Arthrex TightRope SB: Product Release and Device Features Reported

Arthrex has announced the release of the TightRope SB; in a PRNewswire press release, the company describes it as the first device on the market for anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstruction using all-suture, soft-button technology.

The company presents the device as an all-suture option for ACL fixation and outlines the concept in terms of intended use, construction, and intraoperative handling. The announcement also includes clinician and company remarks and references early-experience signals cited in the release.

On availability, the announcement states that the device has been released commercially and positions it for ACL reconstruction, while also describing applicability to ACL repair in addition to reconstruction. It reports that nearly two thousand implants have been used to date in procedures across the U.S. The release also states that the implant is offered in configurations intended to support ACL reconstruction using all graft types and includes use “for ACL primary repair procedures” within the described procedural scope. Taken together, the positioning is described as spanning ACL reconstruction fixation and primary repair use cases.

On design and intraoperative attributes, the release describes the device as an all‑suture soft‑button implant that uses a flat‑tape loop intended to hold the reconstructed ligament in place. It also notes that the implant is radiopaque, which the announcement says is intended to help surgeons confirm position during and after surgery, and it describes availability in multiple configurations. A quoted surgeon, Rachel M. Frank, MD, characterizes the system as a “metal‑free, screw‑free option” and describes an adjustable all‑suture construct that, in her remarks, allows intraoperative flexibility in graft tensioning along with a low‑profile footprint; the quote also notes that evaluation is underway to assess clinical outcomes. Arthrex also states that the implant’s radiopacity supports confirmation of position during and after surgery, and the quoted surgeon reiterates intraoperative flexibility in graft tensioning with the adjustable, all‑suture construct.

The announcement highlights early adoption and rollout signals through a brief account of initial cases, stating that Dr. Frank completed the first cases with the device in June 2025 and describing them as QuadLink all‑inside ACL reconstructions performed with the InternalBrace technique.

Beyond those early cases, the release frames the product as an evolution of Arthrex ACL technology and reiterates the metal‑free construct concept in company commentary rather than presenting clinical performance data. It also notes third‑party recognition, stating that the device received a gold Edison Award in April 2025 in a healthcare-related category. In aggregate, the messaging emphasizes that the implant is released, has been used in early cases, and has been publicly recognized as part of the launch narrative.

Key Takeaways:

• The announcement reports Arthrex’s commercial release of TightRope SB and describes it as an all‑suture soft‑button implant intended for ACL reconstruction, with additional framing that includes ACL repair/primary repair use in the described scope.
• Reported device attributes include a flat‑tape loop, radiopacity for position confirmation during and after surgery, and multiple configurations; quoted remarks also describe adjustability and a metal‑free construct.
• The release cites early-use signals (nearly two thousand U.S. uses) and notes recognition via an Edison Award, presented as part of the product launch context.