Integra Life Sciences in announcing their launch of the TenoGlide tendon protector sheet. It’s designed to act as a shield between a healing tendon repair and its sheath, preventing the two from adhering to one another and limiting motion…
TenoGlide™ Tendon Protector Sheet is indicated for the management and protection of tendon injuries in which there has been no substantial loss of tendon tissue. It is an advanced tendon protection device, composed of a porous matrix of cross-linked collagen and glycosaminoglycan (GAG). The collagen-GAG resorbable matrix provides a protective, biocompatible interface, which creates a favorable environment and gliding surface for tendon healing. Based on available procedural data, Integra estimates that the worldwide market for the protection of tendon injuries is over $100 million.
“In our pre-clinical studies, the data indicate that the use of TenoGlide™ Tendon Protector Sheet during tendon repair in an animal model significantly reduced formation of scar tissue between the tendon and surrounding tissue, as compared to untreated controls,” said Mayer Tenenhaus MD, FACS, Associate Clinical Professor of Surgery/Plastic Surgery at University of California, San Diego.
This stuff is pretty cool…and we should know. Prior to entering the prestigious and lucrative dual-career of grad-student/blogger, this medgadgeteer worked in a biomechanics research lab, where we worked on this very substance. Seriously folks, developing a mechanical protocol to evaluate the efficacy for this stuff was my life for about 6 months. This must be how teachers feel when their former students go on to excel in life.
From Integra LS, the product page and press release…
Here’s a very methodologically sound writeup on the product…