Modular Shoulder Fracture Prosthesis Treats Complex Cases

A line of shoulder implants made from PyroCarbon offers a humeral resurfacing implant as well as a modular total shoulder, providing consistent patient outcomes.

The TITAN Modular Shoulder System offers a bone-preserving option for patients needing total or hemi shoulder arthroplasty. The modularity of the system allows surgeons independently to select distal stems and proximal bodies that best match the patient's anatomy and bone quality. The system is interchangeable, allowing all primary and fracture bodies to be used with either press-fit or cemented stems. One instrument set addresses multiple indications and allows for reproducible results, using a range of 12 concentric and 14 eccentric head options, bone-preserving primary and fracture modular bodies, and 8 primary body and 3 fracture body options.


The textured modular bodies promote initial and long-term bone fixation, while polished suture holes and grooves afford added fixation. There are 26 humeral head sizing options available, which are based on published anthropomorphic data from over 300 human humeri to provide anatomic fit. Splines on press-fit stem contribute to enhanced press fit and antirotation for a well-fixed stem, and smooth, fluted cemented stem allows for optimal cement fixation. The system also offers multiple glenoid options for patients needing total shoulder replacement, with proprietary cannulated and noncannulated glenoid instrumentation. The TITAN Modular Shoulder System is a product of Ascension Orthopedics (Austin, TX, USA).

"The TITAN System offers a modular fracture body, providing press fit application in managing comminuted proximal humerus fracture by hemiarthroplasty. By not using cement, I save considerable operative time and do not have to worry about the cement potentially causing a nonunion between the tuberosities and humeral shaft,” said William Geissler, MD, of the University of Mississippi Medical Center (Jackson, USA). "The reduced size fracture body makes it much easier to reduce the tuberosities. Also, the modularity of the different body heights enables me to obtain correct humeral head height to the glenoid after I have a tight fit of the stem in the proximal humerus. The prosthesis allows for a nice reduction, and the postoperative X-rays look very anatomic.”

PyroCarbon is a specific form of carbon that has been tailored for durability and compatibility. PyroCarbon demonstrates excellent wear characteristics, superior compatibility with joint cartilage and bone, and a modulus of elasticity similar to bone-minimizing stress, shielding effects and resorption, and direct bone apposition. It has portions of two-dimensional (2D) and three-dimensional (3D) crystalline structures, resulting in excellent strength and wear properties between those of graphite and diamond.

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Ascension Orthopedics