Advanced Wound Closure’s New Players

The global market for products in “wound securement,” or the aggregate of products that are related to the closure and healing of wounds, is dominated by traditional products — sutures and the more recent clips and staples. However, as simple and effective as these are, particularly since their use is engrained in the skillsets of practicing surgeons, advances in wound closure, hemostasis and even anti-adhesion are challenging the entrenched positions of suture, staple and clip suppliers.  

The global market for products in “wound securement,” or the aggregate of products that are related to the closure and healing of wounds, is dominated by traditional products — sutures and the more recent clips and staples. However, as simple and effective as these are, particularly since their use is engrained in the skillsets of practicing surgeons, advances in wound closure, hemostasis and even anti-adhesion are challenging the entrenched positions of suture, staple and clip suppliers.  

Fibrin and other sealants have found acceptance in use by surgeons seeking tighter wound sealing, faster healing, less scarring and other benefits.  Hemostatic agents have proven highly versatile (in a range of clinical settings from the OR to the battlefield) in rapidly stopping bleeds in a way that traditional wound closure cannot. The end result of surgery also demands that the surgery itself cause a minimum of complications, and products in anti-adhesion (many actually being sealant products that are actually effective in what one might consider the “opposite” role) have proved effective in this capacity.

But old habits die hard, so very high caseload of wound closure is still addressed via sutures, staples and clips.  Consequently, the global market for wound closure and related products has companies like Ethicon (J&J) holding big pieces of the pies.

Legend:

A: Ethicon/J&J
B: Covidien
C: B. Braun
D: Others
E: 3M
F: CSL Behring
G: Pfizer
H: Equimedical BV
I: Baxter
J: Cryolife
K: AdMedSol
L: Genzyme Biosurgery

Source: “Worldwide Surgical Sealants, Glues, Wound Closure and Anti-Adhesion Markets, 2012-2017″, MedMarket Diligence Report #S190.