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Medtronic launches anterior cervical fusion system
At the Congress of Neurological Surgeons Annual Meeting in Boston, Medtronic Inc. announced the U.S. launch of its Divergence Anterior Cervical Fusion System for the treatment of single-level cervical disc disease.
With the anterior cervical fusion system, the plate and interbody cage can be inserted simultaneously using a common set of instrumentation and one surgical technique. The system also incorporates a laterally divergent screw insertion technique, which reportedly requires less retraction compared to the traditional medially convergent screw insertion techniques used with other anterior cervical plating systems. Risks of the anterior cervical fusion system include early or late loosening of any or all components, and the development of new radiculopathy, myelopathy or pain.
“Physicians and patients will benefit from having access to these low-profile implants and an insertion technique that makes the [anterior cervical discectomy with fusion] ACDF procedure more efficient for the surgeon and less invasive for the patient,” Doug King, president of the Spinal business and senior vice president at Medtronic, stated in a company press release.