US Spine awarded patent for Facet Fixation System

US Spine® announced today that it has been awarded the first patent in a series for its Facet Fixation System. The United States Patent and Trademark Office has assigned patent number 7,563,275 to the Facet Fixation System. US Spine began commercial launch of the system in 2008, which features the Facet Gun™ and Facet Bolt®.

The Facet Gun enables spine surgeons to lock the facet joint in two simple steps via an easy to use gun-shaped “all-in-one” delivery system, while the Facet Bolt, the first and only available locking facet implant, provides the stiffness and strength equivalent to conventional stabilization and fusion devices, but is simpler, faster and less invasive to use.

Thanks to the Facet Gun’s simple, intuitive design, a surgeon can lock a spinal motion segment in just minutes rather than the hours required from traditional stabilization methods.

“Being issued this patent for our Facet Gun is a significant step forward for US Spine,” said Doris Blake, Vice Chairman and Founder of US Spine. “Not only because it protects our intellectual property, but because it moves us closer to a stage in our development where we can reach a broader field of surgeons as a significant innovator of devices that are easier to use and that provide faster, potentially better patient outcomes.”

“It’s gratifying,” added US Spine’s Executive Vice President Paul Sendro, “that the Patent Office has recognized the novel innovations of our technology. This is the first of several patents related to the Facet Fixation System. We believe this technology will enable us to make significant strides in the coming months to perpetuate less invasive treatments and superior alternatives for spine surgery.”