Hip Resurfacing News

US Hip Resurfacing Implants Market: Product Penetration to Drive Growth

2009-08-14

The US hip resurfacing implants market valued at $57.3.million in 2008 is forecast to grow by 36% annually for the next seven years to reach $483 million by 2015

This growth is expected to be driven by an increase in awareness of the procedure, increasing clinical familiarity among surgeons and a favorable reimbursement scenario.

The fact that hip resurfacing offers a more natural feel, higher stability and lesser bone-loss makes it ideal for patients leading an active life.
Increasing awareness of the advantages that this procedure offers, through campaigns by both the manufacturers and social groups will drive the growth of the US hip resurfacing market. There has been a steady increase in the awareness of hip resurfacing, and it’s offering of an active life even after surgery, its shorter recovery period, lower costs of rehabilitation and its minimal bone loss factors. These advantages have positioned hip resurfacing as a primary treatment method for hip ailments.

The increasing incidence of osteoarthritis in the population group of 25-60 years is a major driver for the US hip resurfacing market. The increasing prevalence, now at 6% of the young patient population, is expected to drive growth in the US hip resurfacing market. Osteoarthritis, which first appears between the age of 25 and 40, is a very common disease in individuals aged 70 and above. Before the age 55, it affects men and women equally but after the age 55, the incidence is higher in women. Effectively, the large pool of male population between the ages of 25-40 with advanced or severe arthritis of the hip are expected to drive demand for hip resurfacing impalnts.
Smith & Nephew leads the US hip resurfacing market with its Birmingham Hip Resurfacing (BHR). Released in May 2006, the BHR had the competitive advantage of being the only available product for a full year until the market launch of Corin’s Cormet System in July 2007. Smith & Nephew cashed in on the first mover advantage with innovative marketing, surgeons education and competitive pricing. Renewed efforts towards capturing distribution channels and increased stress on surgeons education has allowed Smith & Nephew to capture 75% market share in the US hip resurfacing market.

Corin’s deal with Stryker for distribution of its Cormet resurfacing system played a major role in the sales of its device in spite of the late entry into the US market. Stryker is known to have one of the strongest sales forces in the US orthopedic devices market. This combined with Stryker’s strong brand identity as compared to the UK headquartered Smith & Nephew has allowed Corin’s product to effectively make inroads into the hip resurfacing market in the US.

For more information on this report click here:
www.global-market-research-data.com/Report.aspx?ID=US-Hip-Resurf ..

GlobalData, the industry analysis specialists’ new report, “US Hip Resurfacing Implants Market: Product Penetration to Drive Growth”, finds that an increasing incidence of osteoarthritis in the population group of 25-60 years will drive the growth of hip resurfacing implants market in the US. The report highlights the trend of traditional Total Hip Replacement (THR) shifting towards Hip Resurfacing as one of the key market drivers for the US hip resurfacing market.

Hip Resurfacing is Viable Alternative to Hip Replacement

Patients who had hip resurfacing surgery, such as the Birmingham Hip Resurfacing technique, reported a better quality of life, less pain and greater satisfaction a year after surgery than those who had a total hip replacement.

PRLog (Press Release) - Jul 31, 2009 - Oceanside, NY – Patients who had hip resurfacing surgery, such as the Birmingham Hip Resurfacing technique, reported a better quality of life, less pain and greater satisfaction a year after surgery than those who had a total hip replacement, according to a study presented at the American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons (AAOS) 2009 Annual Meeting.

The study was based on data on the outcomes of 214 total hip replacement patients and 132 hip resurfacing patients that was recorded in a joint registry maintained at a single surgeon’s practice from 2003-2006. Orthopedic surgeon Dr. Elizabeth Anne Lingard of Freeman Hospital in Newcastle Upon Tyne, England, was the study’s lead researcher.

Each patient enrolled in the study completed a questionnaire preoperatively and one year after surgery. The questionnaire included the Western Ontario and MacMaster Universities Osteoarthritis Index (referred to as WOMAC, it is a 24-item questionnaire that is completed by the patient and focuses on joint pain, stiffness and loss of function related to osteoarthritis of the knee and hip) and the SF-36, a self-report questionnaire completed by the patient that measures health-related quality of life (and generates 8 subscales: physical functioning, role limitations due to physical problems, bodily pain, general health perceptions, vitality, social functioning, role-limitations due to emotional problems, and mental health; and 2 summary scores: physical component and mental component). The patients also completed a questionnaire regarding satisfaction with their procedures and outcomes one year after surgery.

The study showed that one year after surgery both groups of patients experienced significant improvements in WOMAC and SF-36. Hip-resurfacing patients, however, posted significantly higher WOMAC scores for decreased pain symptoms. When asked about patient satisfaction with the surgery, a greater number of hip-resurfacing patients said they were satisfied with their ability to perform functional activities after surgery.

"The (Birmingham) hip resurfacing technique allows me to preserve more of the patient’s natural bone structures and stability," said Bradley Gerber, MD, Chief of Joint Replacement Surgery at South Nassau Communities Hospital. "I see hip resurfacing as the ideal solution for many of my younger, active patients who suffer from hip pain. As my patients are getting younger and younger, and are staying physically active much later in life, I've needed an alternative to total hip replacement that accommodates their age and lifestyle. Hip resurfacing is that alternative."

Dr. Gerber was among the first surgeons in the U.S. to perform the Birmingham Hip Resurfacing (BHR) technique. Rather than replacing the entire hip joint, as in a total hip replacement, hip resurfacing simply shaves off the damaged cartilage and bone and a metal cap is placed onto the head of the leg bone (femur).

Total hip replacement involves the removal of the entire femoral head and neck, replacing it with a metal ball, while the BHR leaves the head and neck untouched. It is the neck length and angle that determines the natural length of a patient’s leg after surgery. Since it is not removed and replaced with an artificial device during the resurfacing procedure, there is a greater likelihood of maintaining accurate leg length.

In addition, traditional hip replacements use a plastic socket compared to the BHR implant (which is a metal socket). A plastic socket wears down over time, and may need to be replaced surgically. In fact, it is a leading cause of follow-up surgeries.

The BHR is intended for patients suffering from hip pain due to osteoarthritis, hip dysplasia (a congenital disease that, in its more severe form, can eventually cause crippling damage and painful arthritis of the joints) or avascular necrosis (a disease resulting from the temporary or permanent loss of the blood supply to the bones, often leading to collapse of the joint surface), and for whom total hip replacement may not be appropriate due to an increased level of physical activity. For these reasons, Dr. Gerber feels the BHR is ideal for patients under age 60 who live non-sedentary lifestyles.

While the BHR implant closely matches the size of a patient’s natural femoral head (hip ball), it is substantially larger than the femoral head of a traditional total hip replacement implant. This increased size translates to greater stability in the new joint, and it decreases the risk of dislocation of the implant after surgery, which is a leading cause of implant failure after total hip replacement.

In addition to the BHR, orthopedic surgeons at South Nassau’s Long Island Joint Replacement Institute specialize in custom-fitted total joint replacement as well as minimally invasive joint replacement surgery, such as the Uni-Knee® partial knee replacement and Image-Guided Knee Replacement technique. Minimally invasive joint replacement reduces trauma to surrounding tissue, blood loss during surgery, post-operative pain, and recovery time, leading to a speedier rehabilitation and return to daily activities. According to Dr. Gerber, the average length of stay of patients treated by the institute is less than 3 days, which is well below the national average.

The Joint Replacement Institute combines image-guided medical technology with minimally invasive knee replacement instrumentation. Image-guided surgical technology is used to determine the precise alignment of the replacement parts; improves the surgeon’s view of and feel for the surgical field and reduces the size of the incisions to perform a replacement.

Other procedures offered by the Institute’s physicians include reconstruction of foot and ankle injuries, pediatric orthopedics, hand and upper extremities, and meniscus cartilage transplantation and Carticel Therapy to correct recurring knee cartilage injuries.
For more information about the Long Island Joint Replacement Institute or to schedule a consultation, call 1-877-SouthNassau.  www.southnassau.org.