First implantation of Zimmer Non-Contact Bridging Periprosthetic Plating System announced

Zimmer Holdings, Inc. (NYSE: ZMH; SIX: ZMH), a global leader in musculoskeletal care, today announced the first implantation of the Zimmer® NCB (Non-Contact Bridging) Periprosthetic Plating System.  Scheduled for full release in the Fall of 2010, the Zimmer NCB Periprosthetic Plating System is the first comprehensive solution available to address complex femoral fractures which can occur around a hip or knee implant.

Hip and knee replacements have been shown to be extremely effective procedures but may be complicated by periprosthetic fractures.  When patients with hip or knee implants suffer femur fractures, their surgical treatment can be particularly demanding and complex.  The Zimmer NCB Periprosthetic Plating System is the first set of plates and screws that specifically addresses the issues of difficult fixation and poor bone quality surgeons face when addressing periprosthetic fractures.

"With the demand for joint replacement rising, it has become increasingly important to provide surgeons with an effective and reliable solution for the potentially difficult fractures which can occur around a hip or knee prosthesis," said Curt Jennewine, Vice President, Marketing Zimmer Trauma.  "The NCB Periprosthetic Plating System offers robust options to surgeons who treat periprosthetic fractures by providing the ability to achieve stable bicortical fixation through a wide plate design, Zimmer's NCB polyaxial locking screw technology and compatibility with the Cable-Ready® Cable Grip System."

The Zimmer NCB Periprosthetic Plating System features a wider plate design in the region near a patient's hip or knee implant allowing for stable fixation around the prosthesis, while a narrow design along the rest of the plate minimizes soft tissue disruption.  The unique stability achieved with this system results from an innovative combination of plate design, polyaxial screw placement and a fixed angle construct.  Bicortical screws can be placed within a 30 degree polyaxial cone and secured at any time intraoperatively using locking caps.  This locking construct provides a high-level of angular stability which can be advantageous when working around a prosthesis or in osteopenic bone.

For cases where bicortical screw fixation cannot be achieved due to poor bone stock or other factors, the Zimmer NCB Periprosthetic Plating System is fully compatible with the cables and cable buttons of the Zimmer Cable-Ready System.  For added flexibility, locking screws and cables may be combined in one construct.  Blunt tip unicortical NCB Screws are also available, creating a system which offers comprehensive solutions for these difficult fractures.