Case Study · Orthopedic Trauma
Carving the Path for Pelvic Innovation
How EXALTA helped CurvaFix advance a flexible reaming solution for curved-path pelvic fracture fixation
- Partner
- CurvaFix
- Technology
- FlexMetric®
- Application
- Pelvic Fixation
Pelvic fracture repair is one of orthopedic trauma’s most complex challenges.
The pelvis is curved, variable, and difficult to access, making straight-line fixation approaches limiting in certain procedures.
CurvaFix developed the CurvaFix Low Profile Implant, an intramedullary device designed to support fixation of pelvic fractures through curved anatomical pathways. To enable that approach, surgeons needed a flexible reaming solution capable of preparing the path for safe and secure implant placement.
But not all flexible reamers behave the same.
Traditional spiral-cut laser designs can act like a spring. They bend, but they also accumulate built-in forces that naturally want to return the device toward its original shape. In pelvic reconstruction, those stored forces can work against the surgeon’s ability to shape the optimal pathway.
CurvaFix needed a different solution.
The Challenge
CurvaFix needed a flexible reamer that could help surgeons carve the path they needed for the Implant while providing the flexibility required to position their unique curved intramedullary device.
The instrument needed to support curved-path preparation, work over a guidewire, avoid spring-loaded forces, and deliver strong cutting performance. It also needed to match the maximum curvature requirements of the CurvaFix LP Implant.
This required more than a conventional flexible instrument. It required a proprietary design that balanced flexibility, control, torque transfer, cutting efficiency, and manufacturability.
The Solution
CurvaFix partnered with EXALTA to co-develop and manufacture a flexible reaming solution powered by FlexMetric®, a proprietary flexible-shaft technology.
Unlike traditional spiral-cut laser designs, FlexMetric® uses a slice-cut laser architecture that creates a tension-free flexible section. This allows the instrument to respond to the surgeon’s intended path without the spring-back behavior associated with conventional spiral-cut designs.
The co-development effort focused on more than flexibility alone. EXALTA worked with CurvaFix to design reamers capable of supporting the maximum curvature required by the CurvaFix LP Implant. That alignment between implant geometry and reamer performance was critical to helping surgeons prepare the curved pathway needed for implant placement.
EXALTA also brought deep cutting-tool expertise to optimize the reamer’s flute geometry. By refining the flute design, the teams were able to support cutting performance, debris evacuation, and procedural control within a highly flexible instrument platform.
Using advanced Swiss machining and laser-cutting combo processes, EXALTA engineered a solution that balanced flexibility, bidirectional performance, torque transfer, cutting efficiency, and repeatable manufacturing in a demanding orthopedic trauma application.
Why FlexMetric® Is Different
FlexMetric® was selected because it solved a core limitation of traditional flexible laser-cut designs.
Traditional Spiral-Cut
Traditional spiral-cut designs can bend, but they still want to spring back.
FlexMetric®
FlexMetric®’s patented slice-cut architecture creates a tension-free flexible section designed to follow the surgeon’s intended path.
Its gear-like geometry and 45-degree cut angle support effective clockwise and counterclockwise rotation, while enabling stronger torque transfer at equivalent wall thickness.
The Impact
The result was a flexible reaming platform that helps surgeons prepare the curved pathway required for placement of the CurvaFix LP Implant.
For CurvaFix, EXALTA’s FlexMetric® technology offered the flexibility, control, and cutting performance needed to support a differentiated pelvic fixation system.
For EXALTA, the collaboration demonstrates how proprietary manufacturing, technical co-development, and orthopedic cutting-tool expertise can help MedTech innovators solve complex procedural challenges beyond traditional build-to-print manufacturing.
Our collaboration with EXALTA went beyond just manufacturing a flexible reamer. We co-developed an instrument specifically designed to support the unique requirements of the CurvaFix LP System and surgical technique. By combining EXALTA’s FlexMetric technology and cutting-tool expertise with our design experience and procedural insights, we were able to enhance reamer performance and create a more efficient workflow, helping surgeons prepare the curved Implant pathway with greater control, predictability, and confidence.
Eric Whittaker, Director of Engineering for CurvaFix
For CurvaFix, that combination mattered. The reamer did not just need to flex. It needed to flex without fighting the surgeon, transfer torque efficiently, and cut effectively while preparing a curved pathway through complex pelvic anatomy.
When the anatomy is curved, the instrument should not fight the surgeon.
EXALTA helps MedTech innovators build flexible solutions for complex surgical paths. To learn more about CurvaFix and the minimally-invasive surgical workflow, view the CurvaFix LP System in action.
The Challenge
Pelvic fracture repair is one of orthopedic trauma’s most complex obstacles
The pelvis is curved, variable, and difficult to access, making straight-line fixation approaches limiting in certain procedures.
CurvaFix developed the CurvaFix Low Profile Implant, an intramedullary device designed to support fixation of pelvic fractures through curved anatomical pathways. To enable that approach, surgeons needed a flexible reaming solution capable of preparing the path for safe and secure implant placement.
But not all flexible reamers behave the same.
Traditional spiral-cut laser designs can act like a spring. They bend, but they also accumulate built-in forces that naturally want to return the device toward its original shape. In pelvic reconstruction, those stored forces can work against the surgeon’s ability to shape the optimal pathway.
CurvaFix needed a different solution.
CurvaFix needed a flexible reamer that could help surgeons carve the path they needed for the Implant while providing the flexibility required to position their unique curved intramedullary device.
The instrument needed to support curved-path preparation, work over a guidewire, avoid spring-loaded forces, and deliver strong cutting performance. It also needed to match the maximum curvature requirements of the CurvaFix LP Implant.
This required more than a conventional flexible instrument. It required a proprietary design that balanced surgical need and manufacturability while providing unmatched;
- Flexibility
- Control
- Torque Transfer
- Cutting Efficiency