Smith & Nephew’s oxidized zirconium given premium reimbursement in Japan for hip replacement implants

OXINIUM, oxidized zirconium, the patented advanced bearing material from Smith & Nephew Orthopaedics Division, has been awarded a C1 premium reimbursement classification in Japan for use in hip replacement surgery, according to a press release.

The decision by the Central Medical Insurance Committee comes 3 years after it awarded Smith & Nephew with Japan’s first-ever premium price reimbursement for an orthopedic implant, for the use of OXINIUM material in total knee replacement implants. Smith & Nephew said it is the only orthopedic medical device company to have been awarded C1 reimbursement for both hip and knee replacement implants.

The C1 classification rewards innovative products with a higher reimbursement price and is reserved for those products where the advantages over other available products are recognized by Japan’s Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare, according to the release.

OXINIUM Oxidized Zirconium is a metal alloy whose surface takes on the hard, wear-reducing properties of ceramic during a proprietary heating process. Since it has the abrasion resistance of a ceramic, it reduces implant wear by 98% when coupled with a cross-linked polyethylene cup, compared to traditionally used implant materials. At the same time, it retains the strength of the underlying zirconium metal alloy, thus eliminating the risk of fracture associated with ceramic implants, the company noted.

“It is truly an honor for OXINIUM material to have been awarded with premium reimbursement in Japan twice in 3 years — first for knee replacements, and now for hip replacements,” Joseph M. DeVivo, president of Smith & Nephew Orthopaedics, stated in the release. “It’s a testament to our drive to innovate — our material technology is unrivalled globally, and now patients in Japan will have access to the centerpiece of our advanced bearings portfolio.”