Forma Medical, an emerging innovator in medical device technologies, announces today the launch of OptimalHT, the world’s first instrumented Minimally Invasive Surgery (MIS) Hammertoe Arthrodesis procedure. OptimalHT received FDA approval in July as the company’s inaugural product launch and has treated more than 50 hammertoe deformities.
“It’s no secret that minimally invasive surgery is the future of foot and ankle care,” said Dr. Noman Siddiqui, DPM, LifeBridge Health, Baltimore. “The novel OptimalHT approach for digital correction is ideal for less invasive surgery in the foot to reduce edema, expedite recovery, and achieve the results my patients demand.”
Less invasive than other hammertoe-specific products on the market, OptimalHT is a uniquely instrumented procedure designed to provide repeatable outcomes with minimal incisions. It is also more cost effective and scalable than other attempts at hammertoe-specific products.
“Receiving our first FDA approval and launching the OptimalHT system represents a pivotal moment for Forma Medical,” said James Gault, Vice President of Forma Medical. “With this FDA approval, we now have a platform to launch life-changing systems across multiple anatomies. We are continuing to push the envelope and expand our portfolio to advance patient care.”
According to the US Census Bureau, the country is seeing unprecedented growth in the active aging population. With the number of people experiencing painful hammertoe deformities at an all-time high, and expected to rise, the need to better meet patient expectations is imperative.
“Retrograde k-wire fixation has been an acceptable treatment for decades, yet I’ve recently come to appreciate that some patients are returning to my practice years later with recurrent toe deformities. When I give them the choice, they also seem to be less tolerant of the pins sticking out of the toe and more inclined to pursue a quicker return to standard footwear,” says Jesse Doty, MD, Erlanger Health System, Chattanooga. “With OptimalHT, it’s been seamless for me to incorporate the proven results of a k-wire or to take it a step further with more reliable fixation in a repeatable way that my patients find less inconvenient.”
Forma Medical will debut OptimalHT at the American Orthopedic Foot & Ankle Society (AOFAS) Annual Meeting in September. For more information about Forma Medical and to learn about the company’s groundbreaking technology, please visit www.formamedical.com or www.MIShammertoe.com.