Dr. Silverman discusses key takeaways from the AOFAS meeting, along with insights into his practice's shift to ASC settings and the major hurdles of fair reimbursement and staff recruitment.

Lance Silverman, MD, an orthopedic surgeon and foot and ankle specialist at Resurgens Orthopaedics in Roswell, GA, discusses trends and technologies in the Foot & Ankle Market in an interview with SmartTRAK.

Dr. Silverman discusses key takeaways from the recent American Orthopedic Foot & Ankle Society (AOFAS) Annual Meeting 2025, including the critical focus on avoiding revisions in total ankle replacements. He also addresses the role of technology, such as artificial intelligence (AI) surgical planning tools and the instrumentation and jigs used in foot and ankle procedures. Dr. Silverman provides insights into the current landscape of his practice, including his most common procedures, his shift to ambulatory surgery center (ASC) settings, and the benefits and biggest challenges he faces—such as securing fair reimbursement and the struggle to recruit and retain talented team members amid rising living costs and salary expectations.

To listen to the interview, click on the following video (17:46 min). A link to download a complete transcript of the interview is also provided below.

Interview

SmartTRAK: Hi, this is Natasha Weeks General Manager of Trauma and Extremities for SmartTRAK, and I'm here with Dr. Lance Silverman. We're going to take a deep dive into the foot and ankle segment. Dr. Silverman, thanks for being here and talking with me. And it was great to meet you at AOFAS in Savannah last month.

Dr. Lance Silverman: Nice to meet you there too, Natasha. It's a pleasure reconnecting.

Great. So reflecting on AOFAS and the meeting, for you, what was the most impactful message, whether that was clinical discussions you had, any specific posters or symposium talks or even products that you saw displayed? What did you believe coming off of that conference would really be most influential in the surgical management of foot and ankle?

LS: Well, there were a lot of conversations that people had both in lectures and outside of lectures on total ankle replacement. And total ankle replacement has been a growing increasingly performed procedure. And we have now started to see...

Want to learn more about the trends and technologies in the Foot & Ankle Market? Click the button below to download and read the complete transcript of our interview with Lance Silverman, MD, conducted by Natasha Weeks, Managing Editor/Sr. Analyst Trauma & Extremities.

SmartTRAK takes a look at the trends impacting the Extremities Market in 2024 and beyond.

Among the many topics covered in detail in this market outlook article are:

• CMS Reimbursement Changes Accelerate Shift to Arthroplasty Site-of-Care
  The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services’ (CMS) move to reimburse shoulder replacement and ankle replacement in an ambulatory surgery center (ASC) setting will accelerate the move of procedures to ... (read more)
  
  
• An Increase in Pricing Pressure from the Shift to Shoulder ASC Procedures
  The national average CMS facility reimbursement in 2024 for total shoulder arthroplasty in an ASC is approximately $14K, significantly lower than for hospital-based procedures in the range of ... (read more)
  
  
• The Race is on for Shoulder Robotics
  Stryker and Zimmer Biomet appear to be racing to the finish line to be the first to market in the US with a shoulder robotics solution. During Zimmer Biomet’s Q323 earnings call, CEO Ivan Tornos stated they plan to be first on ... (read more)

SmartTRAK highlights start-ups developing innovative products for joint resurfacing, soft tissue fixation, ligament and tendon augmentation at the 2023 MNVC.

Sports medicine and extremities were prominent themes at the 21st Annual Musculoskeletal New Ventures Conference (MNVC) held in Memphis in November 2023. Approximately one-third of the 38 presenting companies debuted new and innovative technologies for treating sports-related injuries of the knee, shoulder, hand, foot & ankle ranging from soft tissue fixation, ligament and tendon augmentation and cartilage resurfacing. Now that investment in robotics and surgical navigation craze has peaked, major orthopedic manufacturers are directing research and development (R&D) dollars toward restoring joint function using biological approaches and a variety of less invasive techniques. 

Among the topics covered in this market outlook article are:

• Promising Knee and Shoulder Start-Ups
• Extremity Fixation: An Emerging Market
• Resurgence in Joint Resurfacing

A fertile ground for strategic negotiations and deal-making, several of the major players have broadened their range of products through strategic tuck-in acquisitions in the past year. Also, several start-ups are targeting the multi-billion dollar Soft Tissue Fixation market.  This landscape reflects a dynamic and competitive environment where established players seek to strengthen their positions through ...

To download and read the complete "Sports Medicine and Extremities Start-Ups to Watch" market outlook article by Sharon O'Reilly, SmartTRAK's Founder and CEO, just click the button below.

New products and technologies in Shoulder Replacement and the Extremities Fixation Segments planted the seeds for sequential growth in the Q123 Extremities Market

The US Extremities Market grew 7.8% in Q123 with new products and continued recovery of elective procedures encouraging growth despite concerns about a looming recession. While headwinds such as supply chain constraints, economic challenges and staffing shortages could darken the forecast, SmartTRAK expects the Extremities Market to weather these issues and continue to experience strong growth through 2023.

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

• Complete Q123 Extremities Market Overview
• SmartTRAK's Expert Market Analysis and Insights
• All Company News, Revenues, Data, Charts and Shares
• New Products and Technologies That are Planting the Seeds for Growth in Shoulders
• Extremities Fixation Closes the Quarter on High with Solid Returns
• Q123 Regulatory Highlights

Both US Extremities Fixation subsegments, Upper Extremities Fixation and Foot Ankle Fixation, ended the first quarter of 2023 with ...

Read the entire Q123 Extremities 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.

Among the many topics covered in detail in SmartTRAK's comprehensive Q422 Extremities Market Recap* are:

• Complete Q422 Extremities Market Overview and Highlights
• SmartTRAK's Expert Market Analysis and Insights
• All Company News, Revenues, Data, Charts and Shares
• New Shoulder Products Driving Growth with More Tech Updates Coming
• Ankle Market Poised for Expansion with Next-Generation Implants and Technology
• Renewed Manufacturer Focus along with New Product Intros Fuel Upper Extremities Fixation
• Foot & Ankle Fixation Propelled by New Product Introductions
• Q422 Regulatory Highlights
  • Fixation
  • Shoulder Replacement
  • Elbow Replacement
  • Ankle Replacement
  • Toe Replacement
    

*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.

In recent years, there have been significant advances in orthopedic treatments, surgical techniques and rehabilitation methods that have transformed the way we approach musculoskeletal disorders.SmartTRAK continues to report daily, in real-time on the challenges still ahead, covering all aspects of the Orthopedic market: Extremities, OrthoBio, Spine, Computer Assisted Surgery, Total Joints, Trauma, Soft Tissue Fixation and EU Extremities and Trauma.

SmartTRAK features curated content by our team of industry experts, bringing the most relevant information and insight directly to you in real-time. Learn about the latest news, emerging technologies or start-ups to watch, conference happenings and more via articles, videos and interviews and Be The Expert.

The following is just a small sampling of recent Orthopedic updates from around the world compiled, reviewed and posted daily by our SmartTRAK analysts.

New Products:

• NuVasive*
  

  NUVA spoke about its upcoming product launches, including an expandable Lateral called MOD-EX XLIF and extended blade-fixation options for Modulus ALIF, and predicted that both will support the continued interest in NUVA. NUVA Q422 Earnings Transcripton Seeking Alpha

• Globus*

  GMED mgmt stated the ortho robot will launch w/ a knee application first w/ other applications to follow, noting it is unlikely that gap-filling joint implant systems would be launched prior to the knee application for robotics. GMED Q422 Earnings Transcript on Seeking Alpha

• CurvaFix Rodscrew* - CurvaFix

  CurvaFix announced a it will launch the 7.5 mm CurvaFix IM Implant, which received FDA clearance in Oct 2022, at this year’s AAOS annual meeting in Las Vegas. BusinessWire

Patents:

• SeaSpine*
  

  7D Surgical was granted US Patent “Systems And Methods For Intraoperative Spinal Level Verification” disclosing the use of segmented surface data from volumetic pt image data compared w/ intra-op surface data to verify spine levels w/o x-rays. 11564752

• Method for Treating Joint Pain  
  

  US Patent "Method for treating joint pain" was granted relating to treating joint pain by inserting a bone dowel and BMA into the subchondral of a bone and introducing BMA into the intra-articular space of the joint being treated. 11583402

SmartTRAK interviews Oxford Performance Materials CEO Scott DeFelice to learn more about the company’s PEKK-based materials solutions in orthopedics.

To find out more, including OPM’s plan to expand into the custom trauma market and its planned release of an all-polymer total knee, just click on the following video to listen to the full interview. (29:13 min).  A link to download a transcript of the complete interview is also provided below.

In the market for Trauma & Extremities, companies continue to innovate with new product introductions as well as a value-based care approach that promotes supporting clinical evidence for new and existing products showing their benefits to the patient and the hospital. Manufacturers are investing in solutions beyond implants to differentiate themselves and gain share in the Trauma & Extremities markets. SmartTRAK has observed a variety of strategies and solutions in the fast-paced hallux valgus segment as well as investment in deformity correction and periprosthetic solutions. The following is a sample of SmartTRAK's recent Trauma & Extremities news and developments from around the world, compiled, curated and posted in real-time by the expert analysts at SmartTRAK.

We constantly monitor the worldwide MedTech industry, sifting through the noise to present to our subscribers the most relevant international news, trends, new products, patents, financial data and competitor developments in the global Life Sciences industry. If you'd like to receive these expert insights daily, Contact Us to learn more. Our users think it's the perfect way to start their day.

New Products:

• CAPTIVATE Cannulated Screw System* - Globus*
  

  Globus announced the launch of the CAPTIVATE Headed Cannulated Screw System in diameters 2.5/3.0 mm, 3.5/4.0 mm, 4.5/5.5 mm. SmartTRAK reviewed the products at OTA with Globus as the Company fills out its Trauma & Extremities portfolio. LinkedIn

• Stryker*

  Stryker launched the Gamma4 System, the next-gen IM nail system from the IM Nail market leader (45.6% US share in 2021) according to SmartTRAK’s Financial Dashboard. The new system features a precision pin, redefined nail design and integrated instrument.