Red Point Medical 3D’s Bunion Surgery System Cleared by FDA
Utilizes proprietary AI software to convert data derived from a CT scan of the patient’s foot and/or ankle into a 3D model.
Charles Sternberg, Associate Editor
Orthopedic Design & Technology
June 14, 2022 - Red Point Medical 3D (RPM-3D) has become the first patient-specific instrumentation (PSI) based company cleared by the FDA to market patient-specific bone-cutting guides for use in foot and ankle reconstructive surgeries such as bunion correction.
Introducing ‘The Better Bunion’
RPM-3D’s patent-pending, patient-specific surgical guide system utilizes proprietary AI software (RedPoint Intelligence) to convert data derived from a CT scan of the patient’s foot and/or ankle into a 3D model, which is then manipulated to resemble the desired correction as prescribed by the surgeon.
Next, RPM-3D provides the surgeon with the opportunity to rehearse the surgery on a 3D-printed model, provides them with a fully customized technique guide, and a 3D-printed custom surgical cut guide that is optimized and personalized to correct complex surgical deformity with the ultimate precision.
The first family of RPM-3D customized guides will be marketed as The Better Bunion. With the infrastructure already developed and in place, RPM-3D is ready to roll out The Better Bunion to foot and ankle surgeons nationwide. This system will be capable of greatly simplifying the surgical steps associated with bunion corrective techniques (Lapidus, MIS, Akins).
Benefits
The Better Bunion allows for precise bone osteotomies and deformity reduction, and decreased operating room, tourniquet, anesthesia, and radiographic exposure times relative to other generic instrumented bunion corrective procedures available on the market. The Better Bunion Lapidus allows surgeons to utilize only 6 steps to prepare the bone before focusing on their preferred fixation. Most current instrumented systems on the market require 15 to 22 steps and the use of proprietary hardware.
The optimized, hardware-agnostic Better Bunion technique results in quicker surgery with less dissection, eliminates the need for cross-metatarsal clamps, and leads to a more precise outcome and faster recovery. Each case is fully tailored to match both the patient’s needs and the surgeon’s preferences.
RedPoint Medical 3D founders Adam D. Perler and James Spitler enlisted the support of veteran executives and formed a diverse surgeons’ Innovation Advisory Board comprised of recognizable and respected foot and ankle surgeons in the United States who have assisted in improving, streamlining, and testing the system.
CEO, Ben Coburn says, “We have a well-rounded and experienced team and the requisite financial backing. We have several surgeons nationwide who have already signed up to incorporate RPM-3D technology into their surgical arsenal, and there is a robust plan in place for a speedy product launch.”
Dr. Perler, Executive VP of Marketing & Product Development adds, “Thanks to the help of our amazing foot and ankle surgeon Innovation Advisory Board, Dr. Sam Adams (Chief Medical Advisor), and our innovative industry partners, we are excited about rolling out this revolutionary, patient-specific approach that will benefit many of the 450,000+ patients who undergo bunion surgeries each year. We feel that this patient-centric customized approach will quickly become the gold standard for surgeons, much like PSI has done for total ankle arthroplasty.”