Medical Devices Orthopaedics

Spine Surgery Still Reliant on Spine Fusion

Last updated: 2011/04/22 at 9:49 PM

PatrickDriscoll

2 Min Read

The clinical demand for options to treat spine trauma and disease remain high, well supported by reimbursement , and is therefore an active target of continued development by manufacturers in spine surgery technologies.

The clinical demand for options to treat spine trauma and disease remain high, well supported by reimbursement , and is therefore an active target of continued development by manufacturers in spine surgery technologies.

A number of advanced technologies are in development (with products also on the market) for spine surgery, but a considerable number of companies are active in the most well established area of spine surgery, and that is in spinal fusion. Arguably, given the downward trend in spine fusion, driven in that direction by dynamic stabilization, artificial discs and other approaches, it is in the best interest of manufacturers to pursue non-fusion alternatives, but as has been (and always wiil be) the case in the management of disease, the “any solution is better than no perfect solution” governs what products and technologies are accepted by third party payers, healthcare systems, clinicians and, ultimately, patients. For this reason, fusion technologies have a tenacious, though weakening hold on a significant volume of spine trauma and disease patients.

Below is illustrated both the number of spine fusion technologies in which companies are active. Separately is illustrated the number of companies active in each major spine fusion technology area.

Source: MedMarket Diligence, LLC; Spine Surgery Worldwide, Reports #M510 and #520.

TAGGED: medical devices, orthopaedics, spine surgery

PatrickDriscoll April 22, 2011

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By PatrickDriscoll

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I serve the interests of medical technology company decision-makers, venture-capitalists, and others with interests in medtech producing worldwide analyses of medical technology markets for my audience of mostly medical technology companies (but also rapidly growing audience of biotech, VC, and other healthcare decision-makers). I have a small staff and go to my industry insiders (or find new ones as needed) to produce detailed, reality-grounded analyses of current and potential markets and opportunities. I am principally interested in those core clinical applications served by medical devices, which are expanding to include biomaterials, drug-device hybrids and other non-device technologies either competing head-on with devices or being integrated with devices in product development. The effort and pain of making every analysis global in scope is rewarded by my audience's loyalty, since in the vast majority of cases they too have global scope in their businesses.Specialties: Business analysis through syndicated reports, and select custom engagements, on medical technology applications and markets in general/abdominal/thoracic surgery, interventional cardiology, cardiothoracic surgery, patient monitoring/management, wound management, cell therapy, tissue engineering, gene therapy, nanotechnology, and others.

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