Smith+Nephew (LSE:SN, NYSE:SNN), the global medical technology company, today announces a breakthrough in RF resection technology for hip with its new FLOW FLEXTEND COBLATION Wand.

Designed as an extension of its proprietary FLOW-IQ technology with an adjustable-angle tip, the FLOW FLEXTEND Wand is designed to give surgeons enhanced joint access1* and precise tissue targeting3 for hard-to-reach hip, knee and shoulder anatomies.

Determining the root cause of a patient’s hip pain can be very challenging and repairs are procedurally complex. Current wand offerings - such as knee wands that have simply been made longer - fall short of surgeons’ needs for an improved option to better access all targeted tissues. The FLOW FLEXTEND Wand solves this unmet need with a wand designed by hip surgeons specifically for hip procedures with features including:

Proprietary, high performing FLOW-IQ Technology: Clinically and commercially validated since 2016, FLOW-|Q Technology automatically balances saline outflow with COBLATION energy, delivering exceptional precision or speed2,4**based on clinical need.

Precision electrode design with adjustable-angle tip: Designed to improve and expand access1* to targeted tissues while facilitating insertion and removal by straightening the shaft.

Set and forget angle adjustment mechanism: Once a desired angle is set, the surgeon may release their hand from the mechanism without touching it again unless required for further adjustments.5

Feedback from the surgeon community using the FLOW FLEXTEND COBLATION Wand for the first time has been encouraging:

Dr. Joshua D. Harris, Orthopedic Surgeon at Houston Methodist specializing in sports medicine and hip preservation commented, “The articulation gives the FLOW FLEXTEND COBLATION Wand a significant advantage, and a lot more versatility in the central compartment without capsular disruption than any of the other instruments I have used before.”

Dr. Jovan Laskovski, Orthopaedic Surgeon at Crystal Clinic Orthopaedic Center added, “The FLOW FLEXTEND COBLATION Wand’s tip geometry - and the fact that it’s flexible - allows for a precise capsule-to-labrum recess and preservation of the capsule.”

The FLOW FLEXTEND Wand utilizes Smith+Nephew’s proprietary COBLATION Technology - clinically proven to improve patient outcomes compared to mechanical debridement.6-8† Continuing to evolve over three decades of research and innovation, including refined wand designs, improved delivery systems and expanded indications, COBLATION Technology continues to set the gold standard for resection.

For more information about Smith+Nephew’s FLOW FLEXTEND COBLATION Wand and FLOW~IQ Technology, please visit the webpage here.

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Smith+Nephew        david.snyder@smith-nephew.com