The AO Foundation and icotec ag have announced an agreement for the joint development of a new spinal stabilisation system based on icotec’s proprietary BlackArmor Carbon/PEEK composite implant material.
“The AO is delighted to partner with icotec ag, and to leverage its game changing technology platform based on its unique BlackArmor material,” Maarten Spruit, chair of the AO Technical Commission Spine explained. “Patients, surgeons, and radio-oncologists depend on artefact-free imaging, accurate radiation therapy, and reliable post-operative follow-up for the optimal treatment of spinal tumors and metastases. These interventions are often compromised by metal implants.”
Image artefacts of metal implants in different imaging modalities such as X-ray, CT, and MRI are a well-known obstacle in patient follow-up. When using non-metallic BlackArmor Carbon/PEEK implants, patients suffering from spinal tumours can be considered for a larger variety of treatment options with improved therapy planning, radiation dose delivery, and follow-up evaluation after separation surgery and stabilisation.
Roger Stadler, CEO of icotec ag, said: “Innovation translation at the AO is rooted in the AO’s Technical Commissions, which harness the profound expert knowledge of globally leading spine surgeons. They offer unparalleled knowhow to guide technologies from the concept stage throughout the entire lifecycle.”
