Joint Arthroplasty Market Surges, Despite Recessionary Pressures

Novel technology is driving growth in the joint arthroplasty and fixation bone-cement market in industrialized countries, while increased disposable income is creating new markets in emerging economies. These are the latest findings of the Millennium Research Group (MRG, Toronto, Canada), a medical technology market intelligence, and strategic information company.

While recessionary pressures slowed growth in joint arthroplasty procedures between 2008 and 2009, patients and surgeons are driving demand for elective orthopedic procedures, with novel technologies, such as hip resurfacing and joint revision implants, enabling a wider range of patients to be treated in the United States, Europe, and Japan, while the burgeoning middle classes in Brazil, China, and India are opting for elective joint replacement procedures and driving global growth by an expected 7% annual growth rate through 2013.

In the United States and Europe, a two-stage revision procedure has become the standard of care for treating infected hip and knee arthroplasty. Silicone-based cement spacer molds allow the surgeon to create an antibiotic cement implant in the shape of a prosthetic hip or knee implant. This antibiotic-loaded implant preserves normal leg length, allows for early patient mobilization, and quickly delivers the antibiotics locally to the periprosthetic space to prevent further infection.

"Although cement spacer molds are gaining surgeon acceptance, the relatively high device price can be prohibitive, particularly in facilities with restricted budgets and in countries where patients pay for the vast majority of medical expenses out-of-pocket,” said MRG analyst Melissa Hussey. "As of 2009, China and India had not approved the use of cement spacer molds, and their adoption has been limited in Brazil due to the additional cost they add to the procedure. Globally, however, the market for cement spacer molds will grow considerably over the next five years.”

MRG expects that as device benefits emerge, their adoption will increase in all countries under study. The resulting procedure volume growth will propel sales of bone cement, cement mixing and delivery systems, and cement spacer molds. The prefabricated cement spacer-mold segment is expected to outperform the overall market, with 10% annual growth rate fueled by the release of positive clinical data for this relatively new technology.

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