Exactech, Inc., of Gainesville, Florida, has sponsored the first successful surgery using its new Vantage Total Ankle Mobile Bearing System.
Exactech Installs World’s First Mobile Bearing System Ankle
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This device is the newest addition to the Exactech extremities product line.
Victor Valderrabano, M.D., Ph.D., chairman of the Swiss Ortho Center, Basel, Switzerland, performed this first case in the world surgery. He said of the experience, “It was a momentous occasion, and we were pleased with the implants’ streamlined technique, practical instrumentation and thoughtfully designed implants.”
In addition to performing the ankle replacement, Valderrabano corrected the patient’s ankle deformity through fibular lengthening and calcaneal osteotomies. “This case had an added layer of complexity since the patient was in valgus, but after the deformity correction, we were able to move forward with the replacement,” Valderrabano said.
According to Exactech Vice President of Extremities Marketing Darin Johnson, the ankle system represents years of collaboration among Exactech officials, Valderrabano and a design team at the orthopedic department of Duke University in Durham, North Carolina. He said that Mark Easley, M.D.; James Nunley, M.D.; and James DeOrio, M.D., have already implanted a large number of the fixed bearing version of the Vantage Ankle.
The Vantage Ankle Mobile-Bearing System received CE approval in Europe, and full European market launch is slated for 2018. The Vantage Ankle Mobile Bearing System is not yet available for sale in the U.S.
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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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