Wright Medical Rolls Out New Ankle Implant

Wright Medical Group Inc. has made the full commercial launch of its Infinity total ankle replacement (TAR) system in the United States. The Infinity TAR system also will be available on a limited basis in select countries outside the United States through Wright’s direct sales organization, according to the company.

Infinity combines a low-profile implant design and seamless integration with the company’s Prophesy pre-operative navigation alignment guides. It also features a distinctive talar resurfacing option for preservation of talar bone and a tibia design that is compatible with the Wright’s InBone II system.

“The Infinity total ankle system represents a breakthrough in treating end-stage ankle arthritis patients in that I now have the option of a low profile, bone conserving total ankle system that is fully integrated with the proven accuracy and reproducibility of Prophesy pre-operative navigation,” said Robert Anderson, M.D., foot and ankle surgeon at OrthoCarolina in Charlotte, N.C. “Importantly, the talar component of the Infinity ankle system is interchangeable with the InBone II system, which allows me to provide a true continuum of care for my total ankle replacement patients. In addition to the many patient-centered attributes of the INFINITY total ankle, my experience has been that procedure times with the Infinity ankle with Prophesy can be on par with fusion procedure times. I believe the result of these significant improvements in total ankle design and technique can be a win-win for end-stage ankle arthritis patients and physicians.”

Robert Palmisano, president and CEO of Memphis, Tenn.-based Wright claims this latest product launch extends his firm’s “leadership position and multi-year competitive lead” in total ankle technology and “represents a significant near-term opportunity” for Wright.

“This technology, combined with our new, streamlined go-to-market program should enhance our ability to lead in this under-penetrated market,” Palmisano said. “With the addition of Infinity to our existing ankle portfolio, which includes the widely acclaimed InBone total ankle system, Wright is first to offer best-in-class total ankle replacement systems that address the continuum of care for end-stage ankle arthritis patients. We believe Infinitys lower profile design and straightforward surgical approach expands our access to less complicated primary cases and will be an important catalyst in the ongoing market conversion from fusion procedures to total ankle replacement.”

Wright Medical is a specialty orthopedic company focused on extremity and biologic solutions.