Conformis

[Anonymous]

Has anyone heard or more importantly seen any of the Conformis products?

[Anonymous]

I have a rep in my territory. It looks like all rip off implants. fixed bearing uni, cruciat retaining knee only (not out yet), resurfacing humeral head, and some custom ct/mri throw away block nav. sofware similar to our signature.

[Anonymous]

Could be an issue for all of us. their concept is not just making disposable instruments for off the shelf implants BUT patient specific (their words) custom implants also.

I was speaking to one of the managers at the Las Vegas current concepts meeting and the real scary part of this was THERE ARE NO INSTRUMENT COSTS OR IMPLANT INVENTORY ISSUES. We carry about 600 million of inventory. This is expensive for our distributors. this does not include the instruments.

If this catches on we are all in trouble. Thank Zimmer for gender specific.
Now we are going to have to deal with Pateint specific.

[Anonymous]

Hey,

Biomet Rep who said Conformis was a knock off of other implants and was like your signature.

are you in the habit of passing along bad information? please keep up this attitude, easier for me to kick your ignorant ass in the marketplace.


Did your boy wonders in Warsaw think up the signature on their own or screw over the Otismed guys and steal the technology.

Look at the pateint specific implant technology. Are you going to try and say there is no benefit to that or are you thinking you guys can cover everyones anatomy with your off the shelf crap.

Just wondering?

[Anonymous]

Hey,

Biomet Rep who said Conformis was a knock off of other implants and was like your signature.

are you in the habit of passing along bad information? please keep up this attitude, easier for me to kick your ignorant ass in the marketplace.


Did your boy wonders in Warsaw think up the signature on their own or screw over the Otismed guys and steal the technology.

Look at the pateint specific implant technology. Are you going to try and say there is no benefit to that or are you thinking you guys can cover everyones anatomy with your off the shelf crap.

Just wondering?

Hey Dikfer:
They passed on Otis after it became clear anatomic sucks. What do you think will be the next big thing after we prove mechanic based Sig works in the marketplace? That's right patient specific implants for a few dollars more. However, as the market is very price concious, I bet it will be easier and cheaper if you are utillizing an already proven system ie: Vanguard. Do you think my established customers are going to listen to some newbie jackass slinging Conformis or a great company with great clinically proven products and a promising new technology? How long will it take for Stryker or Zimmer to buy Conformis? What do you think will happen to your job then? Time to look for a new guarantee...

[Anonymous]

Wow! Sounds like a defensive Biomet reps that has been drinking waaaayyyy to much Biomet juice! Are you kidding me, if a Stryker or Zimmer buy Conformis you will be flipping burgers at Burger King. The future of Orthopedic implants is going to be patient specific. By no means will this technology take over the total joint world, this is a resurfacing technology for a younger patient population. It is also a very conservative approach that is preserving bone stock for any future "off the shelf" total joint.

[Anonymous]

so i guess you all agree with the gender specific rationale???? or are you all hipocrits?????

[Anonymous]

This is probably a dead thread, but who cares.

Conformis will be the next big thing.

Many, many surgeons are interested in this Uni and they are coming out with more.


If a surgeon asked you if you wanted a Gender specific knee or a custom implant, what would your answer be??

Oh and by the way, if a Stryker/Zimmer buys Conformis, usually the people who work for the company, get a nice big fat check and They'll prob be in the Caribbean on their boats while we're trying to compete with their product.

[Anonymous]

Conformis

Cons:
Expensive
Take 8-12 weeks to produce to implant and kit
for the most part unknown
company lack of education for surgeons
Disposable

Pro
Patient Specific
No Instrument Trays
Reproducable results for lesser experienced surgeons
etc.

This is from a former Conformis Distributor. The companies lack of willingness to train and educate their surgeons is a huge issue. Price was a problem and time frame to manufacture the implant was a little long.

[Anonymous]

ConforMIS will only survive if someone buys them, and it would likely be DePuy before anyone else given their stake in the company. They are currently managed by a group of less than adequate people who have no idea how to obtain proper financing, no idea how to get a new market started, and no idea how to recruit and retain good salespeople or surgeons.

ConforMIS is a decent idea "in theory". The trouble is any engineer or PhD who has studied the history of total joint design knows that matching a patients anatomy perfectly is a bad idea. The normal non-arthritic body has the ability to self heal and the natural anatomy has a way of fixing itself. This is not the case with man mande materials (regardless of the bearing surface used). It is all about fixation and wear. Time will tell if these implants will hold for 20+ years or not. My background says they will certainly not last as long as proven designs that have been on the market for many years. Sometimes re-inventing the wheel is not always a good thing... this is one of those times for sure.

[Anonymous]

I have had four surgeries, 2 per knee.
First surgery for each knee was the meniscus.
The second was a Medial Implant from ConforMIS. They have healed quickly, and I can walk, but I have been experiencing a lot of pain in both, and it is getting more difficult to support weight as time goes on, once again due to pain. The orthopedic Surgeon says there is nothing wrong in the X-Rays.

I'm worried that either they are failing, or that I have something else wrong.

Of course I recently lost my job, and the insurance that came with it.

:s

[Anonymous]

I think Conformis will make a small impact at community hospitals/surgeons desperate to keep up with the big centers down the road. Again, its marketing just like custom blocks, Mako, etc... High volume surgeons will not adopt this bc mfg will not be able to keep up with the pace. Guys doing 15, 20, 25 joints a week dont even know who they are operating on until they walk into the room, let alone keeping up with lead times on implants.

[Anonymous]

I just got off of the phone with a recruiter regarding this company. I have read this thread but it is dated. What is the latest talk about where this outfit is going?

[Anonymous]

yea, i got call too. Don't know if this is worth pursuing or not

[Anonymous]

yea, i got call too. Don't know if this is worth pursuing or not

This technology is incredible and will change the entire industry! It's only real drawback is covering severe V/V deformity.

[Anonymous]

This technology is incredible and will change the entire industry! It's only real drawback is covering severe V/V deformity.

Why are you posting this on the Biomet board then? If you worked for Biomet, you would know that we already have the tech to do custom blocks and custom implants. It is all a matter of cost. Conformis is late to the party and has no data on their metal and plastic. They would have to give it away to make any sort of impact.

[Anonymous]

Custom implants? I thought conformis was the only company to offer that?

[Anonymous]

Custom implants at Biomet are called PMI - Patient Matched Implants. A tremendous asset that is available for surgeons who are dealing with the worst of the worst. PMI's are "one of a kind" and have saved many limbs and literally given patients their lives back.

Conformis is a one trick pony that mimics other company offerings.

[Anonymous]

Sorry sir, not the same. I am worried about this Conformis though. They supposedly have the patent on all the patient specific blocks that all the big companies use. They have been a thorn in my side in my territory. They have made small inroads and have a unique story to tell. The operating room staff and SPD departments love their technology. In one way or another, their concept will be a part of the future.

[Anonymous]

Custom implants at Biomet are called PMI - Patient Matched Implants. A tremendous asset that is available for surgeons who are dealing with the worst of the worst. PMI's are "one of a kind" and have saved many limbs and literally given patients their lives back.

Conformis is a one trick pony that mimics other company offerings.

Conformis must believe their stuff is better than the patient matched implant you talk of if they are still selling their products. A better knee than biomet?

[Anonymous]

C'mon Obama, PMI is not the same as what Conformis is doing!

[Anonymous]

http://www.kneesforyou.com/conformisinterview.php

See the box ConforMis' CEO is holding in this picture (taken over 2 years ago)?
->That is everything needed to do a total knee, sterile packed, disposable.

See all the metal instrument trays beside him?
->Those are obsolete.

See the rep that has to carry all the instrument cases in/out of the hospital, help the Dr. determine the correct size of implant, and re-stock the implants after the case?
->They're not in the picture, because they've been replaced with an online system.

This is the future and just as someone else has already pointed out, ConforMis owns all the related patents.

[Anonymous]

http://www.kneesforyou.com/conformisinterview.php

See the box ConforMis' CEO is holding in this picture (taken over 2 years ago)?
->That is everything needed to do a total knee, sterile packed, disposable.

See all the metal instrument trays beside him?
->Those are obsolete.

See the rep that has to carry all the instrument cases in/out of the hospital, help the Dr. determine the correct size of implant, and re-stock the implants after the case?
->They're not in the picture, because they've been replaced with an online system.

This is the future and just as someone else has already pointed out, ConforMis owns all the related patents.

Perhaps Biomet will acquire them?

[Anonymous]

http://www.kneesforyou.com/conformisinterview.php

See the box ConforMis' CEO is holding in this picture (taken over 2 years ago)?
->That is everything needed to do a total knee, sterile packed, disposable.

See all the metal instrument trays beside him?
->Those are obsolete.

See the rep that has to carry all the instrument cases in/out of the hospital, help the Dr. determine the correct size of implant, and re-stock the implants after the case?
->They're not in the picture, because they've been replaced with an online system.

This is the future and just as someone else has already pointed out, ConforMis owns all the related patents.

We have this capability. Didn't you go to NSM 2 years ago?

[Anonymous]

If Biomet is lucky enough to buy them, then that would've good for Biomet, but bad news for Biomet's sales force. That's not very likely though; Biomet has debt, not cash. ComforMis is likely worth $500-800 million.

Besides, Stryker, Zimmer, S&N, DePuy, possibly even Medtronic want to buy ConforMis anyway. Biomet couldn't out bid those companies.

So be happy that you work for a company that is too small a player to afford the technology that will make your job obsolete.

[Anonymous]

If Biomet is lucky enough to buy them, then that would've good for Biomet, but bad news for Biomet's sales force. That's not very likely though; Biomet has debt, not cash. ComforMis is likely worth $500-800 million.

Besides, Stryker, Zimmer, S&N, DePuy, possibly even Medtronic want to buy ConforMis anyway. Biomet couldn't out bid those companies.

So be happy that you work for a company that is too small a player to afford the technology that will make your job obsolete.

Somehow I doubt the companies you list want to buy conformis. What would they be buying? It isn't market share and or technology the ortho market is willing to pay for. I think this company dies at the vine. Also, I would never doubt Biomet's ability to get a hold of cash.

[Anonymous]

What you don't understand is the value of intellectual property. ConforMis OWNS all the IP related to patient matched surgical instruments.

[Anonymous]

same question 4YEARS later: Have you seen ConforMIS?

same answer today as 4 YEARS ago: NO!

[Anonymous]

What you don't understand is the value of intellectual property. ConforMis OWNS all the IP related to patient matched surgical instruments.

True, I wasn't thinking along those lines. I still struggle to comprehend why a manufacturer wants this gig. Patient matched surg Inst have not proven to be any better than what has been effective for so many years. And if the technology was so hot, the company would have been bought by now as total joint reconstruction is boring and becoming more commodity like everyday. Almost to the point of generic drugs.

[Anonymous]

True, I wasn't thinking along those lines. I still struggle to comprehend why a manufacturer wants this gig. Patient matched surg Inst have not proven to be any better than what has been effective for so many years. And if the technology was so hot, the company would have been bought by now as total joint reconstruction is boring and becoming more commodity like everyday. Almost to the point of generic drugs.

Trust me it's the hottest thing going. Good grief they just fully launched the I-Total 3 weeks ago! They've got some big time names about to jump ship for this product. It will be the new standard! This is a patient specific implant not just the jigs! Sterilization cost minimal! Huge implant inventory rooms gone! Infections rates down. Blood loss mininal. Hospital stay cut almost in half. Don't worry boys there's still room for a traditional knee for severe deformity.

[Anonymous]

If the Conformis PKA is such a hot product then why arent Oxford docs dropping like flys to use it? Hospital stay, blood loss, and infection rate has absolutely no bearing on anything. All partials I see are 23 hour observation and blood loss is LOW. Bringing up infection rate is downright laughable (think: sterile technique!). This is not a magic bullet! solid idea but it's no Oxford!

[Anonymous]

If the Conformis PKA is such a hot product then why arent Oxford docs dropping like flys to use it? Hospital stay, blood loss, and infection rate has absolutely no bearing on anything. All partials I see are 23 hour observation and blood loss is LOW. Bringing up infection rate is downright laughable (think: sterile technique!). This is not a magic bullet! solid idea but it's no Oxford!

The oxford docs are more interested in mako, which solicited the lifetime guarantee response.

[Anonymous]

Trust me it's the hottest thing going. Good grief they just fully launched the I-Total 3 weeks ago! They've got some big time names about to jump ship for this product. It will be the new standard! This is a patient specific implant not just the jigs! Sterilization cost minimal! Huge implant inventory rooms gone! Infections rates down. Blood loss mininal. Hospital stay cut almost in half. Don't worry boys there's still room for a traditional knee for severe deformity.

From a device manufacturers standpoint it's ideal but no one will really be buying in until it has a clinical history. Patient specific implants and instruments will become the standard once the implants are proven.

[Anonymous]

Trust me on this, ComforMIS's famous patents are barely worth the paper they are written on.

They tried to shake down all the big companies when we brought out Signature and other PSI solutions and only S&N were dumb enough to fall for their extortion and licence their junk patents.

Everyone else just cited work done by Klaus Rademacher more than 20 years ago which is prior art against about 98% of what ConforMIS is founded on.

No surprise ConforMIS then hired Radermacher to be on their Board - better to have him inside the tent pissing out than outside pissing in?

Anyway - IF there is any benefit shown to iTotal (is it really going to beat the 95%+ that all TKR's can survive at 8 years?) Biomet and everyone else will join the bandwagon.

Whose MP3 player do you use evry day.

Is it one from the pioneers like IXI, Diamon or Archos or is it by any chance one of the ones from a big old company like Apple that had the class and marketing muscle to do things properly?

Don't kump off that cliff yet guys........