Aesculap Implant Systems conducted a study to test its Plasmapore technology, a porous titanium surface enhancement that has been shown to create an ideal osteoconductive environment for bone formation during spinal fusion.
The study was published in Medical Devices: Evidence and Research, and it reinforces previous data of the Plasmapore technology. This is the first study that provides a direct histological comparison between the Plasmapore surface and uncoated PEEK.
Aesculap looked to characterize how osteoblast-like cells interact and respond to the Plasmapore surface. Researchers found that early bone-forming activity was upregulated in osteoblast-like cells that attached to the Plasmapore surface.
Other analysis showed that the proprietary titanium plasma spray manufacturing process creates reproducible microporosity and nanotopography on the implant surface. The authors concluded that the nanofeatures, in combination with the microporosity and natural biocompatibility of titanium, help contribute to the significant increase in bone cell differentiation on the Plasmapore surface.
In 2018, the company expanded its Plasmapore portfolio in the U.S. with the launch of Arcadius C, a standalone anterior cervical interbody. To date, Aesculap recorded more than 50,000 Plasmapore surface-enhanced interbody devices have been implanted worldwide.