Seriously, “Phusion”? PorOsteon, Inc, (not “ProOsteon”) of Menlo Park, California, has a way with words and just received a received 510(k) clearance from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to sell its catchy new Phusion Metal Cervical Cage. The company is the exclusive manufacturer of medical devices composed of Phusion Metal, a porous material developed to promote bone fusion. The cage is designed to maximize bone growth by way of better porosity and inner connectivity.
According to the news release, the cervical cage will address limitations of conventional spinal fusion devices, including excessive stiffness, cage migration, minimal bone apposition and poor incorporation. Company officials believe that the irregular porous morphology delivers the benefits of structural strength and the potential for bone-in growth and bone through-growth.
Gary Fanton M.D., orthopedic surgeon at Stanford University and co-founder of PorOsteon, stated: “This bone fusion material is designed to not only contain autogenous bone graft, but to actually integrate into the surgically corrected spinal column. Our testing has demonstrated that fusion devices must achieve an engineered balance among porosity, strength, and elastic modulus. Phusion Metal is the first implant material that addresses all three of these concerns effectively, representing a great improvement compared to conventional and surface enhanced interbody cage materials. Now implants can be designed with a material that is both surgeon and bone friendly. There will be no additional learning curve to use these implants, and they will address our primary concern in spinal surgery, obtaining a rapid and robust fusion.”
Bob Zider, co-founder of PorOsteon said, “The medical applications of Phusion Metal go well beyond spinal fusion.” He believes that his company’s devices will “change the market dramatically.”
The release states that the Phusion Metal Cervical Cage is indicated for intervertebral body fusion of the spine in skeletally mature patients. The Phusion Metal Cervical Cage is intended for use at one level in the cervical spine, from C3 to C7, for the treatment of cervical disc disease.
