Customized joint replacement implants are becoming more popular among orthopedic surgeons around the world, according to an iData report.
iData collected data from 14,760 health professionals at the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons Conference in 2014. Here are their findings:
1. Nearly 50 percent of orthopedic surgeons at the conference saw benefit from using custom joint implants.
2. There is a growing demand for patient-specific implants among physicians, and if these factors are favorable, continued growth in custom instrumentation and cutting blocks are expected:
• Favorable pricing
• Economic constraints
• Availability
3. Those who said they would use customized implants reported better implant fit and individualization for anatomical differences among the reasons why.
4. Ease-of-use for custom implants was not a prevalent reason for choosing them.
5. The surgeon population surveyed was motivated to provide the best clinical efficacy possible for patients undergoing surgery, and many reported stock implants were often adequate, as a diverse range of stock implant options are available.
6. Internationally, orthopedic surgeons reported a strong focus on results, rather than other factors, including cost reduction.
7. Surgeons would be more likely to switch if a new product showed better clinical efficacy than their current products.