Medline Introduces New Screw System for Foot and Ankle Procedures

Medline has rolled out its Unite cannulated screw system for use in corrective procedures and fracture repairs, which the company claims is a “more efficient and simplified ways to perform orthopedic foot and ankle surgeries and help reduce errors.”

The company launched th technology during the Ambulatory Surgery Center Association’s recent annual meeting in Nashville, Tenn.

“The trays in the Medline Unite system are designed for easy handling and sterilization and the instruments and screws are color coded so that the learning curve is minimal for my staff, reducing mistakes and risk for errors,” said Lowell Weil, Jr., DPM, MBA, FACFAS, president of the Weil Foot & Ankle Institute. “The screw head design in this new system has the most up to date configuration which minimizes stripping and the time and hassle it takes to replace bad screws. I’ve put in over 300 Medline screws and have not had one screw strip yet, which ensures that the procedure is done right the first time.”

In the Unite system, the implants and instrumentation are color coded so staff can easily match the size of the screws with the corresponding instruments, and the contents of the tray system are organized in the order in which each item is used by staff during the procedure. Company officials claim the design makes the procedure more efficient for the surgical staff and surgeon and reduces the likelihood of errors. The implants are made of an advanced titanium alloy.

“The Medline Unite System makes our procedures so straight forward and easy to follow that our scrub techs can effectively use the system without having a company representative present during the procedure,” said Alan League, M.D., Illinois Bone and Joint Institute and clinical assistant professor, Orthopedic Surgery at University of Illinois, Chicago. “The system has helped to improve the efficiency and accuracy of our procedures and enhance patient care.”

Medline is headquartered in Mundelein, Ill., and is a privately held manufacturer and distributor of healthcare products,