DePuy granted EU approval for knee replacement system

DePuy has been granted European regulatory approval for a new partial knee replacement system for progressive osteoarthritis sufferers.

The medical device firm’s Sigma High Performance Partial Knee is a modular system which allows clinicians to selectively replace damaged parts of the joint, while leaving healthy bone and tissue intact.

Moreover, further parts can be added should the disease subsequently progress, allowing the device to be tailored to the individual needs of each patient over time.

DePuy states that the product represents an important new advance for patients with active lifestyles who require care for their knees, but are not ready to undergo the discomfort of a full replacement procedure.

Professor David Barrett, consultant orthopaedic surgeon at Southampton University Hospital, said: “The profile of knee replacement patients in Europe is changing and with patients getting younger and living more active lifestyles, the technological demands on the devices are increasing.”

Earlier this week, it was announced that Micrus Endovascular is to become part of DePuy’s subsidiary Codman and Shurtleff after the firm was purchased by Johnson and Johnson.