Orthopedic Implants: Interest Expands In Reverse Shoulders

With the economy improving and the total joint market slowly recovering, one of the brightest spots in the orthopedics industry is the market for shoulder replacements. While 2012 growth rates of total hips and knees are forecast in the low single digits – at 3% and 1%, respectively – the US shoulder replacement market is growing at a brisk 9.7% pace and is expected to reach approximately $620 million in revenues this year and increase to $880 million in 2016, according to BioMedGPS SmartTRAK Shoulder module. (See Exhibit 1.) Growth in the shoulder replacement market is being driven by the increasing use of reverse shoulder replacements, which now comprise over 30% of the US shoulder replacement market.