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DJO introduced the AltiVate Reverse® Short Stem, reportedly the first fully-convertible inlay short stem shoulder arthroplasty system available in the U.S. The system gained FDA 510(k) clearance in April 2019 for use in anatomic, reverse and partial shoulder replacement.
The inlay design means that the stem sits entirely within the humerus. Studies have demonstrated that an onlay humeral stem had a 4.3% incidence rate of scapular spine fractures, which was four times higher than the rate reported in a similar study with an inlay humeral stem.
The reverse shoulder procedure, developed in the 1980s in Europe and cleared by FDA in 2003, is thought to be more beneficial to patients with certain conditions, such as those with large rotator cuff tears who have developed a complex type of shoulder arthritis called cuff tear arthropathy.
AltiVate Reverse Short Stem is designed to easily convert from anatomic to reverse without overstuffing the joint, and its 135° neck-shaft angle is intended to yield a more anatomic humeral reconstruction in anatomic and reverse procedures. All AltiVate devices incorporate vitamin E polyethylene to maintain strength and reduce wear, as well as p2 porous coating to support bony ingrowth.
