Globus Medical has launched the Quartex occipito-cervico-thoracic (OCT) stabilisation system. According to a company release, the product offers a variety of solutions to the challenges associated with posterior OCT fusion, while delivering reliability and ease of use.
Quartex screw heads accept 3.5mm or 4mm rods in either titanium or cobalt chrome alloy and offer 90° of conical angulation. Quartex is designed to allow surgeons to take full advantage of thoracic anatomy through the use of larger screws with diameters up to 5.5mm. Refined instruments facilitate construct assembly with efficient reduction options and intuitive screwdrivers.
Richard Frisch, orthopaedic spinal surgeon (Mount Pleasant, USA) says, “I am excited that I can choose a 4mm rod for my longer constructs and larger diameter screws in the upper thoracic pedicles. The increased stiffness and bone purchase gives me a lot of confidence in the stability of the construct. The drivers provide firm attachment to the screws and the threaded locking caps engage easily.”
The Quartex system implants are intended to provide immobilisation and stabilisation of spinal segments as an adjunct to fusion for the following acute and chronic instabilities of the craniocervical junction, the cervical spine and the thoracic spine: traumatic spinal fractures and/or traumatic dislocations; instability or deformity; failed previous fusions (eg. pseudoarthrosis); tumours involving the cervical/thoracic spine; and degenerative disease, including intractable radiculopathy and/ or myelopathy, neck and/or arm pain of discogenic origin as confirmed by radiographic studies, and degenerative disease of the facets with instability.
The implants are also intended to restore the integrity of the spinal column even in the absence of fusion for a limited time period in patients with advanced stage tumours involving the cervical spine in whom life expectancy is of insufficient duration to permit achievement of fusion. In order to achieve additional levels of fixation, according to the press release, rods may be connected to occipital cervical thoracic or thoracolumbar stabilisation systems ranging in diameter from 3.2mm to 6.5mm, using corresponding connectors.
