In moments that demand flexibility in the operating room, surgeons now have a new tool. Lenkbar LLC, a company based in Naples, Florida, has developed FlexMetric, a flexible surgical shaft. According to the January 11, 2017 news release, “After several years of research, strength testing, and validations, Lenkbar recently launched the FlexMetric acetabular drill for total hip replacement surgery.”
Lenkbar Develops Super Flexible Super Shaft

“Variable angle Fighting Dovetail links power the patented FlexMetric shaft. Because the dovetail links are segmental and interlocked, the FlexMetric drill navigates the angles the surgeon desires while retaining the shaft strength the surgeon needs in either clockwise or counter-clockwise rotation. The unique design results in optimal, tactile control and predictability.”
“By listening to the needs of today’s orthopedic surgeon, Lenkbar brings intuition to innovation. The new FlexMetric drill is the right tool for total hip replacement surgery and has rendered other flexible drills obsolete, ” said company President and COO Erik Papenfuss.
Lenkbar’s Medical Director Mort Bertram, M.D. told OTW, “Unlike other flexible shafts, the FlexMetric shaft is robust, precise and, most importantly, predictable in the operative wound. Finally, orthopedic surgeons have access to frustration-free flexibility.”
“As a single-use flexible drill, the FlexMetric acetabular drill combines first-use drill sharpness with Lenkbar’s elegantly controlled flexibility. Once the surgeon uses the FlexMetric drill, he will never go back to any other flexible drill.”

Discussion
This is a fascinating development. In my practice we've seen similar outcomes with the revised protocol. The key differentiator seems to be patient selection criteria. Has anyone else noticed the correlation with BMI thresholds?
Great point. I'd push back slightly on the conclusion, the sample size in the cited study is too small to draw population-level inferences. That said, the directional signal is compelling and worth a larger RCT.
We implemented a similar approach last year. Early results are promising but we're still gathering 12-month follow-up data. Happy to share our protocol if anyone is interested.
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