The DePuy Synthes Companies of Johnson & Johnson announced the launch of the DePuy Synthes CMF MatrixWAVE MMF System, an adaptable wave-patterned bone borne plate and screw system designed for use in the temporary stabilization of mandibular and maxillary fractures and osteotomies.

The MatrixWAVE MMF System features short and tall plates with a novel wave pattern that enables surgeons to refine bone segment alignment after wiring without requiring them to reposition screws.  The adaptable plates can be stretched or compressed for positioning away from tooth roots and nerves in an effort to reduce the risk of soft tissue injury. The new system has the potential to reduce operating room time and lower the risk of soft tissue and tooth root injury compared to arch bars and intermaxillary fixation (IMF) screws, the most common methods used to achieve maxillomandibular fixation (MMF).

"I believe MatrixWAVE MMF provides a safe, effective and efficient way to achieve fixation," said Scott P. Bartlett, M.D., Peter Randall Endowed Chair in Pediatric Plastic Surgery, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, University of Pennsylvania. "It is designed to help optimize patient comfort and offers many of the combined benefits of arch bars and IMF screws."

The MatrixWAVE MMF System wave plates and self-drilling locking screws are designed to offer the strength and rigidity of arch bars and the simplicity of IMF screws. The plates attach to the lower and upper jaw with 1.85mm-diameter screws with rounded heads, the smallest MMF screws on the market, and hooks for wire. The system eliminates the need for interdental wiring, which has the potential to reduce the risk of tooth loosening and wire sticks. The system is also designed to help minimize soft tissue growth over the screw with accessible screw heads that sit above the tooth and offer additional anchor points for occlusal stability and approximation of bone segments. The fixation device can be removed under local anesthesia in a clinic or office setting.

"Traditional MMF techniques can be time consuming, difficult on soft tissue and may require removal in an OR, among several other limitations," said I.V. Hall, Global Orthopaedics Franchise Unit Leader, DePuy Synthes Trauma, CMF and Veterinary. "MatrixWAVE MMF was designed with the intent of addressing these concerns and expands our portfolio of maxillomandibular solutions. This is an example of how we are delivering on our commitment to respond to the needs of our customers with innovative product solutions that help advance patient care."

DePuy Synthes CMF offers a comprehensive portfolio of implant systems for surgeons to treat patients who have sustained conditions affecting the face, head, neck and thorax, including solutions for craniomaxillofacial, sternum and rib fixation.