Anchoring Sutures Help Repair Hips

A new bioabsorbable suture anchor enables surgeons to close tears or tighten the tissue of the labrum in arthroscopic repair of the hip joint.

The Bioraptor suture anchor, manufactured by Smith & Nephew Endoscopy (Andover, MA, USA), is a tiny, push-in, bioabsorbable, pre-threaded suture anchor that is implanted into the bony cup of the hip joint. This enables the surgeon to close tears or tighten the labral tissue as required. An improved eyelet design accommodates either one or two pre-loaded sutures, resulting in excellent suture sliding capability, even in the most challenging conditions, while the anchor's ribbed design provides superior pullout strength. Bioraptor is available with Smith and Nephew's Durabraid or Ultrabraid sutures.

The labrum is a fibrous ring of cartilage attached to the rim of the hip socket that helps stabilize the joint. Labral tears can be traumatic or degenerative, and are present in up to 90% of hip arthroscopy cases. They are common in athletes who make sudden stops or turns that stress the hip joint, resulting in hip pain, diminished athletic performance, and limitations on the activities of daily living. Injuries caused by degeneration are often associated with osteoarthritis if left untreated.

We're very excited about the future of our hip arthroscopy business, said Joseph Darling, vice president of marketing for Smith & Nephew Endoscopy. We are leveraging the best technologies of our knee and shoulder product lines, and working with leading surgeons and key opinion leaders in the industry to deliver devices that help people with hip pain regain their lives.




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