Knee implants: US market growing at 12-14% a year

Published By Datamonitor

Wright Medical: implants that grow as you do

Wright Medical has implanted the third of its new femoral prostheses that grows along with the patient. It offers a promising alternative to amputation for victims of pediatric osteocarcoma. Although the potential patient population is not large, its $20,000 price tag will make this a lucrative prosthesis, albeit sold at relatively low volumes.

Published By Datamonitor

Medtronic: buying into artificial discs

Medtronic, the global leader in spinal implants, has bought Spinal Dynamics. The deal gives Medtronic the rights to Spinal Dynamics' Bryan Cervical Disc System - an artificial disc for the neck region of the spine. This system, available in Europe and undergoing an IDE study in the US, takes Medtronic into one of the most promising spinal technology areas.

Published By Datamonitor

Osteoarthritis: arthroscopy may be no better than placebo

A new clinical study has found that knee arthroscopy may not be a useful and successful treatment for osteoarthritis. If the results are correct, this could challenge the basis of a major orthopaedic market segment. However, the procedure needs to be investigated in much more detail before it is abandoned or considered useless.

Published By Datamonitor

Zimmer: big advances through tiny holes

Zimmer has released positive preliminary results for its two-incision minimally invasive hip arthroplasty system, and also plans to open a training facility teaching surgeons how to implant these systems. But while the system can radically reduce recovery time, it involves an extremely difficult technique that most orthopaedic surgeons are unlikely to adopt.

Published By Datamonitor

Cryolife: another orthopedic recall scandal

Following a CDC investigation, the US' largest processor of donated human tissue, Cryolife, has been forced to issue a massive recall of its soft tissue products. The company is now in the midst of a PR nightmare, trying to minimize financial losses and save its reputation, while praying that a recall of its heart valve products does not follow.

Published By Datamonitor

Artificial discs: future backbone of orthopedics

As a result of emerging medium-term results, and interest in the theory behind the products' design, total disc replacement is eagerly anticipated by patients and surgeons alike. Direct-to-consumer advertising would be ideal for the technology, but marketers need to be wary of alienating surgeons.

Published By Datamonitor

Zimmer: the strong get stronger

Over the past few years, Zimmer [ZMH] has demonstrated even higher growth than the impressive rates seen in the overall orthopaedic market, and is now set to become even stronger with the addition of Centerpulse. The company will take market leadership position in joint reconstruction and become the fifth largest player in the lucrative sector of spinal implants.

Published By Datamonitor

HIV: test results in minutes

A major objective of effective HIV management is widespread and rapid diagnosis. A 10-minute test developed by Trinity Biotech [TRIB] has recently gained approval for use in the US. The test may represent a breakthrough in the battle to develop a low cost, rapid and simple kit format that can be utilized in both the developed and developing world.

Published By Datamonitor

J&J: innovative pain relief

With J&J's [JNJ] Duragesic transdermal fentanyl patch losing patent protection in 2004 and the threat of generic competition from 2005, the launch of the innovative E-TRANS fentanyl PCTS later this year will help offset some of the predicted decline in Duragesic sales.

Published By Datamonitor