Synthes RIA System is intended to clear the medullary canal of bone marrow and debris and to effectively size the medullary canal for the acceptance of an intramedullary implant or prosthesis; and to harvest finely morselized autogenous bone and bone marrow for any surgical procedure requiring bone graft to facilitate fusion and/or fill bone defects. These procedures include spinal fusion, joint arthrodesis, total joint replacement, fracture repair, nonunion, maxillofacial reconstruction, and tumor removal.
Device Story
Flexible reaming device for medullary canal preparation and autogenous bone/marrow harvesting. System comprises disposable tube assemblies, reamer heads, drive shaft seals, and reusable drive shafts. Operates via free-rotating reamer head attached to distal tube assembly; manifold ports enable simultaneous irrigation and aspiration during reaming. Irrigating fluid passes through drive shaft/reamer head cannula; debris/graft material aspirated through retainer/aspiration tube ports. Used by surgeons in clinical/OR settings to prepare canal for intramedullary implants or collect graft material. Benefits include expedited canal clearing and efficient harvesting of morselized bone graft for fusion or defect filling.
Technological Characteristics
Flexible reaming system; components include disposable tube assemblies, reamer heads, drive shaft seals, and reusable drive shafts. Features simultaneous irrigation and aspiration via manifold ports. Available in various lengths and diameters. Mechanical operation.
Indications for Use
Indicated for patients undergoing surgical procedures requiring bone graft or medullary canal preparation, including spinal fusion, joint arthrodesis, total joint replacement, fracture repair, nonunion, maxillofacial reconstruction, and tumor removal.
Regulatory Classification
Identification
An orthopedic manual surgical instrument is a nonpowered hand-held device intended for medical purposes to manipulate tissue, or for use with other devices in orthopedic surgery. This generic type of device includes the cerclage applier, awl, bender, drill brace, broach, burr, corkscrew, countersink, pin crimper, wire cutter, prosthesis driver, extractor, file, fork, needle holder, impactor, bending or contouring instrument, compression instrument, passer, socket positioner, probe, femoral neck punch, socket pusher, reamer, rongeur, scissors, screwdriver, bone skid, staple driver, bone screw starter, surgical stripper, tamp, bone tap, trephine, wire twister, and wrench.
Predicate Devices
Synthes RIA System
Spine-Tech Bone Harvester
Submission Summary (Full Text)
{0}------------------------------------------------
## 510(k) Summary
Page _________ of ____ of __2_
| Sponsor: | SYNTHES (USA)<br>1690 Russell Road<br>Paoli, PA 19301<br>(610) 647-9700 |
|-----------------------------|------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| Device Name: | Synthes (USA) Reamer Irrigator Aspirator (RIA) System |
| Classification: | Class II, 21 CFR §888.4540, 888.1100<br>Orthopedic manual surgical instrument<br>Arthroscope and Accessories |
| Predicate Device: | Synthes RIA System<br>Spine-Tech Bone Harvester |
| Device Description: | Synthes RIA System is a flexible reaming device that consists of a<br>series of disposable tube assemblies, disposable reamer heads, tube<br>assemblies, drive shaft seals and reusable drive shafts. The device<br>is designed for expedited reaming of the medullary canal in<br>preparation for internal fixation. The RIA System is also designed<br>to harvest bone and bone marrow. The free-rotating reamer head<br>attaches to the distal end of the tube assembly. Ports in the<br>manifold of the tube assembly allow simultaneous irrigation and<br>aspiration through the tube assembly during the reaming process.<br>Irrigating fluid is passed through the cannula of the drive shaft and<br>reamer head and aspiration is drawn through ports of the retainer<br>and aspiration tube. The RIA System is available in various lengths<br>and diameters. |
| Intended Use: | Synthes RIA System is intended to clear the medullary canal of<br>bone marrow and debris and to effectively size the medullary canal<br>for the acceptance of an intramedullary implant or prosthesis; and<br>to harvest finely morselized autogenous bone and bone marrow for<br>any surgical procedure requiring bone graft to facilitate fusion<br>and/or fill bone defects. These procedures include spinal fusion,<br>joint arthrodesis, total joint replacement, fracture repair, nonunion,<br>maxillofacial reconstruction, and tumor removal. |
| Substantial<br>Equivalence: | Documentation is provided which demonstrates that the Synthes RIA<br>System, is substantially equivalent* to other legally marketed<br>devices. |
| | * The term "substantially equivalent" as used in this 510(k)<br>notification is limited to the definition of substantial equivalence<br>found in the Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act, as amended and as<br>applied under 21 CFR 807, Subpart E, under which a device can be<br>marketed without pre-market approval or reclassification. A |
{1}------------------------------------------------
K042899
etermination of substantial equivalency under this notification is
not intended to have any bearing whatsoever on the resolution of
patent infringement suits or any other patent matter. No statements
related to, or in support of substantial equivalence herein shall be
construed as an admission against interest under the US Patent
Laws or their application by the courts.
ತಿ ವೈ ಕ
{2}------------------------------------------------
Image /page/2/Picture/1 description: The image is a seal for the Department of Health & Human Services - USA. The seal is circular and contains the text "DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH & HUMAN SERVICES - USA" around the perimeter. In the center of the seal is an abstract image of an eagle.
Public Health Service
MAR 1 6 2005
Food and Drug Administration 9200 Corporate Boulevard Rockville MD 20850
Ms. Sheri L. Musgnung Regulatory Affairs Specialist Synthes (USA) 1690 Russell Road Paoli, Pennsylvania 19301
Re: K042899
Trade/Device Name: Synthes (USA) Reamer Irrigator Aspirator (RIA) System-Expanded Indications Regulation Number: 21 CFR 888.1100 Regulation Name: Arthroscope Regulatory Class: II Product Code: HTO and NBH Dated: March 4, 2005 Received: March 7, 2005
Dear Ms. Musgnung:
We have reviewed your Section 510(k) premarket notification of intent to market the device referenced above and have determined the device is substantially equivalent (for the indications for use stated in the enclosure) to legally marketed predicate devices marketed in interstate commerce prior to May 28, 1976, the enactment date of the Medical Device Amendments, or 10 devices that have been reclassified in accordance with the provisions of the Federal Food, Drug. and Cosmetic Act (Act) that do not require approval of a premarket approval application (PMA). You may, therefore, market the device, subject to the general controls provisions of the Act. The general controls provisions of the Act include requirements for annual registration, listing of devices, good manufacturing practice, labeling, and prohibitions against misbranding and adulteration.
If your device is classified (see above) into either class II (Special Controls) or class III (PMA), it may be subject to such additional controls. Existing major regulations affecting your device can be found in the Code of Federal Regulations, Title 21, Parts 800 to 898. In addition, FDA may publish further announcements concerning your device in the Federal Register.
Please be advised that FDA's issuance of a substantial equivalence determination does not mean that FDA has made a determination that your device complies with other requirements of the Act or any Federal statutes and regulations administered by other Federal agencies. You must comply with all the Act's requirements, including, but not limited to: registration and listing (21 CFR Part 807); labeling (21 CFR Part 801); good manufacturing practice requirements as set forth in the quality systems (QS) regulation (21 CFR Part 820); and if applicable, the clectronic product radiation control provisions (Sections 531-542 of the Act); 21 CFR 1000-1050.
{3}------------------------------------------------
Page 2 - Ms. Sheri L. Musgnung
This letter will allow you to begin marketing your device as described in your Sccion 510(k) I his letter will anow you to begin manketing your and equivalence of your device to a legally premarket notheation. The PDA midning of basification for your device and thus, permits your device to proceed to the market.
If you desire specific advice for your device on our labeling regulation (21 CFR Part 801), please If you desire specific advice ion your as note the regulation entitled by the regulation entitled, contact the Office of Complaned at (210) = 16 = 1 = 1 807.97). You may obtain "Misbranding by relective to promance nobilities under the Act from the Division of Small other general Information on your responsion.com and its toll-free number (800) 638-204 or http:// (301) 443-6597 or at its Internet address http://www.fda.gov/cdrh/industry/support/index.html.
Sincerely yours,
Lester Morton
Miriam C. Provost, Ph.D. Acting Director Division of General, Restorative and Neurological Devices Office of Device Evaluation Center for Devices and Radiological Health
Enclosure
{4}------------------------------------------------
## Indications for Use
| 510(k) Number (if known): | K042899 |
|---------------------------|----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| Device Name: | Synthes (USA) Reamer Irrigator Aspirator (RIA) System -<br>Expanded Indications |
| Indications: | Synthes RIA System is intended to clear the medullary canal of<br>bone marrow and debris and to effectively size the medullary<br>canal for the acceptance of an intramedullary implant or<br>prosthesis; and to harvest finely morselized autogenous bone and<br>bone marrow for any surgical procedure requiring bone graft to<br>facilitate fusion and/or fill bone defects. These procedures<br>include spinal fusion, joint arthrodesis, total joint replacement,<br>fracture repair, nonunion, maxillofacial reconstruction, and tumor<br>removal. |
Prescription Use _ X (Per 21 CFR 801 Subpart D) AND/OR
Over-The-Counter Use (21 CFR 807 Subpart C)
## (PLEASE DO NOT WRITE BELOW THIS LINE - CONTINUE ON ANOTHER PAGE IF NEEDED)
Concurrence of CDRH, Office of Device Evaluation (ODE)
Zack Attin
. Division Sign-Off) Division of Concell, Restorative and Neurological Devices
Number K042879
Predicate graph will load when search results are available.
Embedding visualization will load when search results are available.
PDF viewer will load when search results are available.
Loading panels...
Select an item from Submissions
Click any panel, subpart, regulation, product code, or device to see details here.
Section Matches
Results will appear here.
Product Code Matches
Results will appear here.
Special Control Matches
Results will appear here.
Loading collections...
Loading
My Alerts
You will receive email notifications based on the filters and frequency you set for each alert.
Sort by:
Create Alert
Search Filters
Agent Token
Create a read-only bearer token for Claude, ChatGPT, or other agents that can call HTTP APIs.
Copy this now. It will not be shown again.
Connected apps
Apps you authorized through browser sign-in. Disconnecting revokes their access immediately.
Learn the FDA Browser
Two short videos show you everything — or skip straight to the written tutorial if you'd rather read. You can reopen this any time from the Tutorial button in the top bar.
Part 1 — Search, results, and everyday workflows 16 min
Part 2 — Embeddings: the galaxy map 3 min
1. Search: exact and fuzzy
Type a phrase like "coronary artery calcification" into the search box. You get two kinds of results. Exact results match the literal phrase — prefix searches work ("coronary artery calcificati") but suffix searches do not. Fuzzy results match on the meaning and intent of your phrase rather than the exact words, and are sorted by relevance score. Hover over the Exact or Fuzzy badge on any row to see exactly why it matched.
Use the checkboxes above the results to narrow: SaMD keeps only software-only devices, AI / ML keeps only devices with AI.
Exact vs. fuzzy search: what's the difference?
Exact matches on the literal phrase (prefix search works, suffix does not). Fuzzy matches on the meaning and intent of the phrase rather than the exact words. Hover over the badge on any row to see why it matched.
You search "coronary artery calcification" and want only software devices with AI. What two filters do you apply?
Narrow by SaMD (software-only devices), then narrow by AI/ML (devices with AI).
2. The results table
Scroll right in the results table. The intended use is extracted for you — no need to open the PDF. The device story gives a high-level snapshot of what the device does and how it's used. The AI Performance sub-table shows each output name, acceptance criteria, observed values, and development/test dataset descriptions — the same format Innolitics uses for regulatory strategy outputs, and the fastest high-level fingerprint of an AI device. It is AI-generated but has been very reliable in practice.
Where do you find a device's intended use without opening the PDF?
Scroll right in the search results table. The intended use column is extracted for you; no need to dig into the 510(k) summary PDF.
What does the AI Performance sub-table show, and why is it useful?
Output name, acceptance criteria, observed values, development dataset description, and test dataset description. It's the same format we use for regulatory strategy output and Fast 510(k) input, and the fastest high-level fingerprint of an AI device. AI-generated but reliable in practice.
3. Judging fuzzy relevance
Fuzzy results trail off in relevance as you scroll. Use three signals to decide how far down to go: the fuzzy badge explanations, the intended use column, and whether your target output (e.g., Cobb angle) still appears in the AI Performance sub-table. Once it stops appearing, you're past the relevant zone. A top hit with a low score (~0.4) and a stretched explanation is a hint the closest predicates are far away — the project may be headed for De Novo. Note the fuzzy search is a pattern match: it doesn't handle negation ("not") well, and hardware devices can appear — filter by SaMD/AI ML to cut them.
How do you judge how far down fuzzy search results to go?
Use the relevancy signals: the fuzzy badge explanations, the intended use column, and whether the target output (e.g., Cobb angle) still appears in the AI Performance sub-table. Once it stops appearing, results are trailing off in relevancy.
4. Device detail page: chat and citations
Click a device name to open its detail page: device facts on the left, a chat window on the right. Ask something like "Describe the training data". The answer carries little citation bubbles — click one to jump to the highlighted passage in the source PDF, so you can verify every AI answer against the document. There's also a Download PDF button for sharing.
How do you verify an AI chat answer on the device detail page?
Click the citation bubbles to jump to the relevant highlight in the source document.
Reading rule for every project: how many summaries do you read in full?
At least the three most relevant 510(k) or De Novo summaries, in full. After that, use targeted chat questions to confirm your memory quickly. The tool supports this professional habit — it doesn't replace it.
5. Side-by-side comparison
Select multiple rows in the results table (aim for under ~10), then open the PDF Viewer tab. Ask one question — it goes to all selected devices in parallel, each with citations. This is the fastest way to compare and contrast devices: training data, PCCP scope, how they handled adding new scanners, and so on.
What does the side-by-side PDF viewer mode do?
Select multiple devices, open the PDF viewer tab, and ask one question (e.g., "Describe the training data"). It queries all selected devices simultaneously with citations, so you can compare and contrast quickly.
6. Collections
With rows selected, go to the Collections tab and create a labeled collection (e.g., "Cobb Angle Project"). Reload that selection any time — before a client call, pull up the collection and ask questions across all of its devices at once.
How do you save a set of selected devices for later use?
Select the rows, go to the Collections tab, and create a labeled collection (e.g., "Cobb Angle Project"). You can reload the selection anytime and carry it into the PDF viewer and other tabs that support selections.
7. Product codes and the regulations tree
Click a product code in the results to jump to it in the regulations tree — identification text, sibling product codes, and devices you can open in a PDF viewer on the right. Click a regulation number to see its identification, special controls, and related product codes. You can also search by product code or regulation number at the top of the tree. Always read the special controls if any exist for your device — it broadens your search and sharpens pre-kickoff research.
What can you do from the regulations tree view?
Browse product codes and regulation numbers, read the identification text and special controls, browse sibling product codes, open device PDFs on the right, and search by product code or regulation number at the top of the tree.
8. Chart view
Click Show Chart and segment by regulation number (or product code) to see which regulations dominate your result set. Clicking a regulation takes you into the regulations tree. Great for spotting that most matches are, say, hardware laparoscopic devices — a cue to go back and filter.
How do you see which regulations dominate a search result set?
Click "Show Chart" and segment by Regulation Number. Clicking a regulation takes you to the regulations tree.
9. The predicate graph
Open the Predicates tab for a family-tree view of predicate relationships. Click a node to trace its parents and children; selections from search carry over pre-selected. Commonly predicated devices are worth reading — a lot of people predicated them for a reason. The visual lineage is also handy on client calls, e.g. to show how a predicate family evolved and justify why your predicate still holds.
In the predicate graph, why are commonly predicated devices worth reading?
A lot of people predicated them for a reason. Clicking a node traces parents and children, and selections from search carry over pre-selected.
10. Embeddings: the galaxy map
The Embeddings tab plots every matching document in a 2-D "galaxy map" where semantically similar devices cluster together. Hover or click clusters to explore, and let AI label the clusters for you. Embeddings beat product codes for grouping: two devices can carry different product codes (LLZ vs. QIH) yet do the same thing — the embedding captures the meaning of the intended use and device story. This is also exactly how retrieval-augmented generation (RAG) works under the hood, and it makes a great visual on client calls.
Try it yourself
Head to the search page and work through a few of these AI/ML fuzzy searches to build intuition: perivascular fat on CT · aortic valve calcification opportunistic screening on noncontrast CT · breast cancer prediction on digital pathology slides · autism detection · gestational age prediction · a hearing aid that can also detect a pulse · foundation model based analysis of ECG · large language models · penetration test. Watch how the relevance scores, intended use, and AI Performance tables tell you when results stop being meaningful.