Despite Promotion From Key Opinion Leaders in Europe, Double-Row Rotator Cuff Repairs Will Decline in Popularity

WALTHAM, Mass., June 8 /PRNewswire/ -- According to Millennium Research Group (MRG), the global authority on medical technology market intelligence, the double-row technique for shoulder rotator cuff repair is declining in popularity in Europe. Despite considerable attention and promotion the double-row technique is receiving from key opinion leaders in Europe, varying results from clinical studies coupled with hospitals' attempts to curb rising health care costs will discourage the use of the technique.

Two types of techniques are used during rotator cuff repair: single-row and double-row methods. The single-row method is the gold standard for rotator cuff repair and involves one row of sutures. In the double-row technique, a second row of sutures run parallel to the first, which is purported to allow for a stronger repair and mimic the footprint of the native tendon. Despite these claims, results from clinical studies comparing both techniques have been contentious. Although some European physicians will adopt double-row suturing for some rotator cuff repairs, many will therefore continue to use the single-row technique. Consequently, procedures using the single-row technique will experience a compound annual growth rate of approximately 2 percent higher than the double-row technique through 2014. Limited growth in the number of double-row repairs performed will impede overall unit sales because twice the amount of suture anchors is used in these procedures, which will hamper the growth of the shoulder suture anchor market in Europe.

"Attempts made by healthcare facilities to curtail rising health care costs will restrict adoption of the double-row technique," says Kevin Flewwelling, Manager of the Orthopedics division at MRG. "Because of the need for a second row of sutures, these procedures are lengthier and more costly compared to single-row rotator cuff repairs. Industry sources have also indicated that the additional row of sutures can be very painful for patients. So in the coming years, we'll see double-row procedures decline marginally as a percentage of total rotator cuff repairs performed in Europe."

MRG's European Markets for Orthopedic Soft Tissue Solutions 2010 report provides critical insight into emerging trends that will fuel growth in the markets for shoulder suture anchors, knee ligament reconstruction fixation devices, knee cartilage repair, meniscus repair devices, and rotator cuff reinforcement grafts. The report also discusses the long-term outlook of the orthopedic soft tissue solutions markets in France, Germany, Italy, Spain, and the UK.

About Millennium Research Group

Millennium Research Group (www.MRG.net), a Decision Resources, Inc. company (www.DecisionResourcesInc.com), is the global authority on medical technology market intelligence and the leading provider of strategic information to the healthcare sector. The company provides specialized industry expertise through multiclient market research, ongoing Marketrack™ projects, customer behavior tracking, facility-level procedure forecasting, and customized solutions.

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SOURCE Millennium Research Group