Wright Medical Introduces Multi-Use Compression Screw For Foot And Ankle Surgery

Arlington, TN - Wright Medical Group, Inc., the orthopaedic medical device company, recently announced the commercial launch of the CHARLOTTE 7mm Multi-Use Compression (MUC) Screw System for foot and ankle surgery. The 7mm MUC screw system is the latest addition to Wright's market-leading portfolio of reconstructive and biologic products for foot and ankle surgery.

The 7mm MUC screw is a "headless" design capable of producing increased compression values over traditional, headed screw designs. The "head" on a traditional headed screw sits prominently above the surface of the bone which can irritate the soft tissues in the heel or ankle when the patient walks. This can lead to sustained discomfort for the patient, and may require secondary surgery to remove the screw. The 7mm MUC screw system was engineered to address the potential shortcomings of traditional screws by creating a head that resides completely within the bone, rather than above the bone surface.

Bruce Cohen, M.D. at OrthoCarolina in Charlotte, North Carolina, commented, "Because of patient discomfort, I was experiencing a significant screw removal rate in patients with large, headed screws. I needed a headless solution, and it was imperative that it provide adequate compression. The 7mm MUC screw meets both of these important design considerations, and represents what we believe to be a significant advance in reconstructive surgery of the hindfoot."

Aaron C. Smith, Wright's Senior Director of Extremity Marketing, added, "We are pleased to be offering the 7mm Multi-Use Compression Screw to our customers as the latest addition to our market-leading portfolio of reconstructive and biologic products for foot and ankle surgeons. We believe that this innovative screw design will address the well-documented patient concern over head prominence with traditional orthopaedic screws, while offering the surgeon a product that is elegantly designed for the unique surgical challenges of hindfoot fixation."

The Company estimates there are over 80,000 hindfoot, subtalar and ankle fusion surgeries each year in the U.S. The 7mm MUC screw system is designed to address a majority of these fusion procedures.

SOURCE: Wright Medical Group, Inc.