By Walter Eisner
Zimmer Holdings, Inc.’s Vivacit-E Line for the Trabecular Metal Reverse Shoulder System has been used for the first time in the U.S. for a reverse should replacement.
A company announcement on March 16, 2015, states the Vivacit-E HXPE is a highly crosslinked polyethylene (HXPE) and is a “high-tech bearing surface offering oxidative stability and low wear that has already become a staple of the company’s replacement products for the knee, hip and elbow. Its introduction into the Trabecular Metal Reverse Shoulder System is designed to meet the growing demand for shoulder replacement.” 
Steve Vankoski, director of global marketing for Zimmer, said there are few good treatments if a reverse shoulder wears out. “Replacement is a complex surgery often performed on patients who have, over time, lost the ability to raise their arms due to chronic rotator cuff tears.”
He noted that in addition to traditional replacements due to normal rotator cuff wear, reverse total shoulder replacement is also growing in popularity for complex fractures.