Use of Ceterix NovoStitch® Plus System for Repair of Horizontal Meniscus Tears Supported by Three New Studies

FREMONT, Calif.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Ceterix^® Orthopaedics today announced the publication of three new studies in the journal Arthroscopy Techniques supporting the use of the company’s NovoStitch^® Plus device for the repair of horizontal cleavage meniscal tears:

• Horizontal Cleavage Meniscus Tear Treated With All-Inside Circumferential Compression Stitches, by lead author Jarret M. Woodmass, M.D., of the Department of Orthopedic Surgery and the Sports Medicine Center, Mayo Clinic and Mayo Foundation, Rochester, Minn.
• Circumferential Suture Repair of Isolated Horizontal Meniscal Tears Augmented With Fibrin Clot, by lead author Michael S. Laidlaw, M.D., of the Department of Orthopaedic Surgery of the University of Virginia in Charlottesville, Va.
• Vertical Lasso and Horizontal Lasso Sutures for Repair of Horizontal Cleavage and Horizontal Oblique Meniscal Tears: Surgical Technique and Indications, by Kenneth R. Brooks, M.D., of Houston Methodist Orthopedics and Sports Medicine in Nassau Bay, Texas

“These publications illustrate the growing recognition that horizontal meniscus tears, previously deemed irreparable, can in fact be repaired with advanced technology,” said Dr. Kenneth Brooks, orthopaedic surgeon and author of one of the reports. “The NovoStitch Plus has given surgeons increased flexibility to develop advanced meniscal repair techniques specifically designed to treat horizontal tears. This allows us to preserve the meniscus in more patients, reducing the likelihood of developing arthritis or requiring knee replacement surgery later in life.”

Patients with meniscus tears often undergo meniscectomy – total or partial removal of the meniscus – due to the difficulty of access and limitations of current arthroscopic instruments. However, meniscectomy significantly increases the risk of arthritis or total knee replacement later in life.¹ In contrast, meniscus repair, a procedure in which the tear is sutured and allowed to heal naturally, is associated with improved long-term outcomes and overall cost savings relative to meniscectomy.² Meniscus surgery is the single most common arthroscopic procedure in the United States, with roughly one million performed annually.

The NovoStitch Plus device allows orthopaedic surgeons to address horizontal, radial, and other complex meniscal tears in ways not previously possible. The system enables the placement of a circumferential compression stitch around the meniscus, which provides uniform compression during healing and allows orthopaedic surgeons to treat these complex injuries.

About Ceterix Orthopaedics

Ceterix^® Orthopaedics develops surgical tools that expand and improve what is possible for physicians who treat soft tissue joint injuries such as meniscus tears. Founded in 2010 with the vision of improving outcomes of arthroscopic procedures, Ceterix’s novel meniscal repair system enables surgeons to place suture patterns that were previously only possible in open procedures, or not at all. The NovoStitch Plus meniscal repair system has received 510k clearance in the United States and is indicated for approximation of soft tissue in meniscal repair procedures. The company is based in Fremont, Calif. and is backed by investors Versant Ventures, 5AM Ventures and CRG. For more information, please visit www.ceterix.com.

¹ Papalia, R. et. al. Meniscectomy as a risk factor for knee osteoarthritis: a systematic review. British Medical Bulletin. 2011; 99:89 – 106.

² Feeley, B. et. al. The Cost-Effectiveness of Meniscal Repair versus Partial Meniscectomy: A Model-based Projection of Clinical Outcomes and Costs in the United States Healthcare System. ISPOR Annual Meeting 2015.