PLAINSBORO, N.J., Feb. 13, 2007 (PRIME NEWSWIRE) -- Integra LifeSciences Holdings Corporation (Nasdaq:IART) announced today the introduction of the Mid and Hind Foot Plating Systems. The Mid and Hind Foot Plating Systems have received clearance from the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in the United States, and a CE Mark Certification in the European Union, and will be featured at the American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons (AAOS) Meeting in February 2007. The Mid and Hind Foot Plating Systems were designed with the help of Robert Anderson, MD, Bruce Cohen, MD, W. Hodges Davis, MD, and Carroll Jones, MD, all practicing physicians with Orthocarolina in Charlotte, North Carolina.
"Integra's Hind Foot Plating System gives the surgeon one more option in treating patients with severe pain and deformity of the ankle and hind foot. Its flexibility, stability and functionality set it apart from options that are not designed for this use, but only modified," said Dr. Davis. "And for years, we've needed an anatomic fixation system for the mid foot that combines the best of locking plate technology with superior functionality. This is the only system available that makes it easy to address large and small problems in the mid foot with one simple to use system."
The Mid and Hind Foot Plating Systems consist of three separate plates designed specifically for mid and hind foot fusion, and are manufactured from stainless steel alloy for strength and durability. All plates incorporate the Surfix(TM) locking technology, which allows the surgeon to place the plate at the optimal distance from the bone and then lock the screws. Multiple screw sizes are available to accommodate the varying anatomy of the mid and hind foot.
Plating systems are frequently used to correct deformities of the foot, which can include fallen arches, arthritic changes, infections, and Charcot arthropathy, a disease that can occur in diabetes and other diseases that affect the sensory nervous system. Based on available procedural data, Integra estimates that there are over 100,000 mid and hind foot reconstructive procedures performed annually, with an estimated market value of $50 million.
The Mid and Hind Foot Plating Systems will be sold by Integra's Extremity Reconstruction sales organization, which includes over 60 U.S. sales specialists focused on lower extremity fixation, upper extremity fixation, wound repair, tendon protection, and peripheral nerve repair/protection.
Integra LifeSciences Holdings Corporation, a world leader in regenerative medicine, is dedicated to improving the quality of life for patients through the development, manufacturing, and marketing of cost-effective surgical implants and medical instruments. Our products, used primarily in neurosurgery, extremity reconstruction, orthopedics and general surgery, are used to treat millions of patients every year. Integra's headquarters are in Plainsboro, New Jersey, and we have research and manufacturing facilities throughout the world. Please visit our website at (http://www.Integra-LS.com).
This news release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, statements concerning the future use of the Mid and Hind Foot Plating Systems. Such forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from predicted or expected results. Among other things, the willingness of physicians to use these products may affect the prospects for their use in clinical procedures. In addition, the economic, competitive, governmental, technological and other factors, identified under the Risk Factors section of Integra's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2005, and information contained in subsequent filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, could affect actual results.