Saturday, December 5, 2009

LDR: The Next Shining Star?

TSB has had many inquiries into a company known as LDR. Based in Austin, Texas, this company was founded by Messeurs Lavigne, Dinville and Richard, hence the acronym LDR. Considering that some of our readers have been critical of French technology, purely from a political perspective , "Les Trois Muskateers" are making an impact in the spine market with a platform called "ROI-A and ROI-C"along with the Mobi Disc.

Recently, TSB spoke to an industry source that stated surgeons are excited about the simplicity and functionality of the ROI-C better known as Vertebridge Plating Technology. This is a stand-alone device that is zer0-profile with a self-locking plate ( I call it blades) that can be inserted with a minimally invasive approach using what TSB calls the 2+2 technique. Two instruments and Two Steps. Yes, readers this company has had an interesting journey, considering that European led companies seem to have a learning curve when it comes to assimilating themselves into the US market.

TSB believes that if this company is starting to pick up traction, and it may be a good time as Wall Street starts to rebound, to take this company public. TSB can see an IPO in the making. So, in the spirit of debate, what do our readers think of these products, and can this company be our next shining star. Besides, TSB is biased because I do like my Chateau Neuf-de-Pape and french fries with vinegar!

9 comments:

  1. I've heard good things about their ROI cages, but I don't see why a decent product line and a bit of traction is sufficient to take a company public. I'm sure LDR is a great company and all, but why LDR and not Scient'X or SpineWave or SeaSpine or Lanx or K2M or ... Virtually every small Spine company has a somewhat unique product or two (although I don't know that a standalone cage qualifies as unique -- weren't you at NASS?) and some traction. Again, I have nothing against LDR or their products, but they would get absolutely killed if they went public any time soon -- not only by investors but by the Medtronics of the world who would squash them like a bug.

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  2. Word on the Street is that they are thinking about an IPO. TSB just reports the "scuttlebutt" and never claims to be "the Oracle " of the industy, we leave that to the other websites. That's why we write the blog! Thanks for your commentary!

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  3. LDR's "VertreBRIDGE" technology is pretty slick, in theory. The time savings in the OR compared to other stand-alone devices (SynFix, STALIF, etc…) is significant. There are two major drawbacks with the technology: 1) once the anchors have been inserted, there is no easy way to remove them (the surgeon must drill out the PEEK cage and fish the anchors out), 2) the anchors have a tendency to cause vertebral fractures (they are hammered in).

    Having one technology is not necessarily a good reason to go public. Especially considering how quickly the spine market develops similar products.

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  4. Please advise to the rsisk/benefits and/or percentage of success/failyre rates and complications of this technique. I am considering it and would like to know what I am getting into. Any direction to sites which may contain this info would be helpful.

    Thank you.

    Please, no solicitation.

    Joan@anthonycapobianco.com

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  5. Well… I had an LDR EasySpine system placed on my Lumbar region (L2-L3) with 4 LDR Alpha screws two years ago and just found out that one of them broke. Not too happy at this company right now. Even worse: as I'll have to get it replaced, I believe the surgeon will have to use LDR again… Yikes!

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  6. Dear Wiiliam,

    I would ask your surgeon whether or not you need additional, or replacement screws at all. If your initial surgery was 2 years ago, I would imagine that by now you have fused. Lumbar fusion surgery is always a race between the segments fusing together and the instrumentation breaking. If you'ne experienced a pseudo (no fusion) you may be fortunate that the screw lasted for the length of time it did before breaking. If fusion did occur, the best solution may be to take the instrumentation out. I wish you the best.

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    Replies
    1. William, are you having surgery to remove the broken screw? I'm curious, how did you know one was broken? We're you in pain of any sort?
      Best regards
      Neeni

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  7. I have been researching LDR myself, I had ACDF c4,c5, c6, with the ROI-C implant and five months post op, had an x-ray due to sudden unusual significant pain, Dr. found one of the plates fractured in half. Had to have revision surgery because it was unbearable pain. Dr. Says when he got in there he noticed the device had lots of "movement"
    He ex-planted the entire device and went with the old fashioned way! Hip bone graft and regular plate.

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