Smith+Nephew's new FLOW FLEXTEND™ COBLATION™ Wand improves access¹* and resection efficiency²** for complex hip procedures vs. fixed-angle options
Smith+Nephew (LSE:SN, NYSE:SNN), the global medical technology company, today announces a breakthrough in RF resection technology for hip with its new FLOW FLEXTEND COBLATION Wand. Designed as an extension of its proprietary FLOW~IQ◊ technology with an adjustable-angle tip, the FLOW FLEXTEND Wand is designed to give surgeons enhanced joint access1* and precise tissue targeting3 for hard-to-reach hip, knee and shoulder anatomies.
Determining the root cause of a patient's hip pain can be very challenging and repairs are procedurally complex. Current wand offerings - such as knee wands that have simply been made longer – fall short of surgeons' needs for an improved option to better access all targeted tissues. The FLOW FLEXTEND Wand solves this unmet need with a wand designed by hip surgeons specifically for hip procedures with features including:
- Proprietary, high performing FLOW~IQ Technology: Clinically and commercially validated since 2016, FLOW~IQ Technology automatically balances saline outflow with COBLATION energy, delivering exceptional precision or speed2,4** based on clinical need.
- Precision electrode design with adjustable-angle tip: Designed to improve and expand access1* to targeted tissues while facilitating insertion and removal by straightening the shaft.
- Set and forget angle adjustment mechanism: Once a desired angle is set, the surgeon may release their hand from the mechanism without touching it again unless required for further adjustments.5
Feedback from the surgeon community using the FLOW FLEXTEND COBLATION Wand for the first time has been encouraging:
Dr. Joshua D. Harris, Orthopedic Surgeon at Houston Methodist specializing in sports medicine and hip preservation commented, “The articulation gives the FLOW FLEXTEND COBLATION Wand a significant advantage, and a lot more versatility in the central compartment without capsular disruption than any of the other instruments I have used before.”
Dr. Jovan Laskovski, Orthopaedic Surgeon at Crystal Clinic Orthopaedic Center added, “The FLOW FLEXTEND COBLATION Wand's tip geometry - and the fact that it's flexible - allows for a precise capsule-to-labrum recess and preservation of the capsule.”
The FLOW FLEXTEND Wand utilizes Smith+Nephew's proprietary COBLATION Technology - clinically proven to improve patient outcomes compared to mechanical debridement.6-8† Continuing to evolve over three decades of research and innovation, including refined wand designs, improved delivery systems and expanded indications, COBLATION Technology continues to set the gold standard for resection.
For more information about Smith+Nephew's FLOW FLEXTEND COBLATION Wand and FLOW~IQ Technology, please visit the webpage here.
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* compared to HipVac and FLOW 50.
** as demonstrated ex vivo at default settings, n=10 data points per device
† as compared to mechanical debridement for knee chondroplasty; n=60.
References
- Smith+Nephew 2026. FLOW FLEXTEND Anatomical Access Study. P/N 10171095_A
- Smith+Nephew 2026. FLOW FLEXTEND Ablation Rate Study. P/N 10171562_A
- Smith+Nephew 2026. FLOW FLEXTEND Distal Tip Geometry Study. P/N 10171298_A
- Smith+Nephew 2026. FLOW FLEXTEND Thermal Effect Study. P/N 10171150_A
- Smith+Nephew 2025. FLOW FLEXTEND T=3YR AA Design Verification Bench Test Report. P/N 10155104_B
- Spahn G, Kahl E, Muckley T, Hofmann GO, Klinger HM. Arthroscopic knee chondroplasty using a bipolar radiofrequency-based device compared to mechanical shaver: results of a prospective, randomized, controlled study. Knee Surg Sports Traumatol Arthrosc. 2008;16(6):565-573.
- Spahn G, Klinger HM, Muckley T, Hofmann GO. Four-year results from a randomized controlled study of knee chondroplasty with concomitant medial meniscectomy: mechanical debridement versus radiofrequency chondroplasty. Arthroscopy. 2010;26(9 Suppl):S73-80.
- Spahn G, Hofmann GO, Von Engelhardt LV. Mechanical debridement versus radiofrequency in knee chondroplasty with concomitant medial meniscectomy: 10-year results from a randomized controlled study. Knee Surg Sports Traumatol Arthrosc. 2016;24(5):1560-1568.
About Smith+Nephew
Smith+Nephew is a portfolio medical technology business focused on the repair, regeneration and replacement of soft and hard tissue. We exist to restore people's bodies and their self-belief by using technology to take the limits off living. We call this purpose ‘Life Unlimited'. Our 17,000 employees deliver this mission every day, making a difference to patients' lives through the excellence of our product portfolio, and the invention and application of new technologies across our three global business units of Orthopaedics, Sports Medicine & ENT and Advanced Wound Management.
Founded in Hull, UK, in 1856, we now operate in around 100 countries, and generated annual sales of $6.2 billion in 2025. Smith+Nephew is a constituent of the FTSE100 (LSE:SN, NYSE:SNN). The terms ‘Group' and ‘Smith+Nephew' are used to refer to Smith & Nephew plc and its consolidated subsidiaries, unless the context requires otherwise.
For more information about Smith+Nephew, please visit www.smith-nephew.com and follow us on X, LinkedIn, Instagram or Facebook.
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