Companies See Opportunities In Expanding ENT Market

Article preview from Medtech Insight - December, 2012

Competition breeds innovation, and the ear, nose, and throat (ENT) market, once a fairly quiet arena, is now positioned to host some spirited activity that should lead to new technologies. Several large device manufacturers have recently moved into the ENT space, and the sinus treatment segment of the market has become one of the focal points for emerging competitors, as companies work toward less-invasive treatment options.

 Companies See Opportunities In Expanding ENT Market

Article preview from Medtech Insight - December, 2012

Interest in the ear, nose, and throat (ENT) market has increased recently, and the arena now boasts several large device manufacturers that see possibilities in this space for innovative new minimally invasive products. Such competition is the ideal landscape for innovation, as the large companies battle for market share while start-up firms and venture capitalists see opportunities to take the market in new directions. Of course, a variety of conditions make up the ENT market, but therapies for sinus conditions, particularly chronic sinusitis, are developing into an early area of intense competition. The potential growth in this market is due not only to increased competition, but also to the sizeable patient base as well as reimbursement rates that are favorable for physicians right now.

The surgical ENT market, including the sinus surgery segment, has long been dominated by Medtronic Inc., which still holds the largest market share, and other major players in the image-guided surgery field, including Stryker Corp. and Gyrus ACMI/Olympus Corp. Medtronic has maintained its leading position in sinus surgery with a number of surgical products, including the Fusion System and StealthStation System. Both are used in image-guided surgeries and allow surgeons to perform more precise and less-invasive functional endoscopic sinus surgery (FESS), the standard of care for many cases of chronic sinusitis.

FESS, introduced to the US in the 1980s, is designed to relieve the pressure, congestion, drainage, and other problems associated with chronic sinusitis, caused by a thickening and swelling of the tissue lining the sinus cavity. The procedure is usually recommended for patients who have not responded well to extended medication treatments, such as sprays, steroids, and antibiotics. The surgery is performed with specially designed endoscopes inserted through the nasal openings, which allows access to the sinuses without the need for incisions in the face. During the procedure, which can last from two to four hours, affected tissue and bone can be removed and drainage pathways cleared.

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