Arbutus Medical Launches TrakPak® with QuikBow™ to Improve Skeletal Traction, Announces Successful Cases

VANCOUVER, British Columbia - March 29, 2023 - PRLog -- Arbutus Medical Inc., a medical device company developing innovative surgical drill technology and sterile-packed orthopaedic procedure kits, has announced the launch of its latest innovation. The new device, QuikBow™, is a next-generation wire/pin tensioning device that is faster and more reliable than traditional Kirschner bows. QuikBow™ will initially be sold as a component of the company's TrakPak® product, a sterile-packed procedure kit for bedside skeletal traction.

TrakPak® with QuikBow™ can save orthopaedic trauma teams upwards of 45 minutes per procedure, an efficiency gain that can help hospitals increase patient throughput in the emergency room, reduce costs, and improve both patient and provider experiences. The device has a 510K regulatory clearance with the U.S. FDA.

The orthopaedic trauma service at University Medical Center New Orleans successfully performed the world's first cases using TrakPak with QuikBow.   The first patient required treatment for an acetabular fracture from a motor vehicle collision, and the second patient required care for a ballistic femur fracture.  Over ten patients have now been treated.

"Arbutus Medical's QuikBow has allowed our institution to transition from larger diameter pins to fine wire 2mm pins for skeletal traction, which we feel is a significant improvement for patient care and comfort," said Dr. Chandra Vemulapalli, MD, Orthopaedic Trauma Surgeon and Assistant Professor at Tulane University.  "Previous traction bows were problematic in that they could be cumbersome to use and frequently lost within the hospital, leading to delays in patient care.  This product increases efficiency and improves the standard of care for skeletal traction."

In addition to being easy to use, QuikBow is the market's first single-use traction bow, eliminating the cost and operational complexity associated with sterilizing traditional Kirschner bows. To mitigate the environmental footprint of QuikBow, Arbutus Medical has chosen to manufacture the device using a recyclable plant-based material, and has launched a recycling program, BlueWave, now available to all customers of TrakPak.

"QuikBow is a key addition to TrakPak, and together they establish a new gold standard in this market. We are working hard to make sure all patients in need will benefit from this innovation," said Lawrence Buchan, Chief Executive Officer of Arbutus Medical Inc. "Our team executed the launch of QuikBow with excellence, delivering on a key commitment from our recent financing."

TrakPak® includes all the capabilities and features of Arbutus Medical's original skeletal traction kit, including its patented DrillCover Technology, an innovation that adapts modified DEWALT® power tools into sterile surgical drills. Hospitals do not need to sterilize the drill between surgeries, and instead utilize sterile covers, providing a significant cost advantage compared to sterilizable drills. The technology has potential applications across surgical disciplines and facility types, including ambulatory surgery centers, NGO or military field missions, and veterinary surgery.

Arbutus Medical's surgical drills and procedure kits have already been used by customers in 40 countries to date, enabling an estimated 88,000 surgeries.

About Arbutus Medical Inc.

Arbutus Medical Inc. is a privately held ISO13485 medical device company headquartered in Vancouver, Canada. Arbutus Medical is developing innovative surgical drill technology and sterile-packed orthopaedic procedure kits that save time and money for hospitals. The company is currently focused on improving the standard of care for bedside skeletal traction surgeries in the ER of Trauma Centers through its TrakPak® product line. In addition to TrakPak®, the company distributes a line of surgical drills with DrillCover Technology that are available at accessible price points to customers around the globe. Arbutus Medical's products have regulatory clearances from the U.S. Food & Drug Administration (FDA) and Health Canada, and have been used by customers in 40 countries, enabling an estimated 88,000 surgeries to date. The company's mission is to simplify surgery, reduce costs, and help healthcare providers treat patients worldwide. For more information about Arbutus Medical, visit arbutusmedical.com and follow the company on LinkedIn.