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Stryker
Pivot Guardian Hip Distraction System
I put this ingenious innovation into the why-didn't-anyone-think-of-
this-before category. It's a hip distraction system that uses a
Trendelenburg approach, taking advantage of the patient's weight
rather than a perineal post, to get distraction across the hip joint dur-
ing arthroscopy procedures. It's another classic case of less being
more, and I think it's bound to help minimize complications, nerve
palsies and other problems that can crop up.
The rep quoted research showing that when there's a post, there
may be anywhere from 75 to 150 pounds of pressure on the groin area
throughout the procedure. That's a lot, especially when the patient is
under for an hour or more. He also mentioned a study of 1,000 hip
arthroscopies performed without a perineal post, all of which were
successful, and none of which resulted in soft tissue or nerve compli-
cations.
Because there's no post, the Pivot Guardian System also allows for
more flexible C-arm positioning, increased intraoperative range of
motion and improved ease of movement for the surgeon and clinical
staff. I think the concept would be useful for hip fractures, too.
