By: Ebun Esomogumi
The constant innovation in our world has been the driving force behind the advancement of orthopaedics and techniques used within that field. The development of technology has also opened many new doors for improvements to accelerate the orthopaedic industry.
Listed below are 5 areas of which new innovations are reconstructing the orthopaedic field.
1. Co-creation: addressing needs that have not been met in the area of clinics, environment, and demographics
There is a common understanding that knowing one’s patient, health care system needs, the surgeon and combining efforts with industry professionals increases the chance for real differences to be made within the world. Through the improvement of outdated surgical challenges, such as the lateral approach to spine surgery, the discovery of procedural streamlining and instrumentation has made this approach possible.
Doctors continue to improve surgical approaches such as in spine surgery as they focus on the 86% of surgeons who believe the instrumentation for spinal deformity requires improvement. Doctors have also been focusing their attention on providing assistance towards critical needs within the aging population, preventing infection, and improving hospitals.
2. Material Innovation: technological advancements fuel engineering excellence
Exploration for technological advancements in areas of which include 3D printing or material selection innovation have been high in demand in response to an increased orthopaedic procedure demand.
As of recent, discoveries into hybrid medical devices of which join implants with instruments help make surgeries more efficient. This provides great help towards hospitals as they result in improved efficiency, shortened procedure duration, and enables improvement in cost savings and inventory management.
3. Personalized medicine
Innovations toward patient-specific implants and virtual surgical planning has made the choosing of medicine for patients effective, efficient, and revolutionized care standards. This new approach of personalized medicine leads to greater customer satisfaction, customization and precision.
4. Robotic revolution: launching a new wave of innovation
Digitized surgeries have paved the way for new innovations to enable the industry. The creations of patient-specific alignment (PSA) or software-driven navigation systems have augmented flexibility and transformed the field into a digital ecosystem. These discoveries have allowed for quicker stabilizations, improved accuracy and an overall lower treatment cost.
5. Value-based healthcare
The fabrication of safe and efficient approaches to various challenges has become possible through algorithm-driven approaches. An increased number of patients and regulations in numerous EMEA countries limit working hours for many residents, causing on-the-spot-digitally-enabled education paramount towards progress.
In addition to these 5 innovations listed, it’s clear that the orthopaedics industry is constantly changing for the better to usher in a new era and wave for healthcare.
References:
“5 ways innovation is changing orthopaedics.” Medtech Views, 29 Apr. 2020. http://www.medtechviews.eu/article/5-ways-innovation-changing-orthopaedics
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