一種新型外傷骨板設備被用于治療下肢骨折，使得外科醫生節約在手術室的時間，并且可以進行創傷性較小的手術。

該系統叫做Peri-Loc，提供獨特的多用途螺孔用于在同一系統中進行閉鎖或者開鎖手術。閉鎖螺絲釘幫助壓縮，這個過程將骨折斷端推到一起加速愈合。這種骨板系統同時還包括易于操作的簡單設備，包括標準鉆孔設備以及螺絲刀用以節約時間，有圓齒的骨板邊緣使得螺絲釘可以被置于骨板之外。為了用于微創手術，Peri-Loc系統具有射線穿透的靶標用于快速精確安裝。這項功能將在2005年晚些時候推出。

為了研究這些功能，Smith & Nephew召集了一個國際外科醫生以及設計工程師的小組。為了將骨板安裝進行最佳化，他們在位于Cleveland自然歷史博物館的世界最大尸體骨骼圖書館研究了數以百計的骨骼。已經有超過1000位外科醫生評估了產品，這是Smith & Nephew在產品廣泛開始應用之前進行的規模最大的一次評估。

Smith & Nephew整形外科(Memphis, TN, USA)外傷部高級副總裁兼總經理Scott Flora說：“Pero-Loc系統設計涵蓋了許多特殊功能，包括精確的解剖輪廓更加適合發生骨折的骨骼。隨著這種新產品的推向市場充實了我們公司的外傷手術產品線，為我們的用戶提供了更好的服務。
 
Plating System for Treating Trauma Patients
 
A new trauma plating device is used to treat lower extremity bone fractures, allowing the surgeon to save time in the operating room and perform less-invasive surgeries.

Called Peri-Loc, the system offers a unique multi-purpose screw hole that gives the option of locking and nonlocking procedures in one system. Locking screws aid compression, the process that pushes bone fractures together to speed healing. The plating system also includes simplified instrument sets for easy use, including standardized drill guides and screwdrivers to save time, and scalloped plate edges that allow screws to be placed outside the plate. For use in minimally invasive procedures, the Peri-Loc system will have radiolucent targetters for fast accurate fitting. This feature debuts later in 2005.

To research these features, Smith & Nephew called on a global team of surgeons and design engineers. To optimize the fit of the plates, they studied hundreds of bones at one of the world’s largest cadaveric bone libraries in the Cleveland Museum of Natural History (OH, USA). More than 1,000 surgical evaluations have already been conducted, the most ever for a Smith & Nephew product prior to broader launch.

“There are many special features designed into the Peri-Loc system, including precise anatomical contours to more closely fit the fractured bone,” noted Scott Flora, senior vice president and general manager of the Trauma Division of Smith & Nephew Orthopedics (Memphis, TN, USA). “This introduction adds to our full line of trauma surgical products to help better service our customers.”