Prospects for the minimally invasive surgical instruments market

According to statistics, in the past eight years, the global market for minimally invasive surgical instruments has been developing rapidly. In 2005, the total sales volume of the market was US$12 billion; in 2006, it increased to US$12.9 billion; in 2011, it increased to US$18.6 billion. In 2012, the total global sales of minimally invasive surgical instruments may exceed the $20 billion mark. With various new products of minimally invasive surgical instruments coming out one after another, by 2015, this sales volume is expected to reach a scale of 26 to 29 billion U.S. dollars.

Change in surgery

Before the 1990s, many operations (such as splenectomy, gallbladder removal, and complications, etc.) were all open-surgical procedures that exposed the operative field, that is, the doctor must open the patient's abdominal cavity, thoracic cavity, etc. to be treated. This operation is not only traumatic, but also has a large amount of bleeding and blood transfusions, and a long recovery period after surgery. With the success of minimally invasive surgical tests performed by US doctors through small skin incisions, and the advent of fiberoptic endoscopes and microsurgical instruments, minimally invasive surgery has been rapidly applied. According to foreign reports, the most advanced minimally invasive surgical instruments are only slightly larger than a grain of rice. This shows the fineness of minimally invasive surgical instruments.

U.S. leader

The developed countries have always occupied the leading position in the minimally invasive surgical instruments market. The United States holds the top spot, accounting for approximately 60% of global sales of minimally invasive surgical instruments; Europe accounts for approximately 25%; and emerging industrial countries including China, India, Russia, Brazil, and the Republic of South Africa together account for 10% of the total; other countries and regions add up. Only less than 5%.

In the minimally invasive surgical instrument market, endoscopy is undoubtedly the backbone product. According to foreign media reports, so far, developed countries have developed and marketed a variety of endoscopic products, such as arthroscopes, nerve mirrors, bronchoscopes, lung bronchoscopes, hysteroscopes, colonoscopes, gastroscopes, and endoscopes for cardiothoracic surgery (such as Percutaneous heart valve repair with endoscopy) etc. Their appearance reduced the difficulty of surgery, shortened postoperative hospital stay, and saved medical resources. For example, the early invention of the colonoscope only found a large polyp, and some smaller polyps were easily missed; a newly developed colonoscope with a CO2 inflator allowed doctors to find smaller colon polyps and perform resections. The patient can be discharged on the same day after surgery, and the operation is performed using a traditional colonoscope. The patient needs to stay in the hospital for at least 6 to 7 days.

Continuous innovation

Surgical robots are the “masters” of minimally invasive surgical instruments that emerged in the 1990s. They are the perfect combination of endoscopic techniques and minimally invasive techniques. Surgical robots can magnify images of lesions by tens or even hundreds of times, and present the images on a computer screen so that doctors can perform fine operations that cannot be performed with the naked eye alone, and doctors can observe lesions and discuss surgical plans together. . Some experts believe that surgical robots represent a new direction for the development of minimally invasive surgical instruments.

According to foreign media reports, with the rapid development of the minimally invasive surgical instrument market, foreign medical device manufacturers are stepping up the development of various auxiliary devices supporting minimally invasive surgical instruments, such as miniature medical catheters (wound irrigation tube, sewage recovery tube) Minimally invasive surgical probes, special suturing devices, special blades, etc.