“Titanium is increasingly used as an alternative metal over stainless steel to manufacture cervical spinal implants. Titanium implants are strong, lightweight, and have minimum interference during computed tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) after implantation, as compared to stainless steel. Titanium implants also maintain a porous structure on the inner surfaces, promoting the integration of bone for enhanced fusion and retro serrated toothing on the caudal and cranial surfaces of the implant, providing effective primary stability,” said Brahadeesh Chandrasekaran, one of Technavio’s lead analysts for orthopedics and general medical devices research.
Some of the other driving forces behind the growth of the global cervical artificial discs market are:
- Prevalence of cervical herniated disc in geriatric population
- Development of novel cervical artificial discs
- Use of spinal non-fusion surgical procedures
The prevalence of cervical herniated discs in the age group of 60 and above has gradually increased over the last decade. Cervical disc herniation causes severe neck pain, which is a result of age-related degeneration of the annulus fibrosis. It is caused because of trauma, lifting injuries, and strain. According to the National Institutes of Health, close to 57 percent of the global population aged 65 and above experience neck pain because of cervical disc herniation, commonly observed in people living a sedentary lifestyle. The growing prevalence of cervical herniated discs in the geriatric population is therefore expected to drive the global cervical artificial discs market until 2020.
The market is expected to witness the launch of many novel pipeline products during the forecast period. Currently, there are five cervical artificial discs developed by companies such as Medtronic plc, LDR, and Globus Medical Inc. that are in Phase III clinical trials. Positive results in Phase I and II trials have assisted vendors in visualizing strong growth potential of these products in the coming years compared to cervical fusion techniques. For example, Phase III pipeline products such as the Prestige LP device developed by Medtronic is under clinical trial for the treatment of two-level cervical disc herniation in patients.
The use of spinal non-fusion surgeries, especially with minimally invasive procedures, helps preserve mobility and stability of the spine as well as in alleviate severe back and leg pain. Also, minimally invasive cervical spinal surgeries reduce hospital stay by lowering complications and re-operations, which helps in significant cost savings, analysts noted.
Spinal non-fusion surgical procedures such as artificial disc replacement, dynamic stabilization, and interspinous process decompression surgereries offer advantages such as minimal blood loss, low infection rate, reduced patient pain, and fast patient ambulation and retrieval. With the increasing adoption of minimally invasive spinal non-fusion surgeries, the market is expected to witness a rise in the adoption of spinal non-fusion implants during the forecast period, the report concludes.
Technavio is a global technology research and advisory company. The firm develops more than 2,000 pieces of research every year, covering more than 500 technologies across 80 countries.
About Technavio
Technavio is a leading global technology research and advisory company. The company develops over 2000 pieces of research every year, covering more than 500 technologies across 80 countries. Technavio has about 300 analysts globally who specialize in customized consulting and business research assignments across the latest leading edge technologies.