Surgical Pliers for Safer Osteotomy Procedures

A new plier helps orthopedic surgeons improve the performance of pedicle subtraction osteotomy (PSO) procedures.

The ReDux Plier is designed for use during osteotomies, and most specifically in PSO, a complex and delicate surgical procedure for patients with sagittal imbalance, a condition where the back has lost the characteristic S-shape in both the sagittal and the coronal planes. During a PSO procedure, a triangular wedge of bone is removed from the middle of a vertebrae, allowing it to be angled backwards to realign the spine by increasing the backward curve (lordosis) in the lumbar spine; this creates a more upright posture and relieves pain.

The ReDux Plier helps keep the vertebrae from being damaged when applying the corrective forces to the spine since it is connected directly to the implants, thus protecting the front of the vertebrae from collapse by driving the kinematic of the closure and dissipating stress onto the bone screws after the removal of bone. The ReDux Plier also provides a progressive correction, ensuring a more controlled procedure at every stage of the operation. The ReDux Plier is a product of Medtronic (Minneapolis, MN, USA), and has received the Conformité Européenne (CE) marking of approval.

“The PSO procedure is an extremely powerful option for people with severe spinal curvatures, but the potential for complications has historically been very high,” said ReDuX Plier inventor Prof. Jean Charles Le Huec, MD, chief of the spine unit at the Bordeaux University Hospital (France). “The instruments currently available were often too crude for the complex procedure, so working with Medtronic we have been able to produce specially-designed instruments which give surgeons greater control than ever before.”

“Medtronic is delighted to have worked closely with Prof. Le Huec to make the ReDuX Plier available in Europe,” said Steve Swinson, vice-president of Medtronic Spinal & Biologics. “Medtronic has a long history of working with surgeons to turn innovative ideas into practical improvements for patients. ReDuX Plier is just one example, a device, which can tackle complex conditions. This is part of Medtronic's commitment to alleviating pain and restoring health for people all over the world.”

Related Links:
Medtronic
Bordeaux University Hospital