Artelon® implant for rotator cuff reinforcement receives clearance for marketing in the USA

The biomaterials company Artimplant, has received clearance for marketing in the USA for its rotator cuff reinforcement patch. Arthrotek Inc., a Biomet company, will market the product under the name of Sportmesh™.

Rotator Cuff tear – a common condition The Rotator Cuff (RC) helps to lift and rotate the arm and to stabilize the shoulder. RC tear is a common cause of shoulder pain and disability. Currently more than 300,000 RC surgeries are performed each year in the USA. It is a condition seen both in the young and old. With age, the risk of RC injury increases since the muscle and tendon tissue of the RC looses some of its elasticity and becomes more susceptible to injuries. Causes of the injury may include every day activities such as lifting or reaching. The injury is also common among active people and people with physically demanding jobs. The Artelon® based Sportmesh™ adds additional strength In addition to using sutures or suture anchors for primary repair of RC tears, patients with extensive injury or poor tissue quality will benefit from additional support by applying the Artelon® RC reinforcement patch. The patch offers additional initial mechanical strength and provides a degradable scaffold that is incorporated into the patients own tissue. The long-term support from the degradable patch should increase long-term strength and minimize the risk of re-rupture. With the Artelon® RC reinforcement patch tissue irritation related to animal derived materials is eliminated. Artelon® - a unique biomaterial Sportmesh™ is made of Artelon®, a unique long-term degradable biomaterial that acts as a temporary scaffold to facilitate formation of new host tissue. Due to its versatility and unique combination of properties - long-term degradation, mechanical properties similar to human tendons and excellent biocompatibility in hard and soft tissue – Artelon® offers new solutions to unmet clinical needs in several therapy areas.