OrthoSpineNews Interview with Matt Moreau, V.P. and General Manager of Stryker’s Sports Medicine Business
This month, at the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons meeting, I had the privilege of interviewing Matt Moreau, the Vice President and General Manager of Stryker’s Sports Medicine business. Our topic of conversation was the new technologies that Stryker unveiled at AAOS. Two things were made clear during my discussion with Matt: Stryker’s passion for innovation and an unwavering dedication to patient care. Below are some questions I asked along with his responses.
Q1: What separates the Pivot Guardian Distraction System from what is on the market today?
The most differentiated advancement designed into the Pivot Guardian Distraction System was eliminating the need for a post to achieve distraction, which helps mitigate complications such as skin tears, nerve damage or total groin numbness that can sometimes last for several weeks or longer for patients. Since the inception of hip arthroscopy, surgeons have not been given an option from industry to mitigate these significant risks in an elective procedure. Beyond the post-free innovation, the system was really focused on enabling surgeons to see and do more versus current systems on the market. The innovative boot was designed to better disperse pressure, as well as reduce the risk of heel slip during the procedure, which can save considerable operative and anesthesia time. The boot advancements also give surgeons the option to place the boot on the patient pre-operatively, which allows for patient feedback while they’re awake and potentially reduces OR set-up time. Lastly, we believe the table design gives surgeons better intraoperative range of motion and more flexibility for c-arm positioning, which is critical to the procedure. 
Q2: What are the advantages of Cobra compared to other suture passers for arthroscopic rotator cuff repair that are currently on the market?
Three things come to mind right away.
- Cobra’s innovative needle design and stronger material improves clinical performance by addressing misfires and tip breakages associated with the current standard of care.
- Because the Cobra needle is reusable, it presents an opportunity for us to provide a better business solution to our customers.
3) Utilizing the Cobra technology also cuts down on waste and utilization of customer shelf space. Removing waste is always a goal during development, as well as minimizing or eliminating the need to occupy our customer’s valuable shelf space. 
Q3: When it comes to innovation, is Stryker exclusively focused on acquisitions?
We typically take a hybrid approach of internal development, while also looking at external technologies that would complement our pipeline. Cobra was an example of purchasing an early stage and innovative technology that we refined over time until we felt it was really positioned to change the standard of care in rotator cuff surgery.
Thank you for taking the time to discuss the new technologies Stryker unveiled at AAOS. We are excited to see what the future holds for you and your team!
