About

A Brief History of Time

Arthroplasty Research and Development

Established in March 1984, Arthroplasty Research & Development (A.R.D.) was to become a notable force in South African orthopaedics over the next decade. Early on, the company embarked upon an ambitious programme of expansion, increasing both its product range but also its client base.

Some notable developments from the A.R.D. period include:

The introduction of the rotating platform SS'92 knee. The current popularity of freely rotating tibial platforms vindicates the company's early, and bold, move away from the then popular fixed tibial articulation.
Crosslinking of UHMWPE.
The introduction of a modular femoral head/ stem design to replace the monoblock Total Hip,
a cemented/ cementless option Dual Hip, which in its early form already featured a proximal cement collar and right angled stem design.
work on a prototype acrylic bone cement, spear-headed under the project name DURUS.
the development of the Vertefix® Pedicle Screw System in conjunction with a leading Johannesburg spinal specialist.

In its on-going commitment to quality, the company is accredited with ISO 13485.

The mid 1990's represented an important marker for change, both for the company, and the country as a whole. With the nation's first democratically elected government instituted in April 1994, the new government shifted the focus of the nation's medical delivery systems from tertiary to primary healthcare. In a bid to offset its dependency on a contracting local market, A.R.D. also sought to establish a niche export market.

Macmed Orthopaedics

The potential shown by the company's ventures in Europe, coupled with A.R.D.'s local manufacturing base, made A.R.D. an attractive purchase option for the Macmed Health Care Group. In April 1997, A.R.D. was acquired in full by Macmed, and renamed Macmed Orthopaedics. Macmed's financial backing enabled the new company to successfully upgrade its manufacturing protocols to comply with Europe's more stringent quality requirements.

Significant product developments from this era include:

A follow-up on the long-term clinical results of the company's cross-linked polyethylene acetabular cups, and a strategic decision to exploit this technology for further use.
The launch of an updated articulating platform knee design, called the SS'98.
The refinement of DURUS® acrylic bone cement.
The surprise liquidation of Macmed Orthopaedics' parent company Macmed Health Care Limited, in October 1999, brought an end to that Era.

A decision was made to continue with the work that had occupied so much a part of his working life. Elite Surgical Supplies was established. Founded upon three decades history, an inventory of leading-edge products and an enviable network of business contacts, Elite Surgical Supplies represents a truly South African initiative.

This bold step was compounded by the fact that in the next ten years, Elite Surgical was awarded the FDA mark of Approval on certain products along with the CE and ISO standards.

® Vertefix, Macrovac, Biolign and Durus are registered trademarks of Elite Surgical Supplies.

Wepon Africa (Current)

Elite Surgical was purchased in 2016 by the Wepon Africa Group of Companies, and continues with supplying the industry with innovative, quality orthopaedic implants and associated instrumentation.