December 12, 2017
DePuy Synthes today announced the launch of CONCORDE™ Clear MIS Discectomy Device, a surgical solution designed to simplify discectomy in minimally invasive spinal fusion surgery. Now available in Europe, the Middle East and Africa (EMEA), the single-use tool allows surgeons to complete the degenerated disc-removing process (discectomy) more efficiently than using traditional tools, while increasing the amount of disc material removed.
Lumbar disc herniation or prolapse accounts for 5% of all low back pain problems; it is the leading cause of radiating nerve root pain (sciatica) and one of the most common reasons for spinal fusion surgery. It is estimated that 140,000 discectomies for interbody fusion procedures will be performed across EMEA in 2018, of which a growing number will be minimally invasive. According to internal data from DePuy Synthes, minimally invasive surgery (MIS) is the fastest growing category in spinal fusion surgery as it is shown to result in fewer complications compared to open surgery in treating degenerative disc disease. As this procedure becomes more popular, there is a significant need to simplify MIS techniques and develop new instruments that can improve the efficiency of the procedure, while maximizing disc removal. 
Discectomy in spinal fusion surgery typically requires the surgeon to work through a small surgical field with limited visibility. Traditionally, it requires several instruments and multiple instrument passes to make sure the disc is cleared and the endplates of the vertebrae are prepped for implants, which increases the risk of injury to the nerve root. The CONCORDE Clear Device is a single-use instrument that removes the degenerated disc and prepares the endplates using readily-available, standard hospital suction. The clear handle also allows surgeons to immediately see the collection of disc material. This simplified approach requires fewer tool passes and instrument exchanges when compared to traditional techniques, and removes a larger disc volume. This allows surgeons to complete the surgery more efficiently, which could lead to improved patient outcomes.
Dr. Gerd Bordon of Hospital de Manises, Valencia, Spain, commented:
CONCORDE Clear is an ideal tool to enhance discectomy procedures. I find it simple to use, it increases the efficiency of my procedures and improves the cleaning of the disc space. I believe it will lead to better patient outcomes in spinal fusion surgery.
The launch of the CONCORDE Clear Device follows DePuy Synthes’ October release of the VIPER PRIME™ System. The VIPER PRIME System is also designed to improve efficiency in spinal surgery. The inserter reduces the number of instruments and the number of instrument passes to place a pedicle screw using a minimally invasive technique.
“The CONCORDE Clear MIS Discectomy Device is a true innovation that embodies our mission to make spinal fusion surgery less invasive for patients and less complicated for surgeons,” said Jordy Winters, Lead, DePuy Synthes Spine EMEA. “Both the CONCORDE Clear Device and the VIPER PRIME System are clear examples of how we continue to innovate in order to meet the increasing demand for MIS in Spine. In swift succession, we have provided two procedural solutions that are intended to make spinal fusion procedures more reproducible for surgeons, and result in better outcomes for patients.”