New PEEK Staple Provides Efficient And Effective Fixation Option

A new staple may help ensure stability for osteotomies or arthrodesis in the lower extremity.

The OS2^®-VP staple is made of polyether ether ketone (PEEK)-OPTIMA^® and the manufacturer In2Bones notes it is the first PEEK staple to garner approval by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The company notes the staple is useful for Akin osteotomies as well as chevron/Austin procedures.

Stephen Kominsky, DPM, has been using the O.S.2^®-VP since it became available in the United States and has used the staple in about 10 surgeries so far. He notes the staple is effective for the Akin procedure and Jones fractures at the fifth metatarsal base.

“It has become a staple in my toolbox because of its ease of use,” says Dr. Kominsky, a Clinical Professor in the Department of Surgery at George Washington University Medical Center in Washington, D.C.  

Bheki Khumalo, DPM, started using the O.S.2-VP staple in June for first metatarsophalangeal joint arthrodesis and closing wedge osteotomies in patients with pediatric clubfoot. He notes that the device requires no spreaders and comes with all instruments necessary for surgery. In addition, the staple’s drilling is precise and it is simple to implant, notes Dr. Khumalo, who is in private practice in Martin, Tenn.  

The O.S.2-VP staple is sterile and ready to use as a stand-alone device, notes In2Bones. It is available with a 9 mm interaxis in angles of 26 or 90 degrees, and the manufacturer notes that the 26-degree angle will match the metaphysis of the phalanx. The company adds that the O.S.2-VP staple is a non-allergenic implant, which helps surgeons avoid the nickel and metal sensitivity concerns that may arise with nitinol staples.

Dr. Kominsky praises the prepackaged and disposable instrumentation of the O.S.2-VP staple. He adds that the staple is lightweight and ergonomically designed for maximum efficiency.  

Both Drs. Kominsky and Khumalo cite the device’s radiolucency on X-ray. Dr. Kominsky says this lets surgeons visualize the osteotomy initially without any metallic obstruction and enables them to follow the healing with repeated X-rays as necessary without having the typical metallic staple obstructing the view.  

“It is by far the simplest fixation device that I have ever used,” says Dr. Kominsky, a Fellow of the American College of Foot and Ankle Surgeons.

For further reading, see “Mastering The Akin Osteotomy” in the July 2014 issue of Podiatry Today or “Emerging Insights On Fixation For Austin/Chevron Bunionectomies” in the February 2013 issue.