Stryker Markets First Total Knee Replacement Designed With Women In Mind

Triathlon(R) Knee System implanted in more than 30,000 worldwide 


MAHWAH, N.J., March 15  /PRNewswire/ -- Stryker Orthopaedics announced today that its Triathlon Knee System, which was designed to better meet the needs of women, is already improving the lives of more than 30,000 patients worldwide.

More than 60% of total knee replacement patients are women.  However, a study published in the New England Journal of Medicine found that, "even though they suffer from severe arthritis at three times the rate of men, women are less likely to undergo hip or knee replacements."(1)

The Triathlon Knee is designed with a wide-range of sizing options that closely match the anatomies of both women and men.  For women, the smaller sized implants have a more narrow design, helping to improve fit and function for the female bone structure.(2)

The system also offers 150 degrees of flexion, which allows for a greater range of motion to perform life's daily activities-from picking up a grandchild to kneeling in the garden.  Orthopaedic surgeons are reporting patient outcomes that have shown the Triathlon Knee System offers 12 to 15 degrees of greater range in motion one year after surgery.

"In my two years of clinical experience with the Triathlon Knee System, it has helped me meet the demands of my patients, especially women," says Dr. Kirby D. Hitt, Head of Adult Reconstruction and Joint Replacement Surgery at Scott and White Memorial Hospital in Temple, Texas.  "My patients are consistently surprised with how quickly they can recover their range of motion and perform most activities that were difficult prior to surgery."

One of the main components of a knee implant is the bearing surface. The new X3(R) polyethylene, available only with Stryker, is an advanced bearing surface technology for knees that has demonstrated up to 79 percent less wear compared to conventional polyethylenes in laboratory testing.(3, 4, 5, 6)

"By designing the Triathlon Knee System with women in mind and combining it with our advanced bearing surface technology we are continuing to drive innovation in orthopaedics. At Stryker, we are dedicated to researching and developing new ways to address the different needs of patients around the world and help them regain the activity of daily living," said Mike Mogul, President of Stryker Orthopaedics.

Stryker will be showcasing their Triathlon Knee System and X3 bearing surface technology at the 2006 American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons Annual Meeting in Chicago, Illinois from March 22 - 26.

About Stryker Corporation

Stryker Corporation is one of the world's leading medical technology companies with the most broadly based range of products in orthopaedics and a significant presence in other medical specialties.  Stryker works with respected medical professionals to help people lead more active and more satisfying lives.  The Company's products include implants used in joint replacement, trauma, craniomaxillofacial and spinal surgeries; biologics; surgical, neurologic, ear, nose & throat and interventional pain equipment; endoscopic, surgical navigation, communications and digital imaging systems; as well as patient handling and emergency medical equipment.  Stryker also provides outpatient physical therapy services in the United States.  The Company's website address is http://www.stryker.com/

  1. Hawker, G., Wright, J., Coyte, P., Williams, J., Harvey, B., Glazier,
     R., Badley, E (2000).  Differences between Men and Women in the Rate of
     Use of Hip and Knee Arthroplasty. New England Journal of Medicine 342:
     1016-1022.
  2. Hitt K, et. al., Anthropometric Measurement of the Human Knee:
     Correlation to the Sizing of Current Knee Arthroplasty Systems, JBJS,
     Vol. 85-A, Supplement 4, 2003.
  3. Essner, A., Herrera, L., Yau, S.S.,Wang, A., Dumbleton, J.H.,Manley,
     M.T., "Sequentially Crosslinked and Annealed UHMWPE CR Knee Wear,"
     Transactions of the 51st Annual Meeting of the Orthopaedic Research
     Society, Washington, DC 2005: 312.
  4. Essner, A., Zeng, H., Yau, S.S.,Wang, A., Dumbleton, J.H., Manley,
     M.T., "Stair Climbing Knee Wear Simulation: Sequentially Crosslinked
     and Annealed UHMWPE," Transactions of the 30th Annual Meeting of the
     Society for Biomaterials, Memphis 2005: 199
  5. Stryker Orthopaedics Test Report: RD-04-039
  6. Essner, A. Wang, C. Stark and J. H. Dumbleton, "A simulator for the
     evaluation of total knee replacement wear," 5th World Biomaterials
     Congress, Toronto, Canada, May, 1996, pg 580.

  X3 Wear Claim


Stryker Orthopaedics Scorpio(R) CR tibial inserts made from X3(TM) UHMWPE, 72-22-0708, show a 79% reduction in volumetric wear rate versus the same insert fabricated from N2Vac(TM) gamma sterilized UHMWPE, 72-2-0708.  The insert tested was Size 7, 8 mm thick.  Testing was conducted under multiaxial knee simulator (multi-station MTS knee joint simulator[a]) for five million cycles using appropriate size CoCr counterfaces, a specific type of diluted calf serum lubricant and the motion and loading conditions, representing normal walking, outlined in ISO/DIS 14243-3.  Volumetric wear rates were 34.6 +/- 1.5 mm(3)/10(6) cycles for standard polyethylene inserts and 7.3 +/- 0.7 mm(3)/10(6) cycles for test samples.  Test inserts were exposed to a gas plasma sterilization process.  In vitro knee wear simulator tests have not been shown to quantitatively predict clinical wear performance. 

DATASOURCE: Stryker Orthopaedics



CONTACT:  Tony Cambria, Stryker Orthopaedics, [phone],

; Greg Maliczyszyn, Kwittken & Company,

[phone],  



Web Site:  http://www.stryker.com/

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