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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

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

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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

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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
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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

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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

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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:

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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.

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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:

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3 min read

A Mixed Bag of Ups & Downs: Q122 CAS Ortho Recap

By Shelly Caruso on 8/19/22 9:30 AM

Q122 proved to be a mixed-bag of ups and downs with supply chain issues and Covid surges having varying impacts on market leaders’ performance amidst a strong wave of enabling tech product launches.

The Q122 WW CAS Ortho Market was down according to SmartTRAK Financial Dashboard. Stryker* remained the market leader, followed by Zimmer Biomet* and Smith & Nephew*. For detailed Q122 revenues and shares by company in the US, EU and ROW, see the SmartTRAK CAS Ortho Financial Dashboard.

Among the many topics covered in detail in our comprehensive Q122 CAS Ortho Market Recap* are:

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2 min read

New Spine Enabling Technologies: Q122 CAS Spine Market Recap

By Shelly Caruso on 8/5/22 12:15 PM

Although revenues still show signs of COVID-19 impact, robotic procedures and implant pull-through accelerate, and companies continue roll out new spine enabling technology and strategize how to maximize the remainder of 2022.

The Q122 WW CAS Spine Market was up year-over-year according to SmartTRAK Financial DashboardMedtronic* (MDT) remained the market leader with 59.5% share, followed by Globus* (GMED) and other enabling tech competitors, including Stryker* (SYK) and Brainlab*

Among the many topics covered in detail in our comprehensive Q122 CAS Spine Market Recap* are:

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