Innovation Isn’t One Dimensional

Published: April 19, 2010

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Just as it takes several parts to create a device, the orthopaedics industry is comprised of many elements.

The orthopaedics industry is, without question, one of the most exciting areas within medical device manufacturing. Now more than ever, the industry is constantly evolving to keep up with the rise of a very active aging population and the demand for longer-lasting, minimally invasive products. And now more than ever is an appropriate time to launch a brand that focuses on this dynamic part of the medical device industry. I’d like to welcome you to the premiere issue of OrthoTec. 
 
OrthoTec is a brand that encompasses print as well as an interactive online community that will feature exclusive articles, Webcasts, and OrthoTalk, our daily blog. Inside our debut print issue, you’ll find insight on a range of topics within orthopaedics. Need help figuring out how to achieve precision in product design? The cover story, “Speaking a Precise Language,” by Greg Hetland, provides the steps that manufacturers should take to meet a functional product design definition. 
As Ryan Heniford and Jeffrey Koslosky point out in “Weaving Innovation into Device Design,” innovation isn’t just one material, device, or method but rather a combination of elements. In the same vein, our mission for OrthoTec is to provide you with an in-depth view of the design, development, and manufacturing of orthopaedic devices through a variety of avenues. 
With an estimated worldwide market worth of $43 billion, orthopaedics is the largest segment of the medical device manufacturing industry. It comprises more than 70 publicly traded companies, both large and small, and despite the tough economic environment, investment analysts have some good news. They expect healthy growth in orthopaedics at between 7% and 8% this year. Check out Robert Dunne’s article to get the scoop on what else investors expect from orthopaedics companies in the near term. 
 
Regenerative medicine is an emerging field in this segment that holds a lot of promise for joints. In a Q&A, Gil Beyen, CEO of Tigenix, discusses how his company is capitalizing on its presence in this young field by staying way ahead of the competition.
 
Finally, for manufacturers that are looking to break away from conventional instruments, take a look at “Orthopaedic Instrumentation: Traditional-to-Disposable Conversion." Dwalin DeBoer and Chris Wartinger talk about how companies can successfully transition to making disposable orthopaedic instruments. 
 
In addition to the wide range of topics that we’re covering in our premiere issue, don’t forget to take a peek at the OrthoTec show section. The publisher of OrthoTec, Canon Communications llc, is launching a new trade show, also called OrthoTec, exclusively for the orthopaedics industry. The event will be held May 12–13 in Winona Lake, IN, and promises to be an exciting networking and educational event.
 
We’re thrilled to be covering this innovative industry and look forward to hearing your thoughts—whether its feedback about this new brand or what you’re doing at your company to contribute to this exciting field. 
 

 

Published in Orthotec, Spring 2010, Volume 1, No. 1


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