Absorbable Anchor for Fracture Fixation System

A new absorbable anchor for the TranSet fracture fixation system slowly degrades over time, eliminating the need for surgical removal. The anchor has been cleared by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

TranSet is a fracture fixation system that employs suture and anchors to set bones and tissue. Anchors are applied to the outer bone cortex with suture running across the fracture, providing stabilization and linear fixation of the bone or tissue fragments. This compresses the bone or tissue fragments to promote healing. The TranSet fracture fixation system and the new anchor, called PLLA, will be displayed at the annual meeting of the American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons in San Francisco (CA, USA).

The cylindrical design of the TranSet anchors also allows them to be used in orthopedic ligament and tendon repair and reconstruction. They distribute suture tension over larger repair areas and eliminate any suture tearing or pulling through the tissue. The anchor and the fixation system are the products of Bonutti Technologies (Effingham, IL, USA). The company was founded by Peter M. Bonutti M.D., a pioneer in minimally invasive knee replacement and balloon dissection technology.