What is HyProCure?
There are 2 versions of HyProCure.
What is HyProCure?
HyProCure is a titanium spacer-implant that is placed into the naturally occurring space between the ankle and heel bones, called the sinus tarsi.
HyProCure II, the second generation, is unfortunately not available in all countries. Both versions are placed into the same location, are made of the same material, and have the same manufacturing and sterilization process.
GraMedica® strives for the best and follows the best practices to provide surgeons a device that is safe and effective. Each HyProCure device undergoes a thorough cleaning and sterilization process. Each implant is separately boxed and provided sterile. While this may seem obvious, you should know that this level of sterility is not followed by other sinus tarsi implant manufacturers.
Make sure your surgeon is inserting an official HyProCure implant into your foot. There have been situations where patients had other devices placed into their feet that resulted in complication.
Knowledge is power and for that reason, we want you to know the following information regarding where it is placed.
A person with a stable and aligned ankle–heel bone alignment will always have an open sinus tarsi space.
What is the heel bone?
The heel bone is one of the toughest bones of the body. It is designed to take the forces from the body above and the ground below. There are 3 different joint surfaces on the top of the heel that come into contact with the ankle bone.
What is the ankle bone?
The ankle bone is one of the most complex bones of the body. It is between the leg and the foot. It is responsible for directing the forces from the body above on the back and front surfaces of the heel bone. The joint surfaces of the ankle bone should always be in constant alignment with the matching surfaces on the heel bone.
What is the function of the sinus tarsi space?
The sinus tarsi space has a very important function. It marks a dividing line between the transfer of forces onto the back of the heel and into the front of the foot. The joint surface on the back of the heel is the largest of the three because it supports more than ½ of the force from the ankle bone.
Where is the sinus tarsi space located?
The sinus tarsi space is angulated obliquely. It does not run from one side directly across to the other side. It begins toward the front of the foot and heads inward to the back part of the foot. If a sinus tarsi implant is placed in any other direction, it acts against the normal ankle bone motions. HyProCure is placed along the same orientation and it works with not against the natural ankle bone motion.
Is the sinus tarsi space a joint?
You will notice that there is no cartilage within the sinus tarsi space. It is important to note that HyProCure is placed in a space that is not a joint. Some physicians may call this a joint implant but it is not; it is a sinus tarsi spacer. A joint implant is a device like a knee or hip implant that is used to replace damaged cartilage within a joint. There have been “nay-sayers” of inserting spacers into the sinus tarsi who have claimed you will get joint arthritis from it. This makes no sense because the implant does not come into contact with cartilage. If anything, a sinus tarsi spacer would prevent, not create joint arthritis.
Who created HyProCure?
The concept of the HyProCure design and function was created by a board-certified podiatric surgeon, Dr. Michael E. Graham. He had been in private practice for many years and found the “treatments” of ankle bone instability were ineffective or too aggressive. He felt there had to be a better in-between solution. He received clearance from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in September 2004. Since that time, HyProCure has been used with great success in tens of thousands of children and adults. In fact, HyProCure is the go-to sinus tarsi spacer by leading orthopedic and podiatric surgeons around the globe.
The design of HyProCure may not seem to be complicated but you need to realize simplicity is achieving maximum results with minimal effort.
