograft-only procedures and avoids thumb shortening.
 
“I have been very impressed with the maintenance of post-operative thumb metacarpal height by the SpeedSpiral implant, which is critical to overall pinch strength in these patients long-term,” said Arnold-Peter C. Weiss, M.D., chief—Hand, Upper Extremity & Microvascular Surgery, vice chairman & professor of Orthopaedics, Warren Alpert Medical School, Brown University. “Having a forgiving yet stable fulcrum for the thumb enhances overall strength outcomes, which is the main issue facing alternative soft tissue reconstructive procedures today.”
 
To learn more about Arthrosurface’s SpeedSpiral CMC System, click here.