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Smith & Nephew releases new distal targeting system
New TRIGEN SURESHOT Distal Targeting System eliminates significant radiation exposure during intramedullary nail cases.
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Smith & Nephew Orthopaedics Division announced in a press release the introduction of the TRIGEN SURESHOT Distal Targeting System, a small, portable device that can eliminate a significant amount of radiation exposure over the course of the career of an orthopaedic trauma surgeon. The 3-D imaging system replaces the radiation-emitting, fluoroscopic “c-arm,” traditionally used during tibial and femoral nail cases to achieve proper distal screw placement.
“We’ve achieved a real breakthrough with the TRIGEN SURESHOT device,” Smith & Nephew Orthopaedics President Joseph M. DeVivo, said. “Not only does it eliminate a considerable amount of radiation exposure for the orthopedist, as well as the OR staff, but it can contribute to a safer, faster, and more accurate procedure for patients. While successful patient outcomes are paramount, the safety of surgeons and nurses matters, too.”
A recent study quantified the impact the TRIGEN SURESHOT has on both radiation levels and case length. It was shown to eliminate 36 seconds of fluoroscopy exposure (0.785 radiation absorbed doses, or rads) during tibial fracture cases and 49 seconds during femoral fracture cases (2.362 rads). For an orthopedic trauma surgeon who performs one intramedullary nail case per week, this equals more than 6 hours of radiation eliminated over the course of 10 years. As the risk of death from cancer increases 3% for every rad of exposure during one’s lifetime, this typical surgeon would be spared from 810 rads of total radiation exposure, the company said.
In the same recent study, the degree of precision TRIGEN SURESHOT delivered contributed to a first-time drilling accuracy rate of 100% in tibia cases and 96% in femoral cases. This consistency reduced distal locking time by 48% during tibial nail cases and by 32% during femoral nail cases, resulting in less anesthesia and risk of infection for the patients.
Additionally, because the TRIGEN SURESHOT is a small, portable device, the patient’s leg does not require repositioning in order to achieve continuous visualization. This is a common requirement during fluoroscopic C-arm use and it can lead to fracture misalignment and the need to re-reduce the patient’s fracture.
The TRIGEN SURESHOT works seamlessly with the TRIGEN META-NAIL system, part of the TRIGEN nail family—the versatile, fracture-specific nail system with a 10-year clinical history of proven results.