ECA Medical Instruments new lineup of single-procedure, precision torque limiting instruments—TruTORQ and TruPWR—will be on display and demonstrated at next week’s American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons (AAOS) Annual Meeting.  

The newest additions will join ECA’s showcase of instrument sets for trauma, extremities, spine, craniomaxillofacial, and joint reconstruction procedures at the Chicago-based show from March 23-25 (booth 3704, McCormick Place).

The TruTORQ hand-operated torque limiters are ergonomic and have popular handle styles and connectors, including an industry standard one-quarter square. The tool also features AO for a quick connection with customer drivers and shafts. Torque set points are from .5Nm to 14Nm covering the full range of sports medicine, craniomaxillofacial, orthopedic trauma, extremities plate and screw, and ex fix systems, as well as spine and large joint implants and constructs. 

ECA’s TruPWR line of speed-controlled torque limiting adaptors mate with both Stryker Corp. and Conmed power tools. Torque limiting set points range from .8Nm to 14Nm, making them ideal for trauma, ex fix, extremity, spine, and large joint implant cases. Securing plates, screws, and constructs safely and accurately under power, the TruPWR tools can be used for lengthy and complex scoliosis procedures; they help reduce surgeon fatigue and improve operating room turnover. More than 1,000 TruPWR scoliosis procedures have been successfully performed to date, according to ECA.

“TruTORQ and TruPWR are designed for surgeons and represent the future for precision fixation of medical implants. As one-way instruments they’re robust, precise, ergonomic, cost effective, sterile packed and sustainable,” said Lane Hale, ECA’s president and CEO. “Working in concert with surgeons and OEM implant companies we’ve developed this next generation of instruments to have the weight and balance of a reusable product at a fraction of the cost, by eliminating re-calibration and reprocessing and reducing fulfillment and life cycle costs.” 
 
The instruments feature medical grade polymers and torque limiting technology. Both TruTORQ and TruPWR have audible feedback and tactile feel features to indicate torque achievement. The instruments are available sterile pack and surgery ready with all validations or non-sterile to fit into legacy sterile pack sets, making it easy for OEM implant firms to private label and distribute across their sales channels, hospitals, and ambulatory surgical center (ASC) customers.  

Sterile pack TruTORQ and TruPWR instruments and implants are surgery ready on the hospital or ASC shelf ready to support a surgery. This allows sales reps to engage more effectively with surgeons, expand and scale their business and support more difficult cases.  

TruTORQ and TruPWR products also eliminate the expensive reprocessing of dirty reusable instruments, steps that require handling and washing, the use of harsh cleaning agents, large amounts of clean water for rinsing, and repeated steam sterilization. Studies have shown that single-procedure instruments, like TruTORQ and TruPWR, yield a 30 percent to 40 percent reduction in carbon footprint compared to traditional reusables.

ECA Medical Instruments, a LongueVue Capital company, was founded in 1979 and located in Thousand Oaks, Calif.  ECA is the industry leader in single-procedure torque limiting instruments and surgery ready procedural sets for medical device implants. The company has manufactured and delivered over 45 million instruments to the world’s leading producers of cardiac rhythm management, neuromodulation, cardiovascular, orthopedic and spine implants.