December 11, 2020
The Sapphire X Anterior Cervical Fixation System features unique integrated instrumentation and high angulation screws designed to help surgeons perform the procedure while preserving the patient’s skeletal and muscle tissue.
Beyond a smaller incision is the expectation that the streamlined integrated instrumentation will reduce procedural steps and complexity. Spinal Elements reported that the first procedure was performed.
Orthopedic surgeon John DeVine, M.D., Professor and Chief of Spine Surgery at Augusta University Medical Center in Augusta, GA, said: “My first case with Sapphire X Anterior Cervical Fixation System was seamless. The single-step insertion of both the interbody spacer and the anterior plate was so effective, that it is quite impossible to make this procedure easier than it is with this system. The plate delivery system allows me to implant the plate safely without obstructing my visibility compared to connected plate-cage systems.”
After the procedure has taken place, the low-overhang implant is designed to minimize disruption to the patient’s nearby healthy anatomy, a feature that has been shown in studies to reduce the incidence of adjacent level ossification.
Jason Blain, CEO of Spinal Elements, stated: “This first procedure with Sapphire X is an exciting step forward for the MIS Ultra suite of products. We are pleased to offer an innovative solution in the anterior cervical fixation market segment and expand our disruptive MIS Ultra procedural offering.”
Spinal Elements is a Carlsbad, California-based medical device company focused on the design, development, and commercialization of a comprehensive portfolio of systems, products, and technologies for spine surgery procedures. A leading designer, developer, manufacturer, and marketer of innovative medical devices used in spinal surgical procedures, Spinal Elements combines leading medical device technologies, biologics, and instrumentation to create positive surgical outcomes that exceed surgeon and patient expectations. Spinal Elements has built a reputation delivering innovative and differentiated technologies that enable fundamental shifts in solutions for spine surgery. The company markets a complete portfolio of advanced spinal implant technologies.