We Have Personalized Medicine, So Why Not Personalized Medical Devices? Enter Conformis’ Artificial Hip

Medtech company Conformis has developed artificial hip replacements that are the first to conform to a patient’s anatomy based on 3-D computer models of a patient’s joint. Having already secured US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval for their Conformis Hip System implants, the company has now announced that the first two patients have successfully undergone the orthopedic surgery at the JFK Medical Center in Atlantis, Florida.

“Partnering with our expert surgeon design team and leveraging our extensive experience in automated 3-D printing and additive manufacturing enabled us to bring a revolutionary new hip replacement system to market. Our 3-D implant design process provides surgeons with interactive input and improves operational efficiencies compared to 2-D templating,” said Mark Augusti, chief executive officer and president of Conformis. “With this launch, we expect to lead the way in innovative solutions for the $7 billion hip replacement market by providing surgeons with game-changing operative solutions to better serve them and their patients both in hospitals and ambulatory surgical settings.”

The Conformis Hip System combines everything from CT imaging and device design, to manufacturing and delivery of the implants. In addition, the 3-D computer model based on a patient’s CT scan is used to compile a pre-operative surgical plan which is delivered to the surgeon. The physician performing the procedure is also able to customize the Hip System based on patient needs and personal preferences to improve outcomes.

“The Conformis Hip System is designed to address many of the shortcomings of primary hip replacement today. For the first time, orthopedic surgeons have a fully-guided system designed to address the wide variations in anatomy presented across our cases,” said Joint Fellowship Trained Orthopedic Surgeon Dr. Gregory Martin, who is a member of the surgeon design team and a consultant to Conformis. “The Conformis system builds upon traditional methods for hip replacement surgery with proven materials and components which, today, are offered in only limited standard configurations.”

The components of a hip implant are delivered to the hospital in an all-in-one kit including disposable 3-D printed cutting guides designed to streamline surgery. This also reduces the need to use reusable instruments required to perform conventional hip replacement surgery.

The company will announce their full commercial launch of the Conformis Hip System in 2019. With the global hip surgery market valued at more than $7 billion, and around 400,000 patients undergoing hip replacement surgery each year in the US alone, Conformis is hoping to cash in on their innovative technology.

Conformis uses a similar process to design custom knee implants for patients.