<img height="1" width="1" style="display:none" src="https://www.facebook.com/tr?id=1000083763474443&amp;ev=PageView&amp;noscript=1">

SmartTRAK Life Sciences News and Analysis Blog

Shelly Caruso

8+ years in clinical healthcare, 4+ years neurosurgical and orthopedic intraoperative nursing, including cranial, spine, sports med, total joint and extremity. BA in economics and BSN in nursing. Medical writer, certified editor and member of The American Copy Editors Society

Recent Posts

3 min read

Key Trends in Neurovascular Intervention for 2024

By Shelly Caruso on 5/21/24 9:45 AM

SmartTRAK highlights market and technology trends that will help drive growth in neurovascular interventions in 2024.

The neurovascular intervention market is poised for another exciting year in 2024, with key trends driven by an expanding treatable population and innovative technologies addressing critical gaps in patient care. The percentage of eligible acute ischemic stroke (AIS) patients who receive endovascular therapy (EVT) is projected to increase from ~25% in 2022 to ~40% in 2027E. According to the SmartTRAK US Mechanical Thrombectomy Market Overview, the market will generate a 5-year CAGR of 11.1%. Amidst market growth driven by treatment time window expansions, direct-to-EVT protocols and increasing evidence supporting EVT to treat large core stroke patients, SmartTRAK predicts continued advancements in three key areas: aspiration thrombectomy for ischemic stroke, automated stroke detection software and novel devices for treating intracranial aneurysms.

#1: Innovations to Increase Aspiration Efficiency
Aspiration thrombectomy is a mainstay of stroke treatment. With the increasing adoption of A Direct Aspiration, First Pass Technique (ADAPT), companies are innovating to improve aspiration efficiency, effectiveness, procedure speed, reperfusion and patient functional outcomes. SmartTRAK sees ... (read more)

#2 Accelerating Adoption of Automated Stroke Detection Technologies
Early and accurate stroke diagnosis is critical for timely intervention. Automated stroke detection software is gaining traction, with companies like Brainomix, RapidAI and Viz.ai leading the charge. Studies have shown that ... (read more)

#3 Aneurysm Treatment Beyond Flow Diverters
 While flow-diverting stents (FDS) remain a mainstay in treating intracranial aneurysms, SmartTRAK has witnessed the development of more novel devices catering to a broader range of aneurysm types and sizes since MicroVention introduced the Woven EndoBridge (WEB) device in 2011, the first intrasaccular device developed specifically for the treatment of wide-neck bifurcation aneurysms. This trend towards tailored solutions based on ... (read more)

The neurovascular intervention market is on an exciting trajectory, driven by increasing patient populations, innovative technologies and a focus on improving patient outcomes. 2024 promises to be a year of significant advancements in ... (read more)

Just click the button below to download and read the complete "Key Trends in Neurovascular Intervention for 2024" Market Outlook article by  Shelly Caruso, SmartTRAK Market Analyst/Associate Editor. Read the Article

Topics: Neurovascular
Continue Reading
3 min read

Three Global Spine Robotics Start-ups to Watch in 2024

By Shelly Caruso on 4/23/24 9:45 AM

SmartTRAK highlights three innovative start-ups with next-gen spine robots in development: Cyber Surgery, LEM Surgical and SpinEM Robotics.

The landscape of spine robotics has undergone a remarkable transformation in recent years, with advancements in technology revolutionizing the approach to spinal surgeries. As we step into 2024, there’s a race in the Spine Enabling Technology Market among companies to develop state-of-the-art robotic systems. The demand for minimally invasive spinal surgeries has been a driving force in the evolution of spine-enabling technologies. 

In this article, available for download, SmartTRAK explores in detail three innovative start-ups with next-gen spine solutions in development. They are:

  • Cyber Surgery: A Modular System to Improve Minimally Invasive Spine Surgery
    Cyber Surgery, a Spain-based healthcare technology startup specializing in medical robotics, is developing ALAYA, a robotic navigation system that uses internally developed haptic technology, which Cyber Surgery says is more precise and user-friendly than optical navigation systems. The company touts the system as ... (read more)

  • LEM Surgical: A Unique Multi-armed Approach to Spine Robotics
    Founded in 2021 and based in Bern, Switzerland, LEM Surgical takes a unique approach to spine robotics. Although LEM Surgical has held its robotic project, Sapien, in stealth mode, the company is looking toward ... (read more)

  • SpinEM Robotics: A Tracking Solution for Precision in Robotic Spine Surgery
    SpinEM was founded in 2021 and is headquartered in France. The company is supported by local industrial partners and a start-up factory in Grenoble. In January 2024, Haventure, an international accelerator for digital surgery and robotics start-ups, announced that ... (read more)

As Cyber Surgery, LEM Surgical and SpinEM Robotics pave the way for next-gen spine robotics, the market is poised for a significant transformation. These companies bring a unique set of capabilities, from AI-enhanced surgical planning to modular adaptability and a focus on minimally invasive techniques. The potential impact on the market is ...

Click the button below to download and read the complete Market Outlook article "Three Global Spine Robotics Start-ups to Watch in 2024" by Shelly Caruso, SmartTRAK Market Analyst/Associate Editor.Read the Article

Continue Reading
2 min read

ASPN 2023: Advancements in Interventional Pain Treatment

By Shelly Caruso on 8/28/23 9:30 AM

SmartTRAK was on-site at ASPN 2023 covering industry-sponsored RCT updates and data reveals, as well as new players and trends in the interventional pain space.

As the number of patients suffering from chronic pain increases, the interventional pain market continues to grow. Physicians and device developers are rising to the challenge by offering more personalized pain treatment options for an expanding list of indications. As a result, new differentiators for spinal cord stimulation (SCS) players have emerged, as well as newcomers in the peripheral nerve stimulation (PNS) market. Beyond neuromodulation, minimally-invasive surgical (MIS) spine procedures, sacroiliac (SI) joint fusion and regenerative medicine products also provide innovative solutions for chronic pain management. In this interesting article, SmartTRAK highlights the newest data, innovation and market developments at the American Society of Pain and Neuroscience (ASPN) 2023 Annual Meeting held in Miami, FL.

Among the many topics discussed in comprehensive detail in this article, which can be downloaded here, are:

  • SCS Sees Cutthroat Competition
    • MRI Compatibility and Closed-Loop SCS
    • Painful Diabetic Neuropathy (PDN)
    • Artificial Intelligence, Programming Solutions and Remote Monitoring
  • Expanding Horizons in PNS
    • Types of Peripheral Nerve Stimulation
    • Outcomes, Comfort and Wearability for Externally-powered Devices
    • Injectrode Technology
  • What’s New in MIS Spine and SI Joint Fusion
    • Leveraging Enabling Technology for Pain Procedures
    • Innovations in MIS Spine and SI Joint Instrumentation
  • Scientific Focus on Biologics and Regenerative Medicine

To identify current and future trends in interventional pain management and PNS, SmartTRAK recently surveyed 30 interventional pain physicians, including 18 who perform PNS, to get an inside view of procedure trends, what treatments and devices they use and who they see as future winners in the chronic pain space. To purchase the results of this comprehensive survey, see SmartTRAK’s Trends in Interventional Pain Management and PNS.

To download a complimentary copy of the complete "ASPN 2023: Advancements in Interventional Pain Treatment" article, just click the button below. Download the ASPN 2023 Article

Continue Reading
3 min read

Setting the Stage for Growth: Q123 Ortho Enabling Tech Market Recap

By Shelly Caruso on 6/26/23 10:19 AM

Continued strength in ortho robotics placements and a crowd of new product launches in Q123 set the stage for growth in the remainder of the year.

The Q123 US Ortho Enabling Tech Market declined slightly by -0.6% YoY according to SmartTRAK Financial Dashboard . Stryker* (SYK) remained the market leader with 55.6% share, followed by Smith+Nephew* ( SNN), Zimmer Biomet* (ZBH) and DePuy Synthes* (JNJ). For detailed Q132 revenues and shares by company in the US, EU and ROW, see SmartTRAK Ortho Enabling Tech Financial Dashboard .


Among the many topics covered in detail in SmartTRAK's comprehensive Q123 Ortho Enabling Tech Market Recap* are:

  • Complete Q123 Otho Enabling Tech Market Overview
  • SmartTRAK's Expert Market Analysis and Insights
  • All US Ortho Enabling Tech Companies' News, Revenues, Data, Charts and Market Shares
  • Robust Q123 Robotics Performances by Company
    • Stryker
    • Zimmer Biomet
    • Smith+Nephew
    • JNJ/Depuy Synthes
  • New Product Introductions
    • Robotics and Ecosystem Launches
    • Navigation and Planning Innovations
  • SmartTRAK's Selected Highlights from Q123 Conferences
    • JP Morgan 41st Annual Healthcare Conference
    • Canaccord Genuity 2023 Musculoskeletal Conference
    • AAOS 2023 Annual Meeting

In an International Society for Technology in Arthroplasty (ISTA) presentation at the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons 2023 (AAOS 2023) Annual Meeting, President, Digital, Robotics and Enabling Technology at SYK Robert Cohen discussed innovations including a fully connected operating room for a common user experience with planning and mixed-reality guidance combined with robotics and data transfer capabilities. Enabling technology continues to see adoption and integration in orthopedics and with it, the introduction of ...

Read the entire Q123 Ortho Enabling Tech Market Recap, including SmartTRAK's expert analysis, news, data, charts, company revenues and shares*

*These links and the complete unedited article can only be viewed by SmartTRAK subscribers to this module. For more information on SmartTRAK, including how to receive a demo and subscribe, please click the button below.Learn More about Subscribing to SmartTRAK

Continue Reading
2 min read

Q422 Spine Enabling Tech Market Recap

By Shelly Caruso on 5/26/23 10:27 AM

Merger mayhem of Q422 continues and the Spine enabling tech space heats up with new navigation products and some robotics players seeing record-breaking sales and unit placements.

The Q422 WW Spine Enabling Tech Market was up +13.6% YoY, according to SmartTRAK Financial Dashboard. Medtronic (MDT) remained the market leader, followed by Globus Medical (GMED) and other enabling tech competitors like Brainlab and Stryker (SYK). For detailed Q422 revenues and shares by company in the US, EU and ROW, see SmartTRAK Spine Enabling Tech Financial Dashboard*.

Among the many topics explored in detail in this comprehensive Spine Enabling Tech article* are:
  • Complete Q422 Spine Enabling Tech Performance Recap
  • Mighty Mergers in Q422 and Q123
    • SeaSpine and Orthofix Take the Plunge
    • Globus and NuVasive Join Forces in Q123
  • Other Q422 Collaborations
    • ZimVie and Brainlab
    • Spineart and eCential Robotics
    • Captiva Spine and REMEX Medical
  • Q422 Augmented Reality and Navigation Regulatory Highlights

Read the entire Q422 Spine Enabling Tech Market Recap, including SmartTRAK's expert analysis, news, data, charts, revenues and shares*

*These links and the complete unedited article can only be viewed by SmartTRAK subscribers to this module. For more information on SmartTRAK, including how to receive a demo and subscribe, please click the button below. Learn More about Subscribing to SmartTRAK

Topics: Spine CAS Spine
Continue Reading
2 min read

Three Ortho Robotics Companies to Watch in 2023

By Shelly Caruso on 5/9/23 9:30 AM

SmartTRAK identifies three orthopedic robotics companies strategically positioned to shake things up this year in the fast-growing robotic-assisted TJA market.

SmartTRAK projects robotic-assisted total knee arthroplasties (TKAs) will account for 48.5% of all US TKAs and 79.6% of all US robotic-assisted joint replacements by 2026E. This growth of robotic-assisted ortho procedures and ongoing adoption of enabling tech continues to drive the US ortho robotics market. In this Market Outlook Article, SmartTRAK identifies and analyzes three robotics companies that may shake things up in 2023 and beyond. They are:

  • Stryker: Racing Towards New Indications in 2023
    • On the heels of a record-breaking quarter in Q422 in terms of MAKO installations in the US and internationally, market-leader Stryker (SYK) announced in its Q422 earnings call highly-anticipated timelines for the Company’s plans to launch ...
  • THINK Surgical: Pursuing Two New Robots in 2023
    • THINK Surgical has a different approach compared to most robotics competitors. The Company focuses on providing robotic systems for joint replacement surgery, with an open implant library as an alternative to closed systems limited to a single manufacturer's implants. At the Canaccord Genuity Healthcare Conference in 2022, the Company revealed plans to ...
  • Globus Medical: Bringing Knee Enabling Tech to Market in 2023
    • Since Globus Medical (GMED) acquired Stelkast in 2019 as a foundation for expanding into the total joint market, an orthopedic robotic system from the Company has been looming on the horizon. In the last two years, GMED has been consistently submitting intellectual property applications related to ...

To read the complete "Three Ortho Robotics Companies to Watch in 2023" Market Outlook article by By Shelly Caruso, SmartTRAK's Market Analyst/Medical Writer, Just click the button below. Download the Ortho Robotics 2023 Article

Continue Reading
2 min read

The Future of Spine Enabling Tech for 2023

By Shelly Caruso on 4/4/23 9:33 AM

As the US Spine Enabling Technology Market shows signs of blossoming opportunity in 2023, SmartTRAK highlights three distinct trends continuing to gain traction in the coming year.

The US market for Spine Enabling Technology boasted modest YoY gains in nearly every quarter in 2022, showing signs of blossoming opportunity in 2023 as procedure volumes return to pre-pandemic levels. SmartTRAK projects the US Spine Enabling Technology Market will have a five-year CAGR of 25.1%, according to SmartTRAK Spine Enabling Tech Market Overview. Looking ahead, SmartTRAK sees three distinct trends continuing in 2023: the growing use of artificial intelligence (AI), the increasing use of “smart” innovations in robotics and the ongoing shift of spine cases to the ambulatory surgery center (ASC) setting.

Among the trends outlined and discussed in detail in this Market Outlook article are:

Trend #1: Growing Use of AI to Optimize Surgery and Predict Outcomes
It is no secret that AI is here to stay. In recent years, advances in deep learning and deep neural networks have fueled the introduction of a wave of AI and machine learning-based solutions across various medical applications. SmartTRAK reviews the development of AI in healthcare and the implementation of AI-driven imaging in orthopedics and ...

Trends #2: Increasing use of "Smart" Drilling and Haptic Feedback in Robotics. Current evidence remains unclear whether increased accuracy of implant placement associated with robotic assistance in spine surgery translates to improved patient outcomes. Nevertheless, robotic adoption is clearly increasing with market leader MDT highlighting “record-breaking quarters” in Mazor robotics for Q4FY22. SmartTRAK estimates the US Spine Robotics Market will reach ...

Trends #3: : Ongoing Shift of Non-complex Spine to ASCs. During the COVID-19 pandemic, hospital restrictions on non-urgent surgical cases prompted surgeons to take more cases to surgery centers. For a surgeon, ambulatory surgery centers (ASCs) can facilitate better economics, control and patient safety. In the pandemic aftermath, published research suggests there is a renewed focus on ...

To download and read the complete "The Future of Spine Enabling Tech for 2023" article by Shelly Caruso, SmartTRAK Market Analyst/Medical Writer, just click the button below. Download the Article

Continue Reading
2 min read

A Tidal Wave of Competitors: Q322 CAS Spine Market Recap

By Shelly Caruso on 12/19/22 6:41 PM

Q322 sees a tidal wave of new robotic spine surgery competitors as well as data-driven initiatives under development by a host of companies in the market for spine enabling tech.

Q322 was nothing short of a tidal wave of competitive entrants to the US Spine Robotic Surgery space. Medtronic* (MDT) and  Globus* remain top players as OUS companies like France’s  eCential Robotics* and Taiwan’s  Point Robotics MedTech* set their sights on the US market. The Q322 WW CAS Spine Market was up, according to  SmartTRAK Financial Dashboard. MDT remained the market leader with 49.0% share, followed by Globus and other enabling tech competitors like Brainlab* and Stryker* (SYK).

Among the many topics covered in detail in our comprehensive Q322 CAS Spine Market Recap* are:

Continue Reading
3 min read

Bolt Navigation: Simplifying Spinal Navigation-An Interview with CEO Patrick West

By Shelly Caruso on 12/12/22 10:00 AM

SmartTRAK interviews Bolt Navigation CEO Patrick West to learn more about the Company and its potentially disruptive solution for streamlined spinal navigation.

One of the most exciting enabling technologies on display at the recent North American Spine Society (NASS) 2022 annual meeting in Chicago was the Bolt Navigation System, a novel, FDA-pending technology developed by Bolt Navigation to simplify spinal navigation. Designed by a practicing neurosurgeon, Bolt utilizes a software application to leverage the positional guidance inherent in an iPhone for intraoperative spine screw planning and placement guidance. The system works without a reference frame and can be used with a patient's diagnostic MRI or CT and a single C-arm shot once the patient is positioned. It is implant agnostic and can be attached to almost any instrument.

To find out more about Bolt Navigation and this potentially disruptive solution for streamlined spinal navigation, listen to SmartTRAK’s interview with CEO Patrick West in the following video (30:47 min). A link to a transcript of the complete interview is also provided below.

Continue Reading
2 min read

Pain Intervention: A Market of Moving Targets

By Shelly Caruso on 9/20/22 9:30 AM

SmartTRAK highlights key movements in the quickly changing landscape of interventional pain management and identifies practice trends surrounding SCS, PNS, minimally invasive spine and SI Joint Fusion from the recent ASPN and INS meetings.

Strong demand for alternatives to narcotic pain management combined with an aging population and growing incidence of chronic pain continue to drive demand for interventional pain techniques. The approach to the treatment of chronic intractable pain is evolving, with a shift toward data-focused treatment optimization, growing use of digital monitoring and holistic evaluation of patient outcomes. Furthermore, increasing overlap among various devices and therapies as well as unclear boundaries between interventional pain, orthopedic and spine practices is spurring physicians to adopt collaborative approaches to patient care.

Among the many timely topics covered in this comprehensive Market Outlook article "Pain Intervention: A Market of Moving Targets", which can be downloaded in its entirety here, are:

Continue Reading
  • There are no suggestions because the search field is empty.

Follow Us on Social Media

Recent Articles