SeaSpine has announced the limited commercial launch of the Skipjack expandable interbody system. The first cases using the device, a press release reports, have been completed.
Skipjack is an expandable interbody system based on patented technology purchased as part of the company’s 2016 acquisition of NLT Spine.
Skipjack is designed to provide continuous in-situ expansion in either height or lordosis for a tailored anatomical fit. The implants are intended to provide up to 20 degrees of lordotic correction from a posterior approach, and are accompanied by integrated graft delivery instrumentation to post-pack the implant and surrounding disc space.
“The alpha launch of Skipjack reflects the culmination of our ability to identify and acquire novel technologies and combine it with our surgeon-focused development and marketing expertise to rapidly bring innovative new products to market,” said Keith Valentine, President and Chief Executive Officer of SeaSpine. “In surgeon-responsive and rapid fashion, SeaSpine has translated NLT’s intellectual property into what we believe will be high clinical-value products that contribute to improving patient lives.”
Skipjack provides surgeons the ability to place smaller implants that expand within the interbody space, potentially enabling smaller incisions and more limited nerve retraction without sacrificing the advantages of larger, but more disruptive, implants. This in-situ expansion is intended to reduce tissue disruption, minimise endplate damage and, thereby, improve patient outcomes.
“The parallel and lordotic options that Skipjack offers allow me to expand in-situ for a more patient-specific fit. The initial stability is excellent and being able to backfill the cage with the same set of instruments helps simplify the procedure,” states James Brennan, Sentara Virginia Beach Hospital, Virginia Beach, USA.
