Anika Rolls Out WristMotion Total Wrist Arthroplasty System

Anika Therapeutics Inc.’s WristMotion Total Wrist Arthroplasty (TWA) System was launched at the American Society for Surgery of the Hand (ASSH) 2021 annual meeting in San Francisco, Calif. Previously available to select surgeons and patients during a limited launch beginning on June 30, 2021, the WristMotion TWA System is focused on alleviating pain and restoring function of an arthritic wrist joint. The WristMotion TWA System’s novel design maximizes carpal stability and enables rotational freedom, including the “dart thrower’s” motion.
 
“We are excited to offer surgeons and patients multiple options to treat wrist arthritis with our WristMotion family of products,” said Cheryl R. Blanchard, Ph.D., Anika’s President and CEO. “At Anika, we are committed to meaningful innovation and advancing solutions in areas with unmet needs that allow patients to remain active and engaged in the activities they love. Preserving motion and native anatomy are core pillars of our innovation philosophy, and the WristMotion TWA System is a key strategic addition to our portfolio.”
 
Designed in collaboration with Dr. Arnold-Peter C. Weiss and Dr. Randall Culp, the design of the WristMotion TWA System leverages over 12 years of data focused on stability and improving wrist implants for patients by incorporating Anika’s proprietary taper post fixation for long-term stability and anatomic design for the preservation of motion.
 
The WristMotion TWA System is a modular joint preservation system that replaces both the radial and carpal sides of the wrist joint for patients suffering from rheumatoid arthritis, osteoarthritis, or post-traumatic arthritis. The system incorporates Anika’s proven fixation technology in the central carpal taper post design, also used in the WristMotion Hemiarthroplasty System, which has been in clinical use since 2015, with over 2,600 cases performed to date¹. The WristMotion TWA System also utilizes Anika’s dual curvature design feature in the carpal implant combined with the dorsal flange (or hood) which allows for greater range of extension due to the increased implant surface area². Preclinical robotic testing has demonstrated that the combination of these features provides improved range of motion and rotational freedom compared to competitive devices, consistent with Anika’s design philosophy of preserving the complex kinematics of the native joints².
 
“Historically, patients suffering with advanced wrist pain caused by arthritis or trauma were treated with older versions of total wrist arthroplasty systems or with wrist fusions. Existing total wrist arthroplasty implants on the market today may enable some wrist motion but are at higher risk of carpal loosening. Alternatively, a wrist fusion may severely limit a patient’s ability to move and use their wrist. Neither option restores wrist function, and that’s the core reason the WristMotion TWA System is a significant step forward for surgeons and patients,” said Arnold-Peter C. Weiss, M.D., Chief – Hand, Upper Extremity & Microvascular Surgery, Vice Chairman and Professor of Orthopaedics, Warren Alpert Medical School, Brown University.
 
The WristMotion TWA System has been available to select customers during a limited market release starting after the first case was performed by Dr. Weiss on June 30th. To-date, the early clinical feedback on instrumentation, surgical technique, and post-operative range of motion has been very positive.
 
“The WristMotion TWA System’s proprietary central threaded taper post helps ensure secure carpal fixation. This secure carpal fixation, coupled with the ability to adjust the height and tension of the wrist joint on the radial side rather than carpal, strengthens the implant’s stability and also preserves the natural center of rotation,” said William B. Geissler, MD, Alan E. Freeland Chair of Hand Surgery, Professor and Chief Division of Hand and Upper Extremity, University of Mississippi. Dr. Geissler was the first surgeon in Mississippi to implant the WristMotion TWA System. “It is truly the next generation of total wrist arthroplasty,” said Dr. Geissler.
 
The WristMotion TWA System, along with the WristMotion Hemiarthroplasty System, provide surgeons with multiple treatment options for different stages and severities of wrist arthritis. Both options are available in the United States, and the WristMotion Hemiarthroplasty System was recently launched in Europe.
 
References
¹ As of July 31, 2021. Data on file.
² Preclinical data on file. Results may not correlate to clinical performance.