DePuy Mitek, Inc., a leading manufacturer of surgical sports medicine devices, announced the launch of the Spiralok absorbable suture anchor. Spiralok was developed to provide effective fixation in soft bone during rotator cuff repair. As a result, Spiralok provides 60 per cent better pullout strength than the leading competing product.

The bioabsorbable design of Spiralok includes four threads surrounding a solid, non-cannulated tapered inner core and an oval-shaped dual suture eyelet. The four threads help to set Spiralok apart by providing stronger pullout strength (the amount of force it would take for an anchor to pull out of bone) than the leading competing product. In combination with the four threads, the unique oval-shaped inserter provides 40 per cent higher torque strength (the amount of force one is able to apply when inserting the anchor into bone) than the leading competing product.

"I used Spiralok in surgery and was very pleased," said Dr. Steven W. Meier, from The Center for Advanced Sports Medicine, Knee and Shoulder in Summit, NJ. "It has excellent handling properties and lends itself well to arthroscopic as well as open repairs. This is going to be my new rotator cuff anchor," Dr. Meier said.

Innovations such as Spiralok and DePuy Mitek, Inc.'s, exclusive line of Bioknotless RC and Knotless anchors are driving the growth of minimally invasive rotator cuff procedures. DePuy Mitek, Inc., strives to make procedures easier and more consistent in older patients with soft and weak tissue. Instability repair in the shoulder has been widely performed arthroscopically for more than five years. During that same time frame arthroscopic rotator cuff repair was only attempted by a small percentage of sports medicine surgeons. Today, the arthroscopic approach to rotator cuff repair is becoming an option for a large portion of sports medicine surgeons and their patients.

"At DePuy Mitek, Inc., we make it our goal to provide better options for patients and surgeons," said Kevin Sidow, worldwide president, Depuy Inc. "Once again our goal holds the promise of becoming a reality in Spiralok. Working together with surgeons we are providing advancements - such as Spiralok and Bioknotless RC - as well as surgeon education to make less invasive rotator cuff repair options a reality for patients," Sidow said.

Spiralok is indicated for rotator cuff repair. It is available in 5.0 mm and 6.5 mm sizes.