DJO Global’s DJO Surgical Business Unit Signs Agreement with University of Utah to Develop Implant Prosthesis to Aid Above the Knee Amputees (press release)
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DJO Global, Inc., a global provider of medical device solutions for musculoskeletal health, vascular health and pain management, today announced that its DJO Surgical business unit and The University of Utah (Salt Lake City, Utah) have signed a license agreement that will enable DJO Surgical to develop a percutaneous osseointegrated prosthesis (POP) for above the knee amputees.
An alternative to traditional socket technology, POP involves an implant in the femur that protrudes through the skin and attaches to a prosthetic limb. Prior POP development efforts have encountered difficulty with infection at the site where the implant protrudes through the skin. Based at the University of Utah, Dr. Roy Bloebaum, PHD and his team of researchers have developed a device using DJO Surgical’s new proprietary titanium P(2)(P-squared) porous coating. P(2) acts as both the bone in-growth as well as the seal material on the implant that provides a “soft tissue seal” around the device to prevent bacteria from entering the body. Backed by an animal study involving over 80 sheep implanted with this device, no infections were found after one year and the implant showed excellent mechanical strength. Development work on the human implant has already started and clinical trials are expected to begin in approximately two years. The initial trial sites are expected to be within the VA system and most of the patients are expected to be war veteran amputees. The Department of Defense is eager to see rapid advancements in amputee care and have provided grant money to this end.
“We are excited to sign this partnership agreement with The University of Utah and Dr. Bloebaum,” said Bryan Monroe, Senior Vice President and General Manager of DJO Surgical. “With the combination of our proprietary titanium P(2) porous coating and Dr. Bloebaum’s unique approach for POP, we believe that we have developed a winning solution that will have a monumental impact on the lives of amputees.”
About University of Utah
The University of Utah, located in Salt Lake City in the foothills of the Wasatch Range, is the flagship institution of higher learning in Utah. Founded in 1850, it serves more than 31,000 students from across the United States and the world. With more than 72 major subjects at the undergraduate level and more than 90 major fields of study at the graduate level, including law and medicine, the university prepares students to live and compete in the global workplace. Learn more about all the U has to offer online at http://www.utah.edu .