The Truliant Knee System, developed by Exactech, a medical device company based in the US, is a comprehensive platform offering a range of solutions for various clinical challenges encountered in both primary and revision total knee replacement procedures.
The first surgery using the new-generation Activit-E polyethylene (PE) for the Truliant knee replacement system was successfully conducted at Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston, US, in October 2023.
Exactech’s Activit-E PE is the first-of-a-kind, advanced crosslinked PE used along with the Truliant knee replacement system.
The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) provided 510(k) clearance for the Activit-E PE in August 2023.
The initial surgeries using the Truliant Knee System were performed in May 2017, after its 510(k) clearance from the FDA. The system was later expanded with a porous-coated implant option, the Truliant Porous Knee System, in August 2021.
Truliant Knee System design
The Truliant Knee System comprises orthopaedic implants, including femoral components, tibial trays, tibial inserts, and patellas.
The system is designed with features from proven knee systems, Optetrak and Optetrak Logic, to reduce contact stress between femoral and tibial components. The reduction of contact stresses helps in minimising PE wear, enhancing the components’ longevity.
Its full medial-lateral radius of curvature optimises congruency between the components, which is essential for knee movement.
Truliant Knee System materials details
Truliant’s PE tibial inserts are made using the net compression moulding process, ensuring consistent properties throughout the component. The method features excellent wear characteristics without requiring additional treatment and enhances resistance to oxidation and potential wear.
The Truliant Knee System designs have a documented volumetric wear of 1.46mg/MC, which is one of the lowest wear rates in the industry.
The implant features high mechanical strength, high fracture toughness, high fatigue resistance, and low abrasive and adhesive wear.
Truliant Knee System features
The Truliant system emphasises better ergonomics and intuitive instrumentation. It features blue accents to indicate touch points for adjustability and functionality and a textured grip for accommodating functional and mechanical needs.
Furthermore, the system has high-contrast laser markings for easy identification of settings and parameters. It has an intuitive design to provide audio, visual, and tactile feedback to surgeons.
It also provides real-time guidance by simple transition from mechanical instrumentation to computer-assisted surgeries.
The system features a contoured femoral profile, increased blend radius on the trochlear groove, advanced and standard patella options, as well as other implant options to meet the most challenging cases, including metaphyseal cones.
The streamlined design of the Truliant instrumentation allows for a seamless transition from primary to revision to navigation procedures. With modular instrumentation and well-planned tray layouts, the system is designed to enhance overall efficiency in the operating room, benefiting both the surgeon and the supporting staff.
Activit-E polyethylene characteristics
Activit-E employs a chemically crosslinked PE that achieves an ideal equilibrium between material strength and toughness. The innovative approach not only ensures a robust and durable material but also obviates the need for gamma irradiation technology, a requirement in earlier generations of PE.
It is designed with vitamin E antioxidant stabilisation. The incorporation of vitamin E is intended to enhance the material’s properties and contribute to achieving the primary goal of delivering substantial benefits to patients undergoing orthopaedic procedures.
The material’s design, featuring active oxidative resistance, surpasses traditional orthopaedic considerations. By ensuring active oxidative resistance, Activit-E can provide a reliable and enduring solution for patients, enhancing the strength and longevity of orthopaedic implants.