Class II — Potential Health Hazard

Potential health hazard — use of or exposure to this product may cause temporary or medically reversible adverse health consequences.

Tritanium TL Steerable Inserter Recalled by Howmedica Osteonics Corp. Due to The firm received complaints related to the locking...

Date: September 12, 2018
Company: Howmedica Osteonics Corp.
Status: Terminated
Source: FDA (Device)

What You Should Do

Stop using this product immediately. Do not consume, use, or distribute it.

Return the product to the place of purchase for a full refund. If you have questions, contact Howmedica Osteonics Corp. directly.

Affected Products

Tritanium TL Steerable Inserter, Cat. No. 48930000, UDI 07613327381900 Product Usage: The TL Steerable Inserter is a Class 1 instrument which is provided in a non-sterile condition. The inserter is designed to enter the disc space, with a fixed engagement between the inserter and the cage and then rotate for desired placement. The three components of the TL Steerable Inserter System include: 1. TL Steerable Inserter 2. TL Steerable Inserter Inner Shaft 3. TL Steerable Inserter Driver

Quantity: 58

Why Was This Recalled?

The firm received complaints related to the locking mechanism on the steerable inserter not functioning as intended. The firm confirmed that the issue is related to lack of lubrication of the instrument. There are two potential hazards associated with the implant pivoting unexpectedly during implant insertion into the disc space. First, if the implant is initially inserted into the disc space via the impaction method and the implant pivots unexpectedly, the implant potentially may unintentionally contact sensitive anatomy. Additionally, the user may potentially experience difficulty positioning the implant within the disc space due to the lack of rigidity. A third potential hazard is associated with the inserter not unlocking at the articulating pivot head during implant positioning within the disc space. Once the implant is in the prepared disc space and contacts the ventral annulus, the surgeon unlocks the articulating pivot head and positions the implant perpendicular to the spinous process. The surgeon may then elect to lock/unlock the articulating pivot head for desired final positioning of the implant. If the inserter does not unlock during these final implant positioning steps, the user may potentially implant the cage in a suboptimal trajectory/placement.

Where Was This Sold?

This product was distributed nationwide across all 50 states.

Affected (51 states)Not affected

About Howmedica Osteonics Corp.

Howmedica Osteonics Corp. has 229 total recalls tracked by RecallDetector.

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Data sourced from the FDA (Device). Last updated March 26, 2026. View original report