~ New decortication system is the latest advancement in Tenon's next-generation SI joint fusion platform with additional innovative product launches expected in the coming quarters ~
Tenon Medical(R) Announces Completion of Initial Alpha Cases of the New Quickstep(TM) Decorticator for the Next-Generation SImmetry(R)+ SI Joint Fusion System

~ Quickstep Decorticator designed to streamline joint decortication and simplify the SImmetry+ surgical workflow ~
~ Full market release of Quickstep targeted for the first quarter of 2027. Company believes Quickstep will further support long-term adoption of the SImmetry+ System ~
LOS GATOS, CA / ACCESS Newswire / October 28, 2026 / Tenon Medical, Inc. (NASDAQ:TNON) ("Tenon" or the "Company"), a company redefining care for patients with sacro-pelvic disorders, today announced the completion of the initial alpha cases with its new Quickstep Decorticator. Quickstep is the latest advancement in a line of technology that makes up Tenon's next-generation SI joint fusion systems. The Company is targeting full market release of Quickstep in the first quarter of 2027. The alpha cases follow the recent full market launch of the Company's titanium 3D-printed lateral screw as part of the SImmetry+ SI Joint Fusion System.
Decortication: A Foundational Principle of True Arthrodesis
Achieving an authentic arthrodesis - a true biological fusion of bone across a joint, rather than fixation alone - has long depended on a well-defined set of surgical principles. Grounded in the AO principles that have guided orthopedic surgery for decades, these include thorough preparation of the joint surfaces, bone grafting, and rigid fixation that stabilizes the joint while a fusion response develops over time.
Joint preparation through decortication is intended to remove cartilage and the hard cortical surface of the joint to expose bleeding bone. This process releases the cellular and vascular elements that drive bone healing and creates a receptive bed for fusion. Without it, an implant may stabilize the SI joint mechanically, but the conditions that allow for bridging bone across the joint are significantly diminished.
The Quickstep Decorticator is designed to streamline the joint decortication step of the SImmetry+ procedure, a key step in preparing the joint for fusion. By simplifying instrumentation and reducing surgical steps, Quickstep is intended to help physicians work more efficiently in the operating room while remaining true to the AO-based fusion principles that underpin the SImmetry+ System: joint preparation, bone grafting, and rigid fixation. The company believes that procedural efficiency, ease of use and repeatability are key drivers of physician adoption, and the Company views Quickstep as an important step in expanding the SImmetry+ user base. Key features of the Quickstep include:
Drill and decorticate through one instrument. Surgeons can drill and decorticate the SI joint through a single instrument, reducing the need to switch between separate tools and consolidating multiple procedural steps into fewer ones.
Interchangeable cutting blades in multiple sizes. The system includes a choice of interchangeable cutting blades in various sizes, allowing surgeons to tailor decortication to the individual patient's anatomy.
Designed to support fusion. Quickstep is designed to decorticate the SI joint to help evoke a fusion response with the system's 3D-printed titanium implants, whose porous surface matrix is designed to facilitate bone ongrowth directly on the implant surface.
"Placing a screw across a symptomatic SI joint has shown to provide immediate stabilization and reduce painful micromotion of the joint; however, achieving a long-term arthrodesis should be the goal every time we treat SI joint dysfunction, just as it is in spinal fusion. Decortication of the SI joint is a critical step in achieving a lasting arthrodesis, but has historically been difficult to perform consistently and efficiently," said Sunil Panchal, MD, Founder and CEO of the National Institute of Spine and Pain in Tampa, Florida. "In my initial alpha cases with Quickstep, drilling and decorticating through the same instrument along a single trajectory eliminated several instrument exchanges and streamlined the workflow under fluoroscopy. The interchangeable cutting blades allowed me to select the most appropriate size cutting element for my patient's specific SI joint anatomy, so I could achieve thorough intra-articular preparation tailored to that joint."
"The Quickstep technology reflects our continued investment in the SImmetry+ platform and our commitment to giving physicians the tools they need to achieve consistent outcomes for their patients," said Steven M. Foster, President and Chief Executive Officer of Tenon. "Quickstep is intended to make the procedure more efficient without compromising the fusion principles at the core of SImmetry+. By giving physicians a simpler, streamlined decortication step, we believe Quickstep may further support long-term adoption of the SImmetry+ System. We look forward to feedback from our alpha physicians as we prepare for full market release in the first quarter of 2027."
Quickstep further strengthens Tenon's multi-approach sacro-pelvic portfolio. Tenon offers multiple SI joint fusion solutions tailored to physician preference: including lateral approaches with the SImmetry+ System, and an inferior-posterior approach with the Catamaran® SI Joint Fusion System.
About Tenon Medical, Inc.
Tenon Medical, Inc. is a medical device company dedicated to transforming care for patients with certain sacro-pelvic disorders. Tenon was incorporated in the State of Delaware in 2012 and currently offers two systems to treat a diseased sacroiliac joint (the "SI Joint"). The Company has developed The Catamaran™ SI Joint Fusion System that offers a novel, less invasive approach to the SI Joint using a single, robust titanium implant. In August 2025, the Company acquired substantially all of the assets of SiVantage, Inc. and SIMPL Medical, LLC, including the SImmetry+® SI Joint Fusion System, which treats disorders of the SI Joint through a minimally invasive lateral access solution that incorporates well-established orthopedic fusion principles. Since the national launch of The Catamaran System in October 2022, Tenon has been focused on three commercial opportunities: 1) primary SI Joint procedures, 2) revision procedures of failed SI Joint implants and 3) SI-Joint fusion adjunct to a spine fusion construct.
For more information, please visit www.tenonmed.com. Information on the Company's website does not constitute a part of and is not incorporated by reference into this press release.
The Tenon Medical logo shown above, and Catamaran®, PiSIF®, CAT PiSIF®, ETAD®, Posterior Inferior Sacroiliac Fusion®, CAT SIJ Fusion System®, Catamaran SIJ Fusion System®, Catamaran Inferior Posterior Fusion System®, Catamaran Transfixation Fusion System®, Catamaran Transfixation Fusion Device®, SImmetry® are registered trademarks of Tenon Medical, Inc. MAINSAILTM is also a trademark of Tenon Medical, Inc.
Safe Harbor
This press release contains "forward-looking statements," within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, which are statements related to events, results, activities or developments that Tenon expects, believes or anticipates will or may occur in the future. Forward-looking statements often contain words such as "intends," "estimates," "anticipates," "hopes," "projects," "plans," "expects," "seek," "believes," "see," "should," "will," "would," "target," "may," "designed to," and similar expressions and the negative versions thereof. These forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, statements regarding the timing of the full market release of the Quickstep Decorticator, including the target of the first quarter of 2027; the anticipated benefits, performance and physician acceptance of Quickstep, its expected impact on procedural efficiency and on adoption of the SImmetry+ System and expansion of its user base; the timing and success of additional product launches expected in the coming quarters; the anticipated commercial performance, adoption and demand for the SImmetry+ system; the timing of deployment of additional instrument sets; the development and timing of the next-generation lateral SI joint fusion system and future product launches; the SImmetry+ platform as a growth driver; the expected benefits of the Company's acquisition of SiVantage, Inc. and SIMPL Medical, LLC; the Company's market position and ability to expand market share; and anticipated clinical outcomes. Such statements are based on Tenon's experience and perception of current conditions, trends, expected future developments and other factors it believes are appropriate under the circumstances, and speak only as of the date made. Forward-looking statements are inherently uncertain and actual results may differ materially from assumptions, estimates or expectations reflected or contained in the forward-looking statements as a result of various factors, including, among others, the results of early clinical use and physician feedback; potential delays in product development, manufacturing or commercialization; regulatory matters; market acceptance; competition; and the Company's ability to fund its operations. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements. For details on the uncertainties that may cause Tenon's actual results to be materially different than those expressed in any forward-looking statements, please review Tenon's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2025, as updated from time to time in Tenon's Form 10-Q filings and in Tenon's other public filings on file with the SEC at www.sec.gov, particularly the information contained in the sections entitled "Risk Factors." We undertake no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements to reflect new information or future events or otherwise, except as required by applicable law.
Sunil Panchal, MD is a paid consultant to Tenon Medical, Inc.
Investor Contact
Shannon Devine
MZ North America
203-741-8811
tenon@mzgroup.us
SOURCE: Tenon Medical
Author
The De Angelis Group | Orthopedics This Week | MSK Innovations
Why This Matters
Two Perspectives
MBA Lens: Economic and industry impact
Tenon Medical's Quickstep Decorticator, targeting Q1 2027 full market release, is a strategic advancement for the SImmetry+ SI Joint Fusion System. Designed to streamline surgical workflow and enhance procedural efficiency, it aims to drive physician adoption and expand the user base. This innovation strengthens Tenon's multi-approach sacro-pelvic portfolio, supporting long-term market presence through improved ease of use and repeatability.
- The Quickstep Decorticator is expected to boost SImmetry+ system adoption by simplifying decortication, reducing surgical steps, and improving efficiency.
- Tenon's strategy involves continuous innovation within the SImmetry+ platform and offering diverse SI joint fusion solutions to cater to physician preferences.
PhD Lens: Clinical and outcomes impact
The Quickstep Decorticator facilitates true arthrodesis by streamlining sacroiliac joint decortication, a critical step for bone fusion. It removes cartilage and cortical bone to expose bleeding bone, promoting cellular and vascular elements for healing. This single-instrument system, with interchangeable blades, is designed to enhance fusion response with 3D-printed titanium implants, aligning with established AO principles.
- The device integrates drilling and decortication into one instrument, reducing procedural steps and allowing tailored joint preparation with interchangeable cutting blades.
- It supports biological fusion by preparing the joint surface to promote bone healing and ongrowth with the SImmetry+ system's porous 3D-printed titanium implants.

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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