DePuy Synthes Adds to its Attune Line of Knee Products

DePuy Synthes Joint Reconstruction has unveiled two new technologies for its Attune Knee System—the Attune Rotating Platform Knee and the Anatomic Patella.

“The introduction of the ATTUNE Rotating Platform Knee and the Anatomic Patella bring new options for patient care,” said Hannah McEwen, Ph.D., DePuy Synthes Joint Reconstruction’s worldwide director for knee product development. “The Attune knee is now available with rotating platform technology, which is designed to improve conformity and stability throughout the range of motion and optimize kinematics, as well as the anatomic patella, which is designed to improve patella kinematics.”

The advantage of rotating platform knees, according to McEwen, is that the bearing can rotate as the knee flexes, which allows for a more natural motion and may also reduce the stress and wear on the implant.

Studies show that between 10-20 percent of knee replacement patients are not completely satisfied with their knee replacement. A major contributing factor to this is anterior knee pain in the area of the patella. The anatomic patella was created to help address this need, and is designed to wrap around the knee in a more natural way and improve patella tracking.

The Attune knee system, the largest research and development project in the history of DePuy Synthes Joint Reconstruction, was designed to provide better range of motion and address the unstable feeling some patients experience during everyday activities, such as stair descent and bending. This most recent rollout follows last year’s launch of the Attune fixed-bearing knee. To date, more than 31,000 Attune knee implants have been provided for patients worldwide, according to the company.

The rotating platform design increases the level of conformity to provide stability while delivering freedom of mobility. In addition, the rotating platform design gives the tibial insert the freedom to self-align and track with the femoral component throughout the range of motion, allowing surgeons the ability to position the rotating platform tibial base on the proximal tibia for maximum bony coverage.

The anatomic patella works with the Attune knee femoral components. The anatomic patella is unique to DePuy Synthes Joint Reconstruction and is compatible with fixed-bearing and rotating-platform knees. The anatomic patella is designed to have more natural sagittal plane kinematics than traditional dome style patella components. The more natural kinematics can reduce soft tissue interaction with the femoral component and thereby help prevent soft tissue irritation. Also, the unique kinematics of the anatomic patella can increase quadriceps efficiency in deep flexion, allowing the knee to more easily flex and extend.

Warsaw, Ind.-based DePuy Synthes Joint Reconstruction, is focused hip, knee and shoulder replacement, and is part of DePuy Synthes Companies of Johnson & Johnson.