DePuy Spine, Inc. (DePuy Spine) has expanded its portfolio for degenerative disease with the launch of two of its latest innovations, the UNIPLATE 2 Anterior Cervical Plate System, a next generation single-screw midline fixation system, and the VERTIGRAFT VG2 Cervical Allograft with PRESERVON Technology, the first allograft that can be stored at room temperature in a fully hydrated state.

The company launched the products at the 24th Annual Meeting of the North American Spine Society (NASS). In the last three years, DePuy Spine introduced 30 new products, including eight this year, encompassing traditional and minimally invasive solutions across degenerative disease, deformity, aging and complex spinal disorders.

“DePuy Spine is committed to continued innovation and filling patient and clinical needs across the entire spectrum of spinal disorders,” said Gary Fischetti, Worldwide President, DePuy Spine. “This commitment means offering solutions, not just products, to address the increasing needs of our customers and the increasing demand for spinal care being fueled by an aging and more active population.”

At NASS, DePuy Spine introduced the UNIPLATE 2 for one or two level anterior cervical discectomy and fusion (ACDF). Single-screw midline fixation, pioneered with the original UNIPLATE launched in 2005, allows the surgeon to affix an implant using one screw per vertebral body. This minimizes the need for retraction of soft tissue, such as the trachea and esophagus, during implantation.

The UNIPLATE 2 features a thinner profile between screw holes, providing flexible bend zones that allow surgeons to customize the plate to fit a patient’s anatomy, and has less material on both ends to reduce the risk of adjacent level impingement. It also has posterior cleats to reduce slippage and fourth-generation CAM-LOC technology that offers visual, tactile and audible assurance that the screws are locked in place. Streamlined instrumentation enables surgeons to choose the method of implantation most appropriate to the patient’s needs.

The VERTIGRAFT VG2 Cervical Allograft with PRESERVON Technology is made of a composite of cortical and cancellous bone. PRESERVON, a new, proprietary glycerol-based preservation solution developed by LifeNet Health and exclusive to DePuy Spine, eliminates the need to freeze or freeze-dry the allograft and avoids the lengthy thawing and rehydration process, which saves time in the operating room.