Smith & Nephew scores a HAT-TRICK - Smith & Nephew scores a HAT-TRICK◊ with its entry into the high-growth hammer toe repair market

Smith & Nephew (LSE:SN NYSE:SNN), the global medical technology business, today announced its entry into the forefoot market with the launch of the HAT-TRICK Lesser Toe Repair System. Comprised of three separate repair options, the HAT-TRICK System includes products for metatarsophalangeal (MTP) ligament repair and reconstruction, a metatarsal osteotomy guide, and a revisable, all-PEEK implant for proximal Inter-phalanges (PIP) fusion, also known as hammer toe correction.

With the new HAT-TRICK System, surgeons have access to:

• The HAT-TRICK MTP Joint Repair System, which provides a complete repair of the lesser MTP joint that is less invasive and more anatomic than current standard of care techniques,¹
• The HAT-TRICK Osteotomy Guide, which allows for a controlled, precise and reproducible approach that maintains the biomechanical axis of the metatarsal,²
• The HAT-TRICK PIP Fusion System, which is an all-inside fusion of the PIP joint that is less invasive than other standard of care options.³

“We are excited to expand our successful foot and ankle portfolio into the forefoot,” says Mark Waugh, Vice President, Extremities and Limb Restoration for Smith & Nephew. “In addition to being a high-growth area, we believe there are tremendous opportunities for us to enhance the surgeon experience, simplify the procedures and, most importantly, improve patient outcomes.”

Current market analysis shows that procedures such as lesser toe correction surgery are experiencing double-digit growth in the US.⁴ However, patient satisfaction research suggests that as many as 46% of hammer toe patients are unsatisfied with the outcome of their surgery using existing methods and technologies.⁵

“Although treating lesser toe deformities is extremely common, getting consistently predictable outcomes has eluded surgeons worldwide,” explains orthopaedic surgeon Charles Saltzman, MD, chairman of the system’s scientific advisory board. “Current standards of treatment are known to have unacceptably high complication rates.  

The HAT-TRICK system is a new three-part approach designed to not only treat the deformity, but also the underlying problem that led to the deformity in the first place.”

Editor’s notes

The metatarsophalangeal joint connects the metatarsal bones of the foot and the proximal bones (proximal phalanges) of the toes – similar to the area of the hand called the knuckles.

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About Smith & Nephew 

Smith & Nephew is a global medical technology business dedicated to helping healthcare professionals improve people's lives. With leadership positions in Orthopaedic Reconstruction, Advanced Wound Management, Sports Medicine and Trauma & Extremities, Smith & Nephew has around 11,000 employees and a presence in more than 90 countries. Annual sales in 2013 were more than $4.3 billion. Smith & Nephew is a member of the FTSE100 (LSE: SN, NYSE: SNN).

For more information about Smith & Nephew, please visit our corporate website www.smith-nephew.com, follow @SmithNephewplc on Twitter or visit SmithNephewplc on Facebook.com

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