Opportunities for sealants, hemostasis, and closure products abound in the orthopedics field as investigators develop improved surgical procedures for patients with chronic disorders such as osteoarthritis, osteoporosis, and chronic back pain, and more rapid methods for repairing acute needs arising from sports injuries and trauma. Many surgical interventions in this field involve total joint replacement using a metal or biomaterial implant, and most existing treatments aim to reduce the need for total joint reconstruction because of the trauma associated with such procedures. Sealants, hemostats and closure products offer the potential to augment surgical procedures designed to regenerate normal working of the affected part, and to help treat the underlying disorders.
Potential for Sealants, Glues, Hemostats and Other Securement Products in Orthopedic Applications, Frequency of Major Surgical Interventions (000)
Demographic trends for orthopedic surgery include the aging population, the practice of earlier intervention to reduce chronic disease, a general trend towards reduction in invasiveness of procedures, increasing focus on sports for all ages, and a progressively increasing patient awareness of, and involvement in, treatment choices. The opportunity for new sealant, hemostasis and closure products to augment surgery in this field lies in the fact that these new products can be surgically introduced with sophisticated instrumentation that speeds up the procedure and makes it easier, safer and more consistent. Efficacy of the procedure is also improved due to the fact that the implant can incorporate quickly and contribute promptly to a strongly repaired area, and encourage early recovery of the patient. Many sealant and hemostasis products also reduce bleeding and the requirement for transfusion. New products that develop these benefits will achieve large premium pricing within the market and will establish a new and viable new market segment in the buoyant orthopedics market.
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