A&E Medical Corporation (“A&E Medical”), a portfolio company of Vance Street Capital, today announced the FDA 510(k) clearance and first implantation of the Thorecon™ Rigid Fixation System. Thorecon™ is intended for use in the stabilization and fixation of fractures of the anterior chest wall including sternal fixation following sternotomy, as well as sternal reconstructive surgical procedures.

“The Thorecon™ Rigid Fixation System is designed with a focus on simplicity and ease of use,” said Thomas J. Sullivan, President & Chief Executive Officer of A&E Medical. “The proven performance of plates and screws with the banding effect of an expanding amorphous cable, single-use instrumentation, MRI compatible stainless-steel material, and double lead screw threads make the Thorecon™ Rigid Fixation System a truly differentiated and novel technology.”

Thorecon’s™ new “Amorphous” Cable and Double Helix Screw Thread sets a new industry standard for high strength sternal closure systems. The unique cable is designed to be passed with minimal trauma and without the need of additional instrumentation. Once tensioned, the cable expands in width, creating greater surface area on the bone and potentially reducing the risk of pull-through.

According to Peter J. Didyk, A&E Medical Vice President of Sales & Marketing and an inventor of Thorecon™, “surgeons may choose from an array of plate shapes, designed to best match the anatomy of the individual patient.” Mr. Didyk went on to say, “each plate is sterile packaged, complete with all necessary screws, cables and disposable instruments used during the procedure. Disposable instruments can offer a wide variety of benefits. Whether it is about patient safety, convenience, or availability, many more healthcare professionals are now turning to single-use instruments to meet their ever-changing needs and requirements.”

About A&E Medical

A&E Medical (www.AEMedical.com) is a premier Cardiothoracic surgery company offering the broadest portfolio of sternal closure devices (including Sternal Sutures, Cable Systems, and Rigid Fixation) along with a range of single-use complementary products. With a forty-five-year history in medical devices and a long-standing global customer base, A&E Medical’s products are used in hundreds of thousands of surgical procedures per year to help sustain life and improve patient comfort and recovery. A&E Medical’s products are proudly manufactured in the USA at our Farmingdale, New Jersey headquarters and select contract manufacturers and are available under the brands: A&E Medical®, DoubleWire™ Sternal Sutures, Tritium™ Sternal Cable Plate System, MYO/Wire® Temporary Cardiac Pacing Wires and Disposable Patient Cables, and Thorecon™ Rigid Fixation System.

About Vance Street Capital

Vance Street Capital is a Los Angeles based private equity firm which invests in middle-market businesses in the medical, aerospace, defense and industrial sectors. For over two decades, Vance Street’s partners have worked with management, family owners and other co-investors to accelerate revenue growth, improve operations and acquire strategic assets for the companies in their investment portfolio. For more information please visit: www.vancestreetcapital.com.