4Web Medical is the first company to get FDA clearance for an additively manufactured spine implant in the US. The company announced at the North American Spine Society annual meeting in Chicago on Wednesday that they plan to launch their Posterior Spine Truss System in the US market.

 

An Innovative Advancement

 

Considered to be the leader in the 3D printed implant market, 4Web Medical has 3D printed around 6000 truss implants that have been used in surgeries throughout the world. The Posterior Spine Truss System is the company’s latest development in body fusion devices. The system can be used in many posterior spine procedures, such as PLIF, TLIF and Oblique approaches.

 

"The Posterior Spine Truss System represents a significant advancement in treatment options for my lumbar spine patients,” said Chief of Orthopedic Spine Surgery at Georgetown University Hospital, S. Babak Kalantar, M.D. "The expansion of 4WEB's novel truss implant technology into posterior spine procedures will allow me to utilise an implant with proven clinical benefits across the majority of spine surgeries that I perform.”

The Posterior Spine Truss System includes as selection of 150 implants, which surgeons can select from to find the right fit for their patient. The system is a step above what other orthopaedic companies are offering in terms if 3D printed manufacturing. Joseph O’Brien, M.D., the Medical Director of Minimally Invasive Spine Surgery at George Washington University Hospital explained that most companies are using the new technology to produce the same annualr designs that have been available for years.

 

“4WEB is unique in that they are the only company in the spine implant market to maximise the opportunity that 3D printing affords by producing truss designs with distinct structural mechanics that have considerable potential to accelerate healing for my patients. These patented structures were not even possible to manufacture at this scale until only a few years ago.”

 

Optimal Functionality

 

The spinal implants designed by 4WEB offer novel a functionality that optimizes durability and enhancing the lives of patients who receive them. This is largely due to their biconvex web structure. This design allows the implants to distribute weight over a larger surface area in contact with the spine. This will greatly reduce instances of sinking or caving of the bone.

The web structure of the spinal implants are actually where 4WEB Medical gets its name. The company utilized foundational research from topological dimension theory to develop the web structure, and brought it to life with the 3D printer.

 

4WEB provides implant solutions for Orthopedic and Neuro surgeons, including the Cervical Spine Truss System, the Posterior Spine Struss System, the Osteotomy Truss System and the ALIF Spine Truss System. Current research will bring forth new innovations in implant designs for the knee and hip, as well as trauma and patient specific solutions.

 

Photo Credits: 4WEB Medical