DePuy Synthes Spine has announced the launch of the Zero-P Natural plate to help maintain stability and support bone growth in spinal fusion procedures in the neck. The Zero-P Natural plate is designed for use with the CC Natural spacer, an allograft spacer that offers structural support and fusion potential, a company press release explains. The announcement was made at the North American Spine Society (NASS) annual meeting (26–29 October, Boston, USA).
The anterior plate and CC Natural allograft spacer are assembled together outside of the operating field, allowing for simultaneous insertion into the disc space during anterior cervical discectomy fusion (ACDF) procedures. The Zero-P Natural plate is anchored by four locking screws, which form a rigid bone wedge for stability.
Allograft interbody spacers are considered a primary choice for ACDF, representing 50% of all implanted cervical fusions, DePuy Synthes says. These spacers, including the CC Natural allograft spacer, work as a bridge to allow the natural bone to grow through the surface to support fusion.
The Zero-P Natural plate is the newest addition to the DePuy Synthes zero-profile family of products, which do not protrude past the anterior wall of the vertebral body, limiting the risk of damage to vessels and adjacent soft tissue. These plates are designed to prevent contact with adjacent levels. Cervical plates placed near adjacent level discs may contribute to bone formation near or around the adjacent level.
“Compared to ACDF with a traditional plate and allograft, there is no need to expose the vertebral bodies beyond their endplates, resect anterior osteophytes, or remodel the anterior surface of the vertebral bodies,” said Peyman Pakzaban, Houston MicroNeurosurgery, Houston, USA. “The insertion of a pre-fabricated allograft and the zero-profile plate is performed in one combined step.”
The CC Natural allograft spacer is processed by the Musculoskeletal Transplant Foundation, following stringent standards in tissue quality and safety through their approach to donor selection and allograft processing.
