Issue link: https://beckershealthcare.uberflip.com/i/772947
20 DEVICES & INNOVATION Titan Spine Leads Push for Titanium Interbody Device Resurgence Through Nanotechnology Differentiation By Laura Dyrda I n October 2016, Titan Spine initiated the full U.S. launch of its nanoLOCK surface technology on its line of Endoskeleton titanium interbody implants and doubled the size of its sales management team. e nanoLOCK technology is now used in 30 hospitals across 19 states, and Titan is currently in the process of signing contracts with several other large health systems. e nanoLOCK surface technology is manufactured through a propri- etary subtractive process. It's the only technology with the added FDA clearance for a "nano-textured surface," which was secured in 2014. e device also received its own new technology category and code from CMS earlier this year. Titan Spine has been a stalwart for titanium technology since 2006, in a time when nearly all interbody companies promoted PEEK as their implant material. Some of these companies have recently re- sponded to titanium's resurgence by coating their PEEK devices with titanium. However, concerns have been raised whether the titanium remains bound to the implant during insertion in to the disc space. A study published in the February 2016 edition of e Spine Jour- nal compares titanium implants to titanium-coated PEEK implants to examine particulate debris during impaction. e study subjected Titan's Endoskeleton titanium interbody fusion device and a titani- um-coated PEEK implant to a simulated biomechanical impaction process into the disc space. e Endoskeleton implant showed no signs of impaction debris, but 26 percent of the teeth on the titanium-coated PEEK implant lost coating material; more than half of the particles lost into the disc space had a size range allowing for phagocytosis, an insidious osteolytic reaction. e company is looking forward to additional studies in the future, but currently relies on anecdotal evidence about patients recovering more quickly from surgery with the titanium implants. And the larger companies are taking notice. "ere is a significant shi going on right now in interbody devices as the market is moving away from PEEK," says Andrew Shepherd, vice president of marketing for Titan Spine. "You see it in the market data and you see it from the podium at most conferences. Our competitors are coming out with titanium products, and that's validating. We have put enough of a dent in the market place that we are now seeing legacy com- panies heavily investing in producing and marketing titanium products. TITAN SPINE INTRODUCES SURFACE TECHNOLOGY. WHY SETTLE FOR "ISH" WHEN YOU CAN HAVE "ONLY"? Why settle for titanium-ish When you can #StandWiththeFuture at titanspine.com? THE ONLY CLEARED NANOTECHNOLOGY FOR THE SPINE. THE ONLY SURFACE WITH ACCESS TO THE NEW NANOTEXTURED ICD-10 CODE. THE ONLY SURFACE TO WIN THE WHITECLOUD AWARD FOR BEST BASIC SCIENCE. THE ONLY SURFACE BACKED BY MORE THAN 10 YEARS OF BIOMATERIAL KNOW HOW.