Stryker
Monterey AL Interbody System
Stryker announced on October 4 the launch of the Monterey AL Interbody System, a stand-alone interbody fusion device designed for anterior lumbar interbody fusion (ALIF). It is made up of both solid and porous structures within a single implant, using Stryker’s proprietary Tritanium In-Growth Technology, a material designed to mimic cancellous bone and provide an environment favourable to bone regeneration and fusion.
Stryker claims that new data demonstrates undifferentiated stem cells grown on Tritanium exhibited osteogenic Alkaline Phosphatase without requiring growth factor supplements.
Tritanium is a 3D printed, novel, porous titanium material designed for bone-in-growth and biological fixation, built using AMagine, Stryker’s proprietary approach to implant creation using additive manufacturing.
“No one understands 3D printing like Stryker – the fact that they’ve been able to dial in the right mix of small, medium, and large pores in a reproducibly randomised matrix is incredible,” said Bala Giri, MD, President and Founder, Texas Neuro Spine Institute. “Their growing body of pre-clinical data, specifically the cellular findings published most recently, makes my decision very straightforward. Our goal with any implant is spinal fusion, and Stryker has taken a very intentional approach to designing the Tritanium cages with this goal in mind.”
The Monterey AL features deeper and narrower cage footprints that Stryker says allows surgeons to create indirect decompression by distracting the disc space posteriorly. The geometries are designed to both help prevent the cage from impinging posteriorly into the neural foramen and lessen the need to countersink the cage, thereby allowing for easy access to the anterior screw holes.
The robust medial attachment, multiple technique possibilities, and a wide variety of screwdriver options are designed to facilitate clear visualisation of and easy access to the surgical site once the approach is complete and a retractor is in place.
“This is an exciting time for our division, as we continue to build momentum and expand our portfolio to bring new technology to our surgeon customers,” said Robbie Robinson, President of the Spine division at Stryker. “One of our goals as a medical technology company and an implant manufacturer is to complement clear visualisation and easy access with intuitive instruments and biologically inspired implant designs.”
This past summer, Stryker opened a new additive manufacturing facility in Cork, Ireland, creating capacity for 600 high-tech jobs.
