Solvay and Carbon22 Partner on Advanced Screw System for Foot & Ankle Surgery

An implant-grade radiolucent PEEK from Solvay Specialty Polymers was chosen for the advanced screw system for foot and ankle surgery developed by Carbon22, Englewood, N.J. To create the Creed Cannulated Screw System’s ortholucent, plastic-metal hybrid composite, Solvay’s Zeniva PEEK is overmolded onto a titanium core prior to final processing. The system recently received 510(k) clearance from the FDA.

This high-performance material solution allows the screw to be seen with X-ray or CT scanning while enabling the surgeon to accurately assess anatomical details near and behind the implant site without visual distortion or artifacts. The Creed Cannulated screws are produced using unique manufacturing technology from Carbon22. This reportedly groundbreaking process helps control costs by reducing material waste, compared to traditional titanium screws, which generate significant and expensive scrap during machining. Additionally, the Carbon22 hybrid enables a more-aggressive cutting tip which cannot be realized with all-PEEK screw designs.

While all-titanium screws are opaque to X-rays, and imaging of all-PEEK screws is affected by their diameter, the Creed hybrid composite screws allow X-rays to pass through to the bone. These new screws generate an outline that greatly enhances visualization of bony structures. Surgeons can use this capability to confirm screw placement during surgical procedures, check positioning post-operatively and determine the status of the healing process at follow-up appointments. The ability to image screw placement gives surgeons greater confidence and can help them achieve better patient outcomes.

“We worked closely with Carbon22 to achieve strong adhesion to titanium, which is not an inherent property of PEEK,” said Anna Maria Bertasa, Solvay’s healthcare global marketing manager.

Said Carbon22’s CEO Vadim Gurevich, “Solvay is a recognized industry leader for implantable PEEK. Their team provided exceptional materials expertise and engineering capabilities that were instrumental in the development of our new Creed system. Together, we are actively engaged in new development projects that promise to further drive the development of next-generation orthopedic devices.”

Privately-held Carbon22 is focused on the design and development of cost-effective, high-margin implant and instrument solutions for various musculoskeletal foot & ankle applications. Their products are represented in the U.S. market through exclusive distribution and education agreements with Novastep, Inc., Orangeburg, N.Y.