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

Procedural growth strengthened in 2022 giving rise to the hope that a backlog of patients created by the COVID pandemic would return to surgery, stoking the fires of Total Joint Market recovery. However, external market forces appear to be setting the market to simmer in 2023 while other forces influence the recipe for success for market players.

Among the many topics covered in detail in this comprehensive article are:

Dr. Scott Sigman, founder and chief medical officer of OrthoLazer Orthopedic Laser Centers and host of the Ortho Show podcast, discusses current trends in arthroscopic sports medicine and orthopedic care in an in-depth interview with SmartTRAK.

In an interview with SmartTRAK, Scott Sigman, MD discusses many trends in arthroscopic technologies and soft tissue fixation including advancements in anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) repair with the BEAR Implant, graft selection in ACL reconstruction, the Stryker InSpace Balloon for massive rotator cuff tears, advancements in Latarjet, needle arthroscopy and more. Dr. Sigman is the chief medical officer and founder of OrthoLazer Orthopedic Laser Centers and the host of the Ortho Show podcast. 

To find out more about Dr. Sigman’s insights on sports medicine and arthroscopy, click on the following video to watch Andy Knapik, SmartTRAK's Sr. Analyst, Soft Tissue Fixation and Arthroscopic Enabling Technologies, interview Dr. Sigman (49:55 min). A complete transcript of the interview is available here. For more details, interview topics by timecode are provided below.

SmartTRAK interviews Dr. Pascal-André Vendittoli to learn more about the Personalized Arthroplasty Society and this year’s annual meeting.

Dr. Vendittoli explains the difference between mechanical and kinematic alignment, what he looks for in total joint computer-assisted surgery systems and why he thinks personalized arthroplasty is the future of joint surgery. To find out more, listen to the SmartTRAK interview with Dr. Vendittoli in the video below (14:56 min). A link to download the transcript of the complete interview is also provided below.

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

In an interview with   SmartTRAK, Oxford Performance Materials’ (OPM) CEO Scott DeFelice explains the history of his company, the difference between PEKK, PEEK and titanium-based implants and the Company’s future plans in the orthopedic space.

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.

SmartTRAK reports that Q322 Spine Market performance drove a lack of consensus on operational performance metrics, while a shifting procedural landscape offered new product opportunities for small and mid-tier players, driving competitive pressure.

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

Despite declining OUS results, the US Trauma Market experienced healthy growth attributed to adoption of new products.

While OUS results declined in Q322 due to foreign currency headwinds and China’s value-based pricing, the US drove the overall market through product penetration and easier comps due to the Q321 COVID waves that impacted procedural volumes last year. Companies posted healthy US growth, attributing new products for driving growth, with plans for additional launches in Q4 and 2023.

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

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: