Stryker (NYSE:SYK) announced today that its trauma & extremities division launched its Citrelock tendon fixation device system.
According to a news release, the Citrelock system offers surgeons a differentiated design through a tendon thread featuring a resorbable technology — Citregen — that has unique chemical and mechanical properties for orthopedic surgical applications.
Citrelock features a controlled and homogeneous resorption process designed to prevent bulk degradation and chronic inflammation while offering strength comparable to cortical bone with a modulus comparable to cancellous bone, Stryker said.
Additionally, Citregen contains citrate, calcium and phosphate molecules that are inherent to the bone anatomy, while the platform includes a material polymer structure designed to mimic the extracellular matrix protein network. Citregen maintains its structural integrity during the healing phase, too, while the implant is replaced by host tissue over time.
The company plans to debut the Citrelock platform at the American Orthopaedic Foot & Ankle Society annual meeting next week in Charlotte, N.C.
“Our customers are looking for a more predictable and effective bioresorbable material than what is currently on the market,” Stryker foot & ankle VP of marketing & medical education Michael Rankin said in the release. “The Citrelock tendon fixation device system helps fill that need with its innovative material technology and unique design. Citregen is an exciting addition to Stryker’s existing biomaterial portfolio and will be expanded for use in additional Stryker trauma & extremities indications in the future.”