New Suture for Attaching Soft Tissue to Bone

A new polyethylene suture for attaching soft tissue to bone utilizes a unique braid design that lends unusual strength to the suture.

Called Ultrabraid, the suture is designed to slide through tissue and anchors easily, resist fraying, and create a stronger knot than a traditional suture. While a polyester suture is currently used in shoulder surgery, it does not always result in a secure knot. Knots that fail after surgery may lead to additional and costly surgical intervention. Ultrabraid was developed by Smith & Nephew's Endoscopy division (Andover, MA, USA).

The suture comes loaded on Smith & Nephew's Twinfix range of suture anchors, used to repair shoulder injuries to the rotator cuff. More than six million people in the United States alone visit their doctor each year, complaining of shoulder pain. About a quarter of these will seek a specialist's care for rotator cuff repairs.

"It is critical in shoulder repair procedures to have access to products that will withstand wear and tear around the joint as the soft tissue heals,” noted Jim Taylor, president, Smith & Nephew Endoscopy. "Adding Ultrabraid suture to the Twinfix anchor system is yet another step in our mission to provide leading edge tools to our surgeon customers and their patients.”




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