From One Bone to Many
One of Dr. Lewis Zirkle’s favorite quotes is “diversity trumps ability.” This expresses the idea that thoughts from many people with diverse backgrounds and experiences will lead to better solutions than any one person can achieve on their own.
From the very beginning of SIGN, he instilled this ethos in the organization. When the first prototypes of SIGN Instruments and Implants were created, Dr. Zirkle took them to Vietnam, where local surgeons used them, proved that the system worked, and gave feedback.
This woman was the first patient whose fractured femur was stabilized with a SIGN Nail. Six weeks after surgery, she was able to stand on her repaired leg.
Dr. Zirkle originally designed the SIGN Nail for tibia fractures because those were the most common type of fractures he had seen overseas. But as soon as surgeons around the world received the nails, they realized that the implants could be successfully used in all long bones. Surgeons began using SIGN Nails to treat femur fractures, in both the retrograde and antegrade approaches. SIGN Engineers studied the surgeries and patient outcomes on the SIGN Surgical Database, validating their success.
Later, surgeons discovered that SIGN Nails were effective in humerus fractures and in ankle fusion surgeries. SIGN continues to validate surgical results on the database, and when techniques are proved effective, share them with the global network of surgeons.
SIGN Skin Graft System
SIGN continues the ethos of continuous innovation today. SIGN Engineers have recently developed and delivered a Skin Graft System. This is needed in many countries because a majority of injuries are caused by traffic accidents. When a person is thrown from a motorcycle, they often have significant skin injuries in addition to their fracture. In order to help the patient avoid infection and fully heal, doctors need a way to safely and effectively cover the injury site.
The SIGN Skin Graft System enables surgeons to cover wounds and improve patient healing.
With feedback and guidance from international surgeons, SIGN Engineers developed tools and a technique for harvesting and meshing skin, so that doctors can take a small area of skin and cover a large injury. The first shipments of the Skin Graft System were sent to surgeons last fall, and we are gathering feedback in order to start the next round of innovation.
With a global network of more than 7,000 surgeons, SIGN is uniquely capable of using our diversity to innovate – creating better products and refining surgical techniques – to provide better surgical outcomes for patients with fractures.
Thank You
Without your support and partnership, none of these stories of healing would have been possible. Because you generously support this mission, SIGN is able to design, manufacture, and donate implants at no cost to hospitals or patients, which means that people living in poverty are able to access the care they need to recover and thrive.
What is the memory about SIGN that first comes to your mind? Perhaps it’s a patient, meeting with a surgeon, or something else in your life that sparked a connection with fracture care. We’d love to hear from you, and potentially share your story. Please email us at info@signfracturecare.org
In honor of SIGN's 25 years of healing, would you consider making a monthly gift of $25 or more?
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Discover events that shaped SIGN in a historical timeline.