The implantable device Elite SPK is intended for the attachment of soft tissue to bone during arthroscopic or open treatment of rotator cuff tears. It is intended to be implanted using the Compasso surgical instruments. Compasso is a series of surgical instruments intended for use for the Elite SPK or the Sharc-FT bone anchor.
Device Story
Elite SPK is a sterile, single-use PEEK suture anchor for attaching soft tissue to bone during rotator cuff repair; used with Compasso manual surgical instruments. Compasso instruments are reusable, made of stainless steel, aluminum, and laser-sintered polyamide. Surgeon drills a 3mm hole in the humerus; anchor is inserted to secure tendons using a transosseous double-row technique. Device remains implanted to facilitate healing. Used by orthopedic surgeons in clinical settings (OR). Benefits include secure tendon-to-bone fixation during recovery.
Clinical Evidence
Bench testing only. Performance data included fixation strength testing comparing Elite SPK to the predicate, demonstrating comparable results. Biocompatibility was evaluated per ISO 10993 and FDA guidance. Sterilization and shelf-life were validated per international standards.
Technological Characteristics
Implant: PEEK. Instruments: Stainless steel (ISO 5832-1), aluminum, laser-sintered polyamide. Design: Screw-type with partially threaded side flaps/wings. Dimensions: 3mm diameter. Sterilization: Standard validated methods. Connectivity: None (manual surgical instruments).
Indications for Use
Indicated for adult patients requiring surgical repair of rotator cuff injuries via arthroscopic or open procedures.
Regulatory Classification
Identification
A smooth or threaded metallic bone fixation fastener is a device intended to be implanted that consists of a stiff wire segment or rod made of alloys, such as cobalt-chromium-molybdenum and stainless steel, and that may be smooth on the outside, fully or partially threaded, straight or U-shaped; and may be either blunt pointed, sharp pointed, or have a formed, slotted head on the end. It may be used for fixation of bone fractures, for bone reconstructions, as a guide pin for insertion of other implants, or it may be implanted through the skin so that a pulling force (traction) may be applied to the skeletal system.
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Image /page/0/Picture/1 description: The image shows the logo for the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services. The logo is a circular seal with the words "DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH & HUMAN SERVICES - USA" arranged around the perimeter. Inside the circle is a stylized image of three human profiles facing to the right, stacked on top of each other.
Food and Drug Administration 10903 New Hampshire Avenue Document Control Center - WO66-G609 Silver Spring, MD 20993-0002
April 20, 2016
NCS Lab Srl % Christine Brauer. Ph.D. Regulatory Affairs Consultant Brauer Device Consultants, LLC 7 Trail House Court Rockville, Maryland 20850
Re: K160500
Trade/Device Name: Elite SPK. Compasso. Elite SPK Kit Regulation Number: 21 CFR 888.3040 Regulation Name: Smooth or threaded metallic bone fixation fastener Regulatory Class: Class II Product Code: MBI Dated: February 22, 2016 Received: February 23, 2016
Dear Dr. Brauer:
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 to 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. Please note: CDRH does not evaluate information related to contract liability warranties. We remind you, however, that device labeling must be truthful and not misleading.
If your device is classified (see above) into either class II (Special Controls) or class III (PMA), it may be subject to 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 Parts 801); medical device reporting (reporting of medical device-related adverse events) (21 CFR 803); good manufacturing practice requirements as set
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forth in the quality systems (QS) regulation (21 CFR Part 820); and if applicable, the electronic product radiation control provisions (Sections 531-542 of the Act); 21 CFR 1000-1050.
If you desire specific advice for your device on our labeling regulation (21 CFR Part 801), please contact the Division of Industry and Consumer Education at its toll-free number (800) 638-2041 or (301) 796-7100 or at its Internet address
http://www.fda.gov/MedicalDevices/Resourcesfor You/Industry/default.htm. Also, please note the regulation entitled, "Misbranding by reference to premarket notification" (21CFR Part 807.97). For questions regarding the reporting of adverse events under the MDR regulation (21 CFR Part 803), please go to
http://www.fda.gov/MedicalDevices/Safety/ReportaProblem/default.htm for the CDRH's Office of Surveillance and Biometrics/Division of Postmarket Surveillance.
You may obtain other general information on your responsibilities under the Act from the Division of Industry and Consumer Education at its toll-free number (800) 638-2041 or (301) 796-7100 or at its Internet address
http://www.fda.gov/MedicalDevices/ResourcesforYou/Industry/default.htm.
Sincerely yours,
# Lori A. Wiggins -S
for
Mark N. Melkerson Director Division of Orthopedic Devices Office of Device Evaluation Center for Devices and Radiological Health
Enclosure
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# Indications for Use
Form Approved: OMB No. 0910-0120 Expiration Date: January 31, 2017 See PRA Statement below.
510(k) Number (if known) K160500
Device Name Elite SPK, Elite SPK Kit and Compasso
### Indications for Use (Describe)
The implantable device Elite SPK is intended for the attachment of soft tissue to bone during arthroscopic or open treatment of rotator cuff tears. It is intended to be implanted using the Compasso surgical instruments.
Compasso is a series of surgical instruments intended for use for the Elite SPK or the Sharc-FT bone anchor.
Type of Use (Select one or both, as applicable)
> Prescription Use (Part 21 CFR 801 Subpart D)
_ Over-The-Counter Use (21 CFR 801 Subpart C)
# PLEASE DO NOT WRITE BELOW THIS LINE - CONTINUE ON A SEPARATE PAGE IF NEEDED.
## FOR FDA USE ONLY
Concurrence of Center for Devices and Radiological Health (CDRH) (Signature)
This section applies only to requirements of the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995.
## *DO NOT SEND YOUR COMPLETED FORM TO THE PRA STAFF EMAIL ADDRESS BELOW.*
The burden time for this collection of information is estimated to average 79 hours per response, including the time to review instructions, search existing data sources, gather and maintain the data needed and complete and review the collection of information. Send comments regarding this burden estimate or any other aspect of this information collection, including suggestions for reducing this burden, to:
> Department of Health and Human Services Food and Drug Administration Office of Chief Information Officer Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA) Staff PRAStaff(@fda.hhs.gov
"An agency may not conduct or sponsor, and a person is not required to respond to, a collection of information unless it displays a currently valid OMB number."
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# 510(k) SUMMARY OF SAFETY AND EFFECTIVENESS
### 1 GENERAL INFORMATION
#### Submitter and Owner of the 510(k) Application 1.1
NCS Lab Srl Via Pola Esterna 4/12 Carpi (MO), Italy 41012
### 1.2 Official Correspondent
Christine L. Brauer, PhD Regulatory Affairs Consultant Brauer Device Consultants, LLC 7 Trail House Court Rockville, MD 20850
Telephone: (301) 545-1990 Fax: (301) 545-1992 E-mail: chris.brauer(@comcast.net
### Devices Subject of this 510(k) 1.3
Elite SPK Compasso Elite SPK Kit
### Date of Preparation 1.4
April 18, 2016
# 2 NAME OF THE DEVICE AND CLASSIFICATION INFORMATION
### Trade/Proprietary Name 2.1
This 510(k) application is for the following devices:
- Elite SPK, a sterile, single-use implantable suture anchor;
- . Compasso, a series of reusable surgical instruments used to implant the Elite SPK; and,
- . Elite SPK Kit, a sterile, single-use implantable suture anchor and sutures.
### 2.2 Common/Usual Name
Bone Anchor
Orthopedic Manual Surgical Instruments to Implant the Bone Anchor
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### 2.3 Classification Information
| Classification Name: | Smooth or Threaded Metallic Bone Fixation Fastener |
|----------------------------|------------------------------------------------------|
| Classification Regulation: | 888.3040 |
| Regulatory Class: | II |
| Product Code: | MBI – Fastener, Fixation, Nondegradable, Soft Tissue |
| Panel: | Orthopedic |
### 3 PREDICATE DEVICE
The predicate device is as follows:
- . NCS Lab Srl's NCS Sharc FT System, which was cleared through 510(k) application K120356.
The following reference device was considered in analysis of the technological characteristics of the device materials and certain design aspects.
- . Reference device for discussion of device materials and partially threaded design: Quattro Link Knotless Anchors, manufactured by Cayenne Medical, and cleared via K122314
The Elite SPK may be provided in a kit form with sutures. The sutures have previously received clearance from FDA (Riverpoint Medical Force Fiber, K100006), and are provided in their final, sterilized form to NCS Lab Srl.
### DEVICE DESCRIPTION 4
The Elite SPK is an implantable bone anchor device designed to ensure the fixation of soft tissues (especially tendons) to bone, during the repair of injuries to the shoulder performed with open or arthroscopic technique. The implantable anchor is made of polyether ether ketone (PEEK), and allows the surgeon to attach the injured tendon to the humerus using a transosseous "double row" technique. The ELITE SPK anchor is suitable for a 3 mm in diameter hole, and is provided sterile for single use.
The Compasso is a series of manual surgical instruments to implant the Elite SPK. Instruments in contact with human body are made of Stainless Steel in conformity with ISO 5832-1, while other components not in contact with the patient are made of stainless steel, aluminum and laser sintering polyamide.
<sup>1</sup> The tradename of the device was changed from the NCS Fish-Fit MD System to the NCS Sharc FT System after clearance.
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The Elite SPK may be provided in a kit form with sutures for physician convenience. The sutures are provided in their final, sterile form in the original packaging from the manufacturer. FDA has previously cleared the provided sutures in 510(k) application K100006; specifically, the kit includes the HS Fiber Sutures.
### ഗ INDICATION FOR USE
The indication for use statement is provided below.
The implantable device Elite SPK is intended for the attachment of soft tissue to bone during arthroscopic or open treatment of rotator cuff tears. It is intended to be implanted using the Compasso surgical instruments.
Compasso is a series of surgical instruments intended for use for the implantation of the Elite SPK or the Sharc-FT bone anchor.
### COMPARISON OF THE INTENDED USE WITH THE PREDICATE DEVICE 6
The Elite SPK and the predicate device share the same intended use. Both devices are intended for use during arthroscopic or open surgeries to repair rotator cuff injuries. Both devices serve the same primary function: namely, to secure the tendons to the bone during healing. Both devices are used by the same health care professionals (orthopedic surgeons) in the same target patient population: adults who require surgical repair of rotator cuff injuries. Both devices are implanted into a cavity drilled into the bone, are implanted using the same surgical instruments and remain implanted in the bone.
### COMPARISON OF THE TECHNOLOGICAL CHARACTERISTICS WITH THE 7 PREDICATE DEVICE
The Elite SPK and the predicate share certain technological features, but also have some differences. The primary difference between the Elite SPK and the Sharc FT are in materials and design. The Elite SPK is made from polyether ether ketone (PEEK) whereas the Sharc FT is made of titanium. The Elite SPK incorporates a screw type design with a wider contact head and partially threaded (referred to as side flaps or wings), whereas the Sharc FT consists of a deformable U-shape body design. Both devices have heads with eyelets to pass sutures.
Other bone anchors are made from PEEK and are available in a variety of designs included "threaded" (either full or partially) or "smooth" screw-shape designs. One such bone anchor, the, Quattro Link Knotless Anchors, manufactured by Cayenne Medical, and cleared via K 122314, is cited here as a reference predicate device for materials and general design shape.
### 8 PERFORMANCE DATA
This 510(k) submission provided performance data to establish the substantial equivalence of the Elite SPK and Compasso to the predicate devices. The following is a summary of the performance data.
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Sterilization and Shelf Life: The devices are sterilized using standard methods and the sterilization cycles have been validated following international standards. The shelf life of the devices has been established through stability studies.
Biocompatibility: Biocompatibility evaluation has been performed to show the device materials are safe, biocompatible and suitable for their intended use. Both ISO 10993 and FDA Draft Guidance "Use of International Standard ISO 10993. Biological Evaluation of Medical Devices Part 1: Evaluation and Testing" have been taken into account to evaluate the biocompatibility of the device materials.
Performance Testing: Performance testing was performed to evaluate the fixation strength of the Elite SPK compared to the predicate device. These tests showed that the Elite SPK has adequate fixation strength and is comparable to the predicate devices.
The performance data demonstrate that the Elite SPK and Compasso are substantially equivalent to the predicate devices.
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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.