“We were extremely confident with the execution and success of the first U2 Knee System replacement,” said David Cashen, M.D., principal study investigator and practicing orthopedic surgeon at Coastal Orthopedics in Bradenton, Florida. “One day after surgery our patient is ambulating independently, performing a straight leg raise and confident to return home with only mild discomfort. We look forward to monitoring her recovery through our research.”
The U-Propel study was designed to enroll up to 200 patients. Patients are participating in baseline, pre-discharge, 6-week, 3-, 6- and 12-month, as well as annual follow-up visits for up to 5 years. The study’s primary endpoint is implant survivorship. The secondary endpoints are Knee Society Score; radiographic success; subject satisfaction; KOOS, Jr.; EQ-5D and operative characteristics. The study will run for seven years.
“For more than two decades, our company has been engaged in helping orthopedic surgeons deliver high-quality care to their patients, providing them with innovative products designed to improve patient health and satisfaction,” said Calvin Lin, “The U-Propel study underscores our continued commitment to orthopedic care, building upon our foundation of research that demonstrates the value of our solutions.”
Outcomes from the U-Propel study will be analyzed and published in three phases—after all enrolled patients have completed their six-week follow-up; at the two-year follow-up mark; and at the conclusion of the study.
The U2 Knee System offers a 155-degree high-flexion design and unique bone preserving properties. The knee, according to UOC, is ideal for reducing or relieving pain and/or improving knee function in skeletally mature patients who suffer from: rheumatoid arthritis, osteoarthritis, primary and secondary traumatic arthritis, avascular necrosis of the femoral condyle, and other debilitating conditions.
The accompanying instrument set supports minimally invasive surgical techniques and offers predictable accuracy and precision during implant preparation and placement.
Includes: cementless porous CR and cemented CR & PS components, Ti forged baseplate, XPE tibial and patellar components.
Future
An old and true saying is that business is all about relationships.
Over the last few years, Biomet was absorbed into Zimmer, DePuy became part of Johnson & Johnson, then Synthes was bolted on to DePuy and, if rumors are to be believed (which would certainly be stretching things considering how often they’ve been wrong), Smith & Nephew will eventually be a victim of the orthopedics’ consolidation wave.
Consolidation, necessarily, takes a toll on distributor and physician relationships.
Through it all, since 1993 in fact, United Orthopedic Corporation has been a constant presence in the global joint reconstruction market—nurturing its physician and distributor relationships.
Last year, UOC reported 1.8 billion (New Taiwan Dollar-TWD) sales—which is approximately $65 million in U.S. dollars. The published analyst reports are forecasting that UOC sales will approach 3.0 billion (TWD) in two years (2020).
The next meeting for UOC in the United States will be the Current Concepts in Joint Replacement (CCJR) spring meeting, May 20-23, 2018 in Las Vegas, Nevada.
If you are thinking of attending, do and be sure to learn more about this company whose products you’ve probably been using for years.
