November 6, 2018
Dear Kinamed Sales Agents,
Kinamed is in the midst of another great year! Sales growth of our core orthopedic products continues to well outpace the market. We’ve focused a lot this year on the success of CarboJet, but another bright spot has been the SuperCable Grip & Plate system, which is experiencing over 20% growth.
When it comes to unique features and benefits, our grip and plate system often is overshadowed by the SuperCables themselves. Understandable, considering there are no other polymer Iso-elastic cables on the market. A common misconception is that our Grip and Plate system is “not that much different from competitors”. Don’t buy in to this, as it could cause you problems in the O.R. and cost you some valuable business (adding a grip or plate to a SuperCable case can easily double the sale price of a case).
So, why should your surgeons use the SuperCable Grip & Plate system instead of the competitors’? There are several reasons (see complete list here), but one of the keys is the design of the Trochanteric Grips. Unlike prior (competitor’s) grip designs, in which the tines are intended to be placed “over the top” of the trochanter, SuperCable grips are designed to achieve trochanteric fixation laterally without violating the hip abductors.
Advantages of this unique design approach:
- SuperCable Grips often do not require contouring because the “plate” portion of the grip can be positioned against the lateral cortex of the femur distally, while allowing the proximal tines to penetrate the lateral aspect of the trochanter at their natural points of contact. “Over-the-top” grip designs often require complex contouring to prevent their proximal portion from projecting too far laterally. Intra-operative contouring can be time consuming and difficult. To enable lateral fixation, the grip has sharp proximal tines that are designed to penetrate the lateral trochanter as well as a proximal locking screw hole that allows supplementary locking screw fixation.
*Knowing and understanding this difference is key to successfully selling the Grips and Plates with the SuperCables. Many surgeons are accustomed to the metal cable systems’ design, and may be tempted to contour the SuperCable Grip into the same shape. Our top reps not only proactively discourage this, but they use the unique design of the SuperCable Grips as a selling point.
- The SuperCable Grip design provides clearance for the abductor insertions (Fig. 1) on the superior lateral aspect of the greater trochanter. Compare the proximal position of a SuperCable Grip (Fig. 2) to the position of an “over-the-top” design from another manufacturer (Fig. 3). Note how the over-the-top design covers the abductor insertion area, which can lead to soft-tissue impingement.
- The proximal tines of the SuperCable Grip are sharp.
A necessary design element that help the grip to “bite in to the bone”
- The proximal hole on the SuperCable Grip allows for locking screw fixation into the greater trochanter.
A popular feature with surgeons, as it enables them to build a solid construct of trochanter and grip, to help prevent the trochanter from escaping proximally.
- The SuperCable Grips are designed to be used with the SuperCable Iso-Elastic Cerclage System. When used together, this combination of implants offers a versatile, biologic, and comprehensive
- The SuperCable Grip and Plate System has been in clinical use since 2008 and is proven to be safe and clinically effective in challenging revision hip cases.
Our Grip & Plate Surgical Technique was recently revised to include this information. Download it here. Hardcopies are available on request. You may also want to view it in the context of other valuable sales resources linked in the SuperCable Grip & Plate New User Guide. Finally, our new sales portal has convenient “Sales Quick Reference Guides” for each product (including Grip & Plate) with bullet point lists of the key features and benefits you’ll want to convey in all your sales conversations.
Best Regards,
Patrick Miller
Sales & Marketing Manager
Kinamed, Inc.
tel: 1-805-384-2748 x 207
fax: 1-805-384-2792