UK-based Smith & Nephew is set to introduce a new D-RAD SMART PACK System to treat distal radius fractures.
The new system includes four sterile instrument kits containing implants and a tray of sterile packaged fasteners and templates. It helps hospital OR staff to reduce the process used for reprocessing traditional plate and screw systems from eight-steps down to two.
Each D-RAD SMART PACK set features four different single-use kits, and each kit include an anatomically contoured four-hole volar plate and single-use instrumentation, as well as tray with individually packaged cortex screws, locking screws, locking pegs and single-use plate templates to assist with kit selection.
Smith & Nephew extremities and limb restoration vice-president Mark Waugh said: "As a company, we are committed to improving the healthcare system for everyone involved: hospitals, surgeons, OR staff and, most importantly, patients.
"With the D-RAD SMART PACK System, we’ve taken a burdensome and costly process and streamlined it without sacrificing the intraoperative flexibility surgeons need to treat patients."
In addition, the system provides Chart Sticks, which allows in recording part numbers for every patient and individually packed screws, which will reduce waste further by eliminating the need to discard unused screws.
The company will showcase the system at the American Society for Surgery of the Hand (ASSH) annual meeting in Boston.