The Spine Market was down in every category as Covid halted elective spine cases globally. 

Spine market performance in Q321 was mired by the resurgence of the Covid-19 Delta Variant, both in the US and OUS. All markets were down sequentially YoY, with dynamic devices taking more than a double digit hit globally.

Globus’ potential takeover of Nuvasive was the biggest storyline of Q3, as they search to gain market share through acquisitions. Market participants are certainly taking note of Globus, as Medtronic CEO Geoffrey Martha stated they are trying to attract Globus users with the launch of their Catalyft Expandable Interbody System.

Among the many topics covered in detail in our comprehensive Q321 Spine Market Recap* are:

In an interview with SmartTRAK, Mesh Suture, Inc. (MSI) Founder Gregory Dumanian MD, discusses the Company and its novel suturable mesh that has the potential to change how hernias and other conditions are treated.

MSI is commercializing a novel suturable mesh that combines a mesh’s ability to distribute forces and support tissue with the precise placement and minimal foreign body presence of a suture. In a time when patients and physicians are rethinking how mesh is used in hernia treatment, MSI’s Duramesh offers the potential of retaining the durability of mesh repair with less foreign body presence. Today, the Company is running clinical trials and building evidence to support regulatory clearance in the United States. To find out more about the Company and its operation, SmartTRAK talked with Gregory Dumanian, MD, Chief of Plastic Surgery at Northwestern University’s Feinberg School of Medicine, Founder & Medical Officer of MSI and the inventor of the new technology.

Click on the following video to listen to SmartTRAK Senior Analyst Doug Devens’ interview with Dr. Dumanian, which was recorded via Zoom audio (24: 35 min). A link to download a complete transcript of the interview is also provided below.

The US market for Hemostats and Sealants regained its pre-pandemic stride in Q321 as many procedures mostly returned to normal volumes.

Hashed Health CEO John Bass discusses how Hashed Health is bringing blockchain technology to healthcare in an interview with SmartTRAK

In an interview with SmartTRAK, Hashed Health CEO John Bass discusses the Company and the use case of blockchain and distributed ledger technology in the medical device industry. Hashed Health is a venture product studio that partners with healthcare and life science enterprises to introduce new blockchain-based healthcare solutions to market.

To find out more, including why blockchain technology is important for medical device manufacturers, click on the following video to listen to the full interview (25:42 min). A link to download the complete transcript of the interview is also provided below.

Covid-related challenges continued to dampen market recovery in Q321. Despite pandemic hurdles, technology that improves surgical precision and real-time workflows is driving adoption and innovation in computer-assisted spine surgery and accelerating the development of products and systems.

Many companies with established enabling technologies are pushing to expand indications for existing systems and bolster them with robust preoperative planning, enhanced navigation and post-op evaluation solutions for start-finish integration within a single line of products. Meanwhile, other players are focusing on open-platform solutions to address care gaps for specific procedures and populations. At the forefront of industry research and development are artificial intelligence and virtual reality technologies to aid in imaging, planning and navigation assistance (robotic-assisted and freehand). 

Renewed COVID-19 headwinds mute overall Q3 results, however, the soft tissue repair segment remains resilient

Impact of the Delta variant was felt broadly across OrthoBio, with virtually all publicly traded companies observing a reduction in surgical volume (relative to forecast) directly attributable to a resurgence of COVID-19. Overall, OrthoBio revenue declined, primarily driven by a sharp reduction in Bone Replacement revenue. Several companies noted the decrease in surgical volumes was most acute in August and September due to shortages in hospital staffing. Weakness was most closely tied to deferrable, elective, complex spine procedures.

Among the many topics covered in detail in our comprehensive Q321 OrthoBio Market Recap* are:

Trauma market continues to ride the wave of healthy growth with positive returns for current players and new players start to stir the waters

Trauma players rode the wave of another quarter of healthy returns as trauma procedures were not as impacted by the rise in the Delta variant as its elective procedure counterparts. The Trauma Market closed Q3 up +4.5% YoY compared to Q320, with the US up +5.8% YoY.

Among the many topics covered in detail in our comprehensive Q321 Trauma Market Recap* are:

Advanced Wound Care (AWC) continues to rebound in 2021 with growth from US Skin Substitutes and WW Advanced Dressings despite weakness in NPWT.

The WW Advanced Wound Care (AWC) market grew +6.5% YoY in Q321, according to the SmartTRAK Financial Dashboard.

The WW AWC market is made up of a diverse array of wound care products comprising the segments of Advanced Dressings, Wound Biologics and External Devices. WW Advanced Dressings grew in Q3, driven by robust gains in Foams, Antimicrobials and Superabsorbents. WW Wound Biologics showed continued gains among US Skin Substitute market leaders. WW External Devices (of which NPWT makes up 96%) was mostly flat due to delta variant headwinds and low elective procedure volumes slowing growth.

Among the many topics covered in detail in our comprehensive Q321 Advanced Wound Care Market Recap* are:

OsteoCentric Technologies' CMO Gavin Sontag discusses the Company and its OssiMI mechanical integration technology in an interview with SmartTRAK.

Gavin Sontag, CMO of OsteoCentric Technologies, discusses OsteoCentric's OssiMI platform technology, company growth rates and plans for expansion in an interview with SmartTRAK. To find out more, including why OsteoCentric acquired an SI-Fusion system, click on the following video. A link to download the complete transcript of the interview is also provided below.

Q321 results were a letdown compared to the previous quarter as COVID-19 continues to burst HA players’ bubble but hopes for a return to normal prevail.

Spring 2021 brought on much relief to the US Joint Fluid Replacement market and the summer looked promising for a return to normal business conditions. However, as more cases of COVID-19 Delta variant were reported, especially in key hyaluronic acid (HA) states, like Texas and Florida, companies were left as though their bubble got burst. Some players expressed concerns that volumes could be depressed for Q421 since it does not seem to be picking up as fast as they projected. But, for Q321 and for the most part, the majority of HA market players did report positive revenue increases in the third quarter.

Among the many topics covered in detail in our comprehensive Q321 US Joint Fluid Replacement Market Recap* are: