Smith+Nephew's OXINIUM™ Technology recognized as the best performing bearing with lowest risk of revision in total hip arthroplasty

Smith+Nephew (LSE:SN, NYSE:SNN), the global medical technology business, today announces its proprietary OXINIUM (Oxidized Zirconium) Technology has established itself as the best performing bearing with the lowest risk of revision in total hip arthroplasty (THA)^1-4, alongside similarly strong clinical performance in knees.⁵ These results are substantiated by four national and regional joint registries^1-4 over the last 20 years with more than 2 million procedures⁴ to draw from.

Through a unique manufacturing process, the zirconium alloy material transforms and hardens through oxidation. OXINIUM (Oxidized Zirconium) becomes a ceramicised metal - a true material transformation - rather than an applied coating.⁶ It is this material transformation that provides OXINIUM with its ground-breaking performance benefits which include:

Proven clinical performance:

• OXINIUM delivers the lowest risk of revision at 10 years^14,15 across data from four national and regional joint registries for total hip arthroplasty, providing improved survivorship against both metal and ceramic bearings.^1-4
• In total knee arthroplasty, implants powered by OXINIUM perform at A/A* levels according to ODEP up to 15 years, providing excellent survivorship.⁵

Unrivalled material properties:

• OXINIUM Oxidized Zirconium represents a step change for implant technology combining the durability of metal,^6,7 the wear and biocompatibility of ceramic^8-12 and corrosion resistance better than both.^13,14
• OXINIUM contains virtually undetectable levels of nickel, cobalt and chromium and shows a lower pro-inflammatory cytokine expression compared to cobalt-chrome in vitro.^11,12,15

Established economic performance across the episode of care:

• Analysis of Medicare claims data, controlling for patient population, has shown that OXINIUM hips and JOURNEY II with OXINIUM Technology can deliver savings as part of an episode of care associated in part with lower readmission rates.^16,17

Ideal for Revisions:

• The material properties of OXINIUM coupled with the design elements of LEGION^◊ Revision Knee System, LEGION HK Hinge Knee, OR3O^◊ Dual Mobility System and REDAPT^◊ Revision Hip System can bring benefits to revision patients.       

“OXINIUM addresses multiple risks…the first being longevity. Patients don't want to get re-operated on and the idea that OXINIUM implants can last longer and has better wear properties is important”, said Dr. Steven B. Haas, Chief of the Knee Service at Hospital for Special Surgery. “The second big one is that it has virtually no nickel and is biocompatible, because patients are concerned about this.”

“I think the most important thing to understand is that OXINIUM is not a coating - it's a material transformation. And it makes the material a better material, a better solution,” said Dr. Thorsten Seyler, Assistant Professor of Orthopaedic Surgery at Duke University. “It's a very attractive solution with excellent wear properties for young and active patients in terms of longevity of an implant. It also offers revision solutions for the really challenging cases.”

Smith+Nephew is the only company in the world able to offer this unique implant material in total joint replacement procures. To learn more about OXINIUM, please stop by the Smith+Nephew booth (#1735) during AAOS 2021.

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About Smith+Nephew

Smith+Nephew is a portfolio medical technology business that exists to restore people’s bodies and their self-belief by using technology to take the limits off living. We call this purpose ‘Life Unlimited’. Our 18,000 employees  deliver this mission every day, making a difference to patients’ lives through the excellence of our product portfolio, and the invention and application of new technologies across our three global franchises of Orthopaedics, Advanced Wound Management and Sports Medicine & ENT.

Founded in Hull, UK, in 1856, we now operate in more than 100 countries, and generated annual sales of $4.6 billion in 2020. Smith+Nephew is a constituent of the FTSE100 (LSE:SN, NYSE:SNN). The terms ‘Group’ and ‘Smith+Nephew’ are used to refer to Smith & Nephew plc and its consolidated subsidiaries, unless the context requires otherwise.

For more information about Smith+Nephew, please visit www.smith-nephew.com and follow us on Twitter, LinkedIn, Instagram or Facebook.

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