Naples company wins 'Coolest Thing Made in Florida' award

A product made in Collier County has been deemed the “Coolest Thing Made in Florida.” The TightRope Pro implant, an Arthrex product that helps surgeons treat high-ankle sprain injuries, won the Coolest Thing Made in Florida competition. The contest, sponsored by the Florida Chamber of Commerce, highlights manufacturers statewide making innovative items.

The TightRope Pro implant builds on more than 20 years of TightRope technology, according to a statement from Naples-based Arthrex, which says previous iterations have been used to treat hundreds of thousands of patients, including NFL quarterback Riley Leonard and former NFL tight end Kyle Rudolph.

“The TightRope Pro presented us with the opportunity to make a proven product smaller, faster and better,” Arthrex Engineering Supervisor Steven Iden says in a statement.

Multiple Arthrex teams helped develop the TightRope Pro — including engineering, manufacturing, quality assurance and operations — working to achieve minimally invasive and reproducible surgical techniques. The design includes integrated suture tensioning handles and lower-profile button implants that allow for smaller drill tunnels, according to the statement.

There were 125 nominations for the Coolest Thing Made in Florida contest, representing inventions from all 67 Florida counties. For the past five months, members of the public were encouraged to vote online for their favorite products. In October, it came down to two finalists: the TightRope Pro and a Northrop Grumman aircraft assembled in St. Augustine. On Oct. 28, Arthrex was presented with the award at the Florida Chamber's Future of Florida Forum in Orlando.

“This award is a representation of the innovative work Arthrex is doing day in and day out,” Senior Product Manager Andrew Rullan, who traveled to Orlando for the event, says in the statement.

A global medical device company, Arthrex manufactures the TightRope Pro in Ave Maria.