The Equinoxe stemless shoulder (Image courtesy of Exactech)
Exactech (NSDQ:EXAC) announced this week that it is switching its Equinoxe stemless shoulder implant to a 3D laser printing manufacturing process.
Designed as a bone-conserving anatomic total-shoulder prosthesis, the stemless shoulder is now being manufactured using direct metal printing with high-precision lasers to create its porous bone cage. The implant previously was created through 3D printing through electron beam melting (EBM) and originally released in 2018.
“We have been incredibly pleased with our original EBM stemless shoulder implant and the early positive clinical feedback we received from our surgeon customers,” said Exactech VP of extremities Chris Roche in a news release. “The new laser-printed device is built on this solid foundation while also giving us the ability to ramp up production to serve even more patients, which drives us and fulfills our mission,”
Orthopedic surgeon Curtis Noel of the Crystal Clinic in Akron, Ohio, was one of the first to perform surgery with the implant earlier this month.
“As a member of the design team, I am very proud to be one of the first to implant the laser-printed stemless shoulder,” Noel said. “The bone-conserving design, along with its compatibility to the Equinoxe shoulder system, make this a great solution for both patients and surgeons.”
Gainesville, Fla.-based Exactech said it plans to transition all U.S. stemless shoulder procedures to its laser-printed devices throughout the rest of the year.
