Maxx Orthopedics, Inc., based in Norristown, Pennsylvania, has announced the commercial launch and first successful surgeries of its new Libertas Taper Reduced Uncemented Femoral Stem, a press fit, double tapered stem with Ti-GrowthC coating which promotes biological integration with the bone.
New Taper Reduced Uncemented Femoral Stem Launched
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Dr. Sridhar Durbhakula of OrthoBethesda, in Bethesda, Maryland, and a member of the Libertas TR design team, performed the first cases. He described the new stem and its primary features to OTW: “The reduced distal taper minimizes fracture risk and allows optimal proximal fixation, without ever getting caught up distally. The smaller neck length and variable offset options allows accuracy in achieving proper leg length and femoral offset for all patient anatomy, including smaller female patients. The newer generation of instrumentation affords a minimally invasive technique for surgical efficiency.”
“I have enjoyed working with the Maxx Orthopedics development team in designing this new stem choice. The Libertas TR rounds out their comprehensive array of options for primary total hip arthroplasty. I couldn’t be more excited about the Libertas TR stem!”
We asked Maxx Orthopedics COO Corey Perine about the challenges/milestones in reducing the distal taper and he told us: “The primary challenge in reducing the distal taper in the Libertas TR design was balancing the performance requirements—optimal proximal fit and distal reduction—for the global patient population we serve, where in some cases the proximal/distal mismatch can be exaggerated. Early results suggest we were able to find the sweet spot.”
“As with other features of the TR stems, finding the right neck lengths, offsets and angles was a balancing act, given the wide array of patients we serve around the world. During the design process, we talked to surgeons in a dozen countries and found that our U.S. surgeons were highly focused on offset flexibility, while surgeons elsewhere in the world, particularly in Asia, were much more concerned with the coxa vara option. While it demanded more resources working in parallel, we were able to deliver all of the required options in a unified, global platform.”
The stems are available in three neck angles and are compatible with the company’s Libertas Femoral Heads as well as the Libertas Acetabular Cup System.
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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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