Suture anchors, used to attach ligaments and tendons to bone, usually have a screw or interference fit. Now, Stryker ($SYK) is unveiling the only anchor that can liquefy and flow into spongy interior bone tissue for a stronger hold.
SonicAnchor is the only implant available in the U.S. that uses ultrasonic energy to liquefy its tip, made of a bioresorbable polymer, so it can flow into cancellous bone cavities. The tip then interlocks with the surrounding bone tissue and solidifies, providing stable fixation within 5 seconds, according to Stryker. It is intended for suture or tissue fixation in foot, ankle, knee, hand, wrist, elbow and shoulder procedures, Stryker said in a statement.
The implant may have a lower risk of breakage during insertion than traditional suture anchors, according to the statement. It also has a lower pullout strength, meaning it needs more force to dislodge it from where it has been fixed. The 2.5-mm-diameter implant can be used in surgeries such as Achilles tendon repair, midfoot reconstruction and digital tendon transfer.
"SonicAnchor is transforming the soft tissue experience, and we are excited Stryker is leading the way in providing this innovative solution to orthopaedic surgeons," said Tom Popeck, vice president and general manager of Stryker's Foot and Ankle unit, in the statement.
The devicemaker will present the implant alongside other soft tissue products at the American Orthopaedic Foot & Ankle Society’s annual meeting later this month. The products include the Anchorage 2 CP plating system for bone fixation and the Hoffmann Limb Reconstruction Frame, a ringlike device used to help align limbs during procedures.
- read the statement
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