Johnson and Johnson 2006 Annual Report Download - page 23

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team responsibly introduces these technologies to the market-
place, with a focus on professional education.”
Alfonsi elaborates on the collaborative product develop-
ment approach. “If we were automotive engineers who just
designed a system improvement, we could climb into the car
and go for a test drive. But our team is not licensed to take the
patient out for a test drive. Only a surgeon can do that—so we
have to rely heavily on professional feedback about our new
invention’s efficacy. That’s exactly why DePuy regularly con-
venes panels of top surgical opinion leaders around the world.”
In the past two years, DePuy introduced major innovations
that preserve bone during hip replacement surgery:
· The DEPUY PROXIMA™ Hip, an implant device with a short
anatomical stem and POROCOAT® Porous Coating, is
specifically designed to preserve femoral bone and soft
tissue. This advance in hip replacement was introduced
in Europe in 2006. An Investigational Device Exemption
study begins in the U.S. in early 2007.
· The DEPUY PROXIMA™ Hip finds a perfect synergy with
another DePuy innovation, the DEPUY MICROHIP™
surgical procedure. Developed by surgeons in Switzerland,
this is a minimally invasive surgical technique that does
not require a surgeon to cut muscles or tendons,
minimizing soft-tissue damage.
· The DEPUY ASR™ XL metal-on-metal bearings are useful
for younger people with good cortical bone tissue.
They are high-performance bearings, with a larger
diameter that facilitates lower wear and high joint stability
compared with traditional bearings. The higher stability
gives patients a greater level of confidence as they
return to daily activities. This new technology was
introduced in Europe in 2005 and in 2006 in the U.S.
DJ G E TS H I S G ROOVE BACK Christopher needed a highly
stable and durable joint. For him, Dr. Michel chose the DEPUY
PROXIMA™ Hip in combination with the DEPUY ASR™ XL
metal-on-metal bearing.
Only three weeks after his operation, Christopher the DJ
was “already back running the show,” reports Dr. Michel.
“He was booking parties again, making music, driving his car,
keeping fit, even playing sports.”
Says Alfonsi: “Year in and year out, our highest aspiration is
to help surgeons like Dr. Michel take away their patients’ pain
and restore their joy of life itself.”
B A C K I N T H E S A D D L E At age 36, Christopher—a Swiss DJ—developed severe hip problems that brought
his life to a pain-wracked halt. But after receiving a DEPUY PROXIMA™ Hip implant, he can bike with the best.
R E S T O R I N G T H E J O Y S O F L I F E 21