Checkpoint Surgical announced the launch of the Checkpoint Edge™ Nerve Cutting Kit, extending the breadth of the company’s intraoperative nerve care portfolio. The Checkpoint Edge Nerve Cutting Kit is the first offering in Checkpoint Surgical’s planned portfolio of nerve-specific instruments, with further expansion planned in the coming months.
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“Checkpoint Edge complements our market-leading stimulator and implant products and is designed to provide the surgeon with the ability to protect and preserve nerve tissue during nerve transection. We are committed to expanding our product portfolio to address the continuum of intraoperative peripheral nerve care, and the Checkpoint Edge products will form a key part of our strategy,” said Derek Lewis, President and CEO of Checkpoint Surgical.
Brandon Smetana, MD, FAAOS, Associate Fellowship Program Director at the Indiana Hand to Shoulder Center, worked with Checkpoint Surgical as a partner in development of the device.
“Performing neurorrhaphy begins with nerve end preparation to healthy fascicular tissue. Preserving nerve integrity while generating a cut nerve face that optimizes both repair and regeneration is of utmost importance. Utilizing circumferential constraint while performing nerve end preparation has the potential, through continued investigation, to minimize variability while maximizing regenerative potential through preservation of nerve ultrastructure,” said Dr. Smetana.
Traditional nerve cutting techniques may flatten and crush nerve tissue, leaving nerve ends misshapen and difficult to align during coaptation. Checkpoint Edge employs circumferential constraint to maintain the nerve’s natural shape during transection. Constraining the nerve in this manner can prevent sliding, flattening and nerve edge malformation, helping to preserve fascicular group alignment and tissue integrity.
Non-circumferential methods may require another set of hands to help grasp and tension the nerve while the surgeon performs the transection. By contrast, the innovative cutting head design of the Checkpoint Edge permits a secure, single-handed hold that grasps and tensions the sacrificial nerve segment while gently constraining the part of the nerve to be preserved. The head’s cutting slot, which accommodates standard blades, facilitates a right-angle cut with the surgeon’s other hand. In this way, Checkpoint’s Edge puts the surgeon in control of placement, tension and transection, facilitating reliable, consistent nerve tissue preparation for aligned coaptation.