June 27, 2018
Dear Kinamed Agents and Reps,
You’ve heard of Metallosis (the soft tissue reaction to build up of metal debris from abrading joint components) and possibly Trunnionosis (similar reaction from wear specific to the head-neck interface), but what about Cablosis (cable-osis)? As we’ve described in several white papers (links below), the metal abrading that occurs between individual metal filaments of braided metal cerclage, is similar to the abrading that goes on in any other metal-on-metal junction. The attached Jacobs et al paper goes into detail about some of the catastrophic effects metal-cable debris can have on the body.
Your surgeons are definitely familiar with Metallosis and Trunionosis… You may want to start introducing them to the term “metal cablosis”… (when appropriate to the conversation).
To make sure you’re an expert on the subject, here’s a refresher on some of the white papers available to share with surgeons and hospitals:
- Polymer Cerclage Eliminates a Significant Source of Metallic Debris in Revision Arthroplasty – Summary of the metal debris issue and how it relates to cables. The works cited list is a goldmine of sales support material as well.
- Braided Metal Cerclage Cables: Anatomy of “The Perfect Metal Debris Factory” – A detailed look at the mechanics of braided metal cables. The calculation of the total articular length is mind boggling: A typical metal cable implant has 28.93 meters of articular length. A typical patient with 3 of these cables has a football field’s length of metal-on-metal!
- Fretting-Initiated Fatigue Failure of a Metal Cerclage Cable – Examines metal strands from an explanted cable with an electron microscope – revealing obvious signs of fretting wear.
New SuperCable Demo Tool:
Our new “SuperCable vs. Metal Cable Demo Tool” is a plastic dowel wrapped with a SuperCable and a braided metal cable. Showing the two side-by-side has been an amazingly effective way to point out the obvious differences, and has been especially useful when speaking to the non-clinical decision makers we find ourselves selling to more and more these days.
35-900-1060, SuperCable vs. Metal Cable Demo Tool (image below)
Kevin Hughes, Eastern Regional Sales Manager, recently shared a great story about this tool after making visits with a rep in Virginia:
“I handed a Shoulder surgeon the demo tool with the metal cable and SuperCable mounted on it. I actually warned him to be careful around those cut ends, but he handled it as we were talking, and all of a sudden jerked his hand up with a loud Ow! He had poked himself anyway.
A few days after I left, the rep called & said the guy had called him and requested SuperCable for an upcoming revision case. He said “I kept thinking about poking myself with that damn metal cable”
Please note we have a limited number available (we are only able to procure a limited number of metal cables with crimp/ locking mechanism). Please let us know ASAP if you have a specific surgeon or staff target you’d like to stick one of these with (pun intended). BTW, if you have any Synthes or Dall-Miles metal cables with crimp/ locking mechanism or are able to obtain a wasted cable from a hospital, we will gladly turn them into a demo tool for you – just send them in to my attention.
Contract Notes
Speaking of metal cables, we’ve noticed a sharp uptick in the number of hospitals telling our reps they can’t use SuperCable because they’re on an ”80/20” or “90/10” contract with Synthes. We suspect hospitals have been sent a message that they better enforce those contracts “or else…”. Well, here’s another story, from our Western Regional Manager, Greg Lynch, that comes with a valuable sales pearl:
An agent in Southern California responded to the aforementioned “Contract” argument by going to the OR Director’s office and pointing out that SuperCable is the only Iso-Elastic Polymer cable available in the world. It’s a truly novel and unique product that provides benefits to patients, surgeons, and staff that no product Synthes product contract can provide. The Materials gal paused, turned to her computer and pulled up the actual Synthes Contract. She scrolled down to a section on “Revolutionary and Evolutionary Products”, and sure enough – the Synthes contract had a clause that basically said the hospital could use products that are completely unique – without it counting against their 80/20 requirement. Since then, the hospital hasn’t given the agent any problems about SuperCable.
Please let us know if you run into this issue. We can help you work with the hospital to demonstrate how SuperCable qualifies for this contract exemption.
And please let me know if you have any other questions or feedback. Let’s “Make it Happen”!
Best Regards,
Patrick Miller
Sales & Marketing Manager
Kinamed, Inc.
tel: 1-805-384-2748 x 207
fax: 1-805-384-2792