Minimally Invasive Surgery and Non-fusion Devices are Projected to Drive the Growth of Spine Implants Global Market

The spine is the supporting structure of the body and protects the spinal cord. The spine is affected by a number of disease conditions arising from congenital spinal deformity, kyphosis, lordosis, scoliosis, degenerative disc disease, disc herniation, spinal stenosis, osteoarthritis, spondylitis, spinal tumor, infection, fractures, trauma or injury. These conditions are treated surgically by implanting spine implant devices. According to WHO, the global population of over 60 years is estimated to increase from 12% of the overall population in 2015 to about 22% by 2050 increasing the number of people with some form of spine disease. The spine implants device market expanding at a steady rate, and is expected to grow to reach $18,111.7 million in 2022 as estimated by IQ4I Research.

Some of the factors driving the spine implant market growth are the prevalence of spine diseases and disorders due to the aging population, technological advancement and growing healthcare expenditure and demand for minimally invasive surgery. The factors hindering market growth are a high cost for the spine procedures that includes device & technology cost, hospital cost, postoperative cost, pharmaceuticals, physician cost and lack of reimbursement, negatively influence market expansion. The technological advancements in spine surgery require surgeons to continuously train and improve skills that involve high costs before becoming a qualified practitioner, resulting in a shortage of skilled spine surgeons.

The spine implant devices global market is segmented into fusion, non-fusion, VCF and biologics implants based on the type. Spine implants are manufactured from different materials depending on their biocompatibility. For instance, PEEK (Polyether ether ketone) an organic polymer thermoplastic is inert, biocompatible and its porous nature allow bone in-growth, Titanium, and Titanium alloy is stronger, lighter, biocompatible and corrosion resistant that allows Osseointegration where bone and tissue bonds to titanium implant, Silicon nitride is emerging as preferred biomaterial over traditional materials with properties such as hydrophilic nature, osteogenicity, antimicrobial, enhanced imaging properties.

The fusion devices segment held the largest market revenue and is expected to reach $12,069.9 million by 2022 with a healthy CAGR. The biologics segment is the fastest growing segment. The non-fusion devices are one of the fastest growing segment due to its advantages over fusion devices, such as spinal flexibility, elimination of pseudoarthrosis, reduction of adjacent level degeneration. Non-fusion segment is expected to reach 1,205.4 million in 2022. Some of the Non-fusion spine implant devices available are – B. Braun Melsungen AG (German) – activL and activC, Aurora Spine Inc.(U.S) – DynaZIP, DePuy Synthes Spine, Inc.(U.S) – PRODISC C Total Disc Replacement, Globus Medical (U.S) – ACADIA facet replacement, Spinal Kinetics, Inc.(U.S) – M6 artificial cervical disc, Ulrich GMBH & Co. (Germany) – cosmicMIA, etc.

Spine surgery is commonly performed as open surgery with a long incision in the operative site to view and access the spinal anatomy. Since, open spine surgery results in considerable amount of trauma and requires long recovery periods, minimally invasive spine surgery is preferred over open surgery. Minimally invasive technology which offers advantage such as less trauma, cost effectiveness and quick post-operative recovery period has emerged as front runner in spine conditions treatment. The spine surgeries are expensive and have a longer impact on the lifestyle of patients, the surgeries are conducted by highly qualified and skilled surgeons in a hospital setup. Whereas, the private clinics run by surgeons acts as sourcing centers for surgery and postoperative care and recovery of patients. The reimbursement coverage is offered for traditional implant surgeries with known outcomes, due to lack of evidence the emerging treatments are not covered.

The combination of Minimally invasive surgery and Non-fusion implant procedures are expected to dominate spine implant market due to advantages over open spine surgery and fusion implant procedures. Some of the companies coming up with new innovative products in Non-fusion devices and Minimally invasive spine surgeries are Paradigm spine’s (U.S) Coflex Interlaminar Stabilization implant device is the first and only motion preserving minimally invasive treatment approved for moderate to severe spinal stenosis post decompression, Spinal Kinetics, Inc. (U.S) – Glyder Facet Restoration is a non-fusion, minimally-invasive surgical solution, Aurora Spine Inc. (U.S) – DynaZIP is a Minimally invasive posterior dynamic interspinous implant for motion preservation without the need for fusion.

In coming years, technological advancements such as Robotic spine surgery, 3D printing, Biomaterials, Spine navigation system printing are set to change the approach how the spine conditions are treated. Spine stimulation is an advanced technique that involves sending of low electrical signals to the fusion site which activates bone healing process. Some of the companies that are producing and developing products using these technologies are 4web medical (U.S), Amedica Corp. (U.S), Jiomax (Germany) , K2M (U.S), Oxford Performance Materials (U.S), Prosidyan, Inc (U.S), Orthofix International N.V. (U.S) ,DSM biomedical (Netherland), Invivo Therapeutics (U.S), Stryker (U.S.),Medtronic (Ireland), Brainlabs(Germany), Mazor Robotics,Inc. (U.S), Nexxt Spine,LLC (U.S), etc.

Companies are building their product portfolio in minimally invasive and advanced spine technologies by acquisitions. For instance, In February 2016 NuVasive, Inc. acquired Ellipse Technologies, Inc., involved in design, development, and commercialization of non-invasively adjustable, remote controlled implants for spinal and orthopedic applications, In October 2014 Globus Medical, Inc. acquired Transplant Technologies, San Antonio-based human tissue products provider to help the company to expand in regenerative biologics. In October 2014 Zimmer acquired ETEX Holdings, Incorporated to Zimmer’s fold technology in biomimetic calcium phosphate an innovative bone substitute material that mimics the chemical and structural features of human bone, promotes natural bone regeneration. In global spinal implant devices market, the threat of new entrants is low as this market is regulated by stringent regulatory requirements, technological advancements and high initial investments in R & D act as barriers for new entrants.

North America holds the largest share of the spine implant devices global market followed by Asia-Pacific and Europe. Enhanced government grants, launch of new products, high healthcare budget allocation and increased interest in research and development are the factors owing the growth of spine implant devices market in North American region. Asia-Pacific region is considered to be the fastest growing market.

The major players operating in the spine implant device market are Medtronic, PLC (Ireland), Alphatec Spine, Inc. (U.S), B.Braun Melsungen AG (Germany), Johnson & Johnson (U.S), Exactech, Inc. (U.S), Globus Medical, Inc. (U.S), K2M Group Holdings, Inc. (U.S), LDR Holding Corporation (U.S), NuVasive, Inc. (U.S), Orthofix International (U.S), Stryker corporation (U.S), Zimmer-Biomet holdings, inc (U.S).

Some of the other companies operating in spine implant market are Apollo Spine (U.S), Aurora Spine Inc. (U.S), Baumer S.A. (Brazil), Captiva Spine, LLC (U.S), Centinel Spine, Inc. (U.S), Choice Spine,LP (U.S), Clariance SAS (France), Implants International (U.K), Inion Oy (Finland), Innov’spine (France), Life Spine,Inc (U.S), MicroPort Scientific Corporation (China), NeuroStructures (U.S), Peter Brehm GmbH (Germany), Precision Spine (U.S), RTI Surgical,Inc. (U.S), Spine Frontier,Inc. (U.S), Spine Wave,Inc. (U.S), Spineart (Switzerland), Titan Spine (U.S), Ulrich GMBH & Co. (Germany), Wenzel Spine,Inc. (U.S), X-spine Systems (U.S), Zyga Technology (U.S).

article by-Mr.Ashok.P, Senior Research Associate, Healthcare Team, IQ4I Research & Consultancy