Alpharetta, Ga., October 2, 2018 — Solvay, a leading global supplier of specialty polymers, announced during NASS 2018 last week that Innovative Surgical Designs, a developer and manufacturer of orthopedic spinal systems, chose Ixef® polyarylamide (PARA) resin to innovate a new single-use surgical instrument kit for minimally invasive spinal fusion surgery. Innovative Surgical Designs’ new Redi-Spine™ kit leverages Ixef® PARA’s mechanical strength, moldability and gamma sterilizability to offer an economical alternative to reusable stainless steel instruments.
“Ixef® PARA’s metal-like strength and rigidity enabled us to simplify and deliver Redi-Spine™ instruments in a compact, elegant kit,” explained Jon Rinehart, chief financial officer of Innovative Surgical Designs. “When we first started heading down the path of polymer instruments, I candidly admit that I was skeptical. I didn’t think an injection-molded alternative to stainless steel was possible. But when we started working with Solvay’s Ixef® PARA resin, I realized how wrong I was. We wouldn’t be able to offer the Redi-Spine™ kit for all of our surgeons’ one- and two-level cases without Solvay’s high-performance polymer and application support.”
Designed to withstand the severe torsional forces and rigors of thoracolumbar spinal fixation, Innovative Surgical Designs’ Redi-Spine™ instruments received 510(k) clearance from the U.S. Food & Drug Administration (FDA) in August. It contains multiple disposable, handheld instruments including a T-ratchet handle, counter-torque tool and gearshift probe that are molded entirely or in part from Solvay’s Ixef® GS-1022 PARA.
Ixef® GS-1022 PARA can be sterilized with gamma ray radiation without any significant change to its mechanical properties, ultra-smooth finish or color. Solvay offers the material in a range of gamma-stabilized colors, from which Innovative Surgical Designs, Inc. chose gray for its kit. Solvay’s polymer has also been evaluated for ISO 10993 limited duration biocompatibility and is supported by an FDA Master Access File, which can help streamline regulatory approvals.
“The growing adoption of single-use surgical instruments has increasingly established Solvay’s Ixef® PARA as a mainstream material for these applications,” said Jeff Hrivnak, business manager for Healthcare at Solvay’s Specialty Polymers Global Business Unit. “We continue to build on our early and proactive support of this trend by working closely with trailblazers like Innovative Surgical Designs, Inc. to help optimize their products for molding and speed to market.”
Innovative Surgical Designs plans to launch the Redi-Spine™ kit during the fourth quarter of 2018. For more related news about specialty polymers for healthcare, please go to www.solvayhealthcarenews.com.
® Ixef is a registered trademark of Solvay
™ Redi-Spine is a trademark of Innovative Surgical Designs
