AAOS 2009: Procedure Volumes Steady, Though Economic Worries Loom
BY LAUREN UZDIENSKI, MARCH 3, 2009
The orthopedic industry convened in Las Vegas last week for what was a slightly quieter AAOS than we've seen in recent years, shadowed by worries about the economy. More than new products and deals, the tone at this year's conference was stability through an economic slowdown and shoring up a business with clinical data.
While the downturn didn't seem to have a huge impact on attendance - floor traffic was steady throughout the conference - attendees were eager to learn how it was affecting procedure volumes. Many companies reported publicly that volumes were steady, though the sentiment from the last few months--that it wouldn't be a surprise if procedure volume was flat or fell--carried into this conference.
Clinical data emerged as one of the ways for a company to buffer itself against a downturn. We attended an analyst event the day before the AAOS kickoff, and many companies spoke to their progress with patient enrollment, endpoints and early outcomes, even within the relatively small scope of 510(k) studies or post-market studies. Comparative effectiveness research, to which $1.1 billion in funding was appropriated by President Obama's stimulus package, will also help drive the need for data and demonstrable patient benefit. As funding becomes harder to obtain and limiting cost is a key consideration, strong data becomes central to gaining the support of surgeons, payers and investors.
The product evolutions we noticed on the floor seemed to emphasize precision in large joint procedures through computer aided and custom devices: we saw new computer-navigated surgical systems, with MAKO launching its new Rio system for bi-compartmental knee replacements and ROBODOC presenting their new guidance system, marketed in the U.S. for hip replacements. Smith & Nephew also presented its VISIONAIRE system for customizing instrumentation to patients based on MRIs. These products join other featured launches at the conference, summarized below:
CONMED: CONMED Linvatec hip system for labral repair in hip arthroscopy; the Zen Wireless Footswitch and Adaptor; and ReAct Arthroscopic Shaver Blades.
CUREXO: the ROBODOC Surgical System for hip and knee (knee available OUS) procedures.
Globus Medical: the INDEPENDENCE Spacer System.
Incisive Surgical: a new version of the INSORB Absorbable Staple.
MAKO Surgical: the RIO Robotic Arm Interactive Orthopedic System and the RESTORIS MCK MultiCompartmental Knee System for bicompartmental knee resurfacing.
Medartis: the APTUS Adaptive Adaptive Distal Radius System.
RTI Biologics: the Matrix HD and fresh-stored osteochondral talus allograft.
Salient Surgical: the Aquamantys Epidural Vein Sealer.
Smith & Nephew Endoscopy: the OSTEORAPTOR Anchor for hip and shoulder repair.
Smith & Nephew Orthopaedic Reconstruction & Trauma: the VISIONAIRE patient matched instrumentation.
Wright Medical: the Stature Modular Hip Reconstruction product line; the Prophecy Pre-Operative Navigation Guides for knee replacements; and a number of extremity products, including the Inbone Total Ankle System and the G-Force Tenodesis Screw System for soft-tissue fixation procedures in foot and ankle surgery.
Zimmer: the DeNovo NT Natural Tissue Graft for focal cartilage defects; the Natural Nail system for long bone fixation; the Periarticular Elbow Locking Plate System; and Trabecular Metal Glenoid.
This covers just some of the activity at this year's AAOS, an event that, more than just showcasing products, helped affirm the health of the industry and answer questions about how it would weather a downturn. Throughout the week, we found reminders of the stability of the space and the enthusiasm of those who comprise it as well as insight into how businesses can be strengthened through clinical data collection.
