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We asked members of industry: Consider your tenure in orthopedics. What is the greatest orthopedic advancement that comes to mind?
Most respondents referenced innovations over the last two decades, including enabling technology, materials and additive manufacturing. The infographic below highlights the specific technologies and surgical techniques that respondents mentioned.
Infographic sponsored by Orchid Orthopedic Solutions
Perhaps it’s not surprising that enabling technology like robotics, navigation, preoperative planning was the largest orthopedic advancement called out. Robotics, especially, has played a pivotal role in the growth of joint replacement and spine in recent years, and most companies believe the technology is still at its infancy stage.
The other nine advancements that rose to the top of the list in our opened-ended question were: materials, joint replacement, additive manufacturing, orthobiologics, sports medicine, trauma, minimally invasive surgery, spine and outpatient procedures. Certainly, one could identify an overlap amongst some of these advancements. Surgical techniques like minimally invasive surgery play a role in the evolution of orthopedic procedures shifting to the outpatient setting. Additionally, new materials, biologics and additive manufacturing lead to the success of new implants.
Our question to industry about orthopedic advancements was part of our Orthopedics Past, Present and Future survey. Among other questions we asked and insight gained from the survey were: Which Technology Will Disrupt Orthopedics the Most? and What Advice Would You Give to Your Industry Peers? You can find even more from the survey in the October issue of BONEZONE.
