The wound closure device market is characterized by a wide range of competing technologies from traditional sutures to the latest tissue adhesives. While trauma wounds as well as surgical wounds require closure, technological advancement is aimed primarily at addressing surgical wound closure. The products aim to reduce infection rates, provide effective hemostasis, provide a microbial barrier and promote faster healing as well as being easier to administer. A general shift toward minimally invasive procedures presents new challenges for wound closure include vascular sealing and tissue closure.
According to Marketstrat Inc., the wound closure market is growing worldwide at a CAGR of almost 6 percent. This market, currently estimated to be just over $6.3 billon is generating new demand due to growing rates of surgical procedures. High growth product segments are hemostats and tissue adhesives/ sealants. Soaring rates of surgical procedures worldwide, in particular vascular procedures and endoscopic procedures are creating demand for easy to-use, biocompatible, fast-acting and more efficacious closure agents. According to the Marketstrat report entitled, ‘Wound Closure Products
Markets Worldwide’, China’s emerging healthcare infrastructure will soon lead to one of the fastest growing markets for wound closure products.
Innovative products have been developed in every wound closure product category. Some of the recently introduced products include:
Hemostats
a) OMNEX™ Surgical Sealant (Ethicon) - vascular reconstructions also has adjunctive hemostatic properties. Ethicon reports that clinical trials indicate a hemostatic rate that is three times faster than oxidized regenerated cellulose.
b) PerClot from CryoLife - is a synthetic absorbable modified polymer (AMP®) for use as a hemostat in surgical procedures or following traumatic injuries.
Sutures
a) The V-loc 90 and 180 knotless wound closure device from Covidien speed up suturing by eliminating the need for knot-tying.
Staples and Clips
a) Insorb staples (Incisive Surgical Inc.) are fully absorbable within a few months.
b) The EES intraluminal Stapler (Ethicon), uses3-D staple technology, to produce angled, parallel staple legs that overlap
c) NiTi Surgical Solutions - the BioDynamix™ Anastomosis is an alternative to staples.
Surgically resected tissue can be compressed using nitinol based elements.
Adhesives
a) DuraSeal™ spine sealant and VascuSeal(TM) for vascular reconstructions (Covidien)
b) LiquiBand tissue adhesive (Advanced Medical Solutions) is a fast setting cyanoacyrlate adhesive for surgical wounds
c) TissuePatchDural (TissueMed Ltd.) is an innovative neural adhesive film
d) ProGEL® from Neomend Inc. is a new hydrogel sealant designed to seal air leaks incurred during pulmonary surgery
Tapes/ Strips
a) Prineo Skin Closure System (Ethicon) consists of an applicator containing a self-adhesive mesh and a pen applicator containing 2-octyl cyanoacrylate to polymerize the mesh.
Ethicon and Covidien lead the wound closure market in most product segments. Other major players are Baxter, B Braun, 3M and Smith and Nephew. Niche players with innovative products include CryoLife, GluStitch, Medafor, Thermogenesis and Advanced Medical Solutions.
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