Nephew announces new Modular Rail System

Smith & Nephew has announced the release of its new Modular Rail System, a treatment option for deformity correction and external fixation.

The system aims to make use of the body's ability to produce new bone tissue and has been developed to correct bone deformities, limb-length discrepancies, non-unions and malunions.

Bone segments are held together in correct alignment using an external rail and half-pins, which allow new bone tissue to grow and mature.

Assurance that the needs of individual patients are met is provided by the modular nature of the system, which enables the rail to be lengthened or shortened.

Dror Paley of the Paley Advanced Limb Lengthening Institute at St Mary's Medical Center in West Palm Beach, Florida has developed the concept and said working alongside Smith & Nephew has enabled him to "to design and develop a modular, multiplanar rail which can articulate across the hip, knee, ankle or elbow joints while allowing for lengthening and deformity correction".