Every year, about 40,000 osteosyntheses are performed in Austria. Hallux valgus, as well as rigidus, fractures, arthroses and pseudarthroses, are the most common indications. The Shark Screw® graft is the first allogenic bone screw, used for osteosynthesis in the field of hand, elbow, knee, and foot surgery.
The Shark Screw® combines the advantages of a fine-threaded screw with that of a human bone matrix, enabling bone fragments to be securely and stably connected without the use of inorganic or bioresorbable materials. Due to its natural material properties, the Shark Screw® has an osteoconductive effect, becomes vascularized after six weeks and is infiltrated by the body’s bone cells. After about one year, the graft will no longer be visible on X-ray because the density of the graft will be equal to the density of the surrounding bone tissue.

Electron microscope images show the natural structure of the Shark Screw®. Havers canals support the recepient bone in connecting to the transplant. (TU Graz FELMI Prof. DI. Dr. Plank)
For the development of the innovative Shark Screw® graft, surgebright collaborated with the Institute of Biomechanics and the Institute of Electron Microscopy and Fine Structure Research at the University of Technology in Graz. An important goal was to develop the unique design of the graft in order to achieve maximum resilience and thus highest patient safety.
Economical advantages
1 Evelyn Walter, Karin Schalle & Marco Voit. (2016). Cost-Effectiveness of a bone transplant fixation “SHARK SCREW” transplant compared to metal devices in osteosynthesis in Austria. ISPOR 19th Annual European Congress. Vienna: IPF Institute for Pharmaeconomic Research