Awareness of Upcoming Laser Technologies Integral to Future Growth.Business Editors/Health/Medical Writers PALO ALTO, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Feb. 23, 2004 The spurt of newer technologies in the U.S. medical laser devices market has made possible the treatment of various critical health conditions, which were previously considered difficult to treat. In a bid to encourage adoption, participants are focusing on creating awareness among end users. Lasers are now widely used among patients who cannot undergo a bypass surgery Bypass surgery A surgical procedure that grafts blood vessels onto arteries to reroute the blood flow around blockages in the arteries (arteriosclerosis). . Similarly, the quick rehabilitation period and minimal post-operative pain involved with laser in situ In place. When something is "in situ," it is in its original location. keratomileusis keratomileusis /ker·a·to·mi·leu·sis/ (ker?ah-to-mi-loo´sis) keratoplasty in which a slice of the patient's cornea is removed, shaped to the desired curvature, and then sutured back on the remaining cornea to correct optical error. (LASIK LASIK laser-assisted in-situ keratomileusis. LA·SIK n. Eye surgery in which the surface of the cornea is reshaped using a laser, performed to correct certain refractive disorders such as myopia. ) procedures in ophthalmology has contributed to their extensive use. Expansion to areas such as Cardiology for Transmyocardial Revascularization transmyocardial revascularization Laser heart surgery Cardiovascular surgery A technique used for Pts with incapacitating heart disease, in which 15 to 30 1-mm in diameter holes are 'drilled' by laser into the myocardium, in an operation that takes 60–90 and Urology for BPH BPH abbr. benign prostatic hyperplasia BPH Benign prostatic hypertrophy, a very common noncancerous cause of prostatic enlargement in older men. treatment would ensure long-term growth of laser markets. New analysis from Frost & Sullivan (http://www.MedicalDevices.frost.com), "U.S. Medical Lasers Market," reveals that revenue in this industry totaled $546.3 million in 2003 and is projected to reach $672.4 million by 2009. If you are interested in a virtual brochure, which provides manufacturers, end-users and other industry participants an overview of the latest analysis of the "U.S. Medical Lasers Market," then send an e-mail to Danielle White, healthcare media relations executive, at dwhite@frost.com with the following information: your full name, company name, title, telephone number, fax number and e-mail. Upon receipt of the above information, an overview will be sent to you via e-mail. The increase in demand for different types of lasers can be partially attributed to the growing baby boomer population. Age-related diseases such as presbyopia Presbyopia Definition The term presbyopia means "old eye" and is a vision condition involving the loss of the eye's ability to focus on close objects. , macular degeneration macular degeneration, eye disorder causing loss of central vision. The affected area, the macula, lies at the back of the retina and is the part that produces the sharpest vision. and diabetic retinopathy have positively influenced the market. With the average number of baby boomers suffering from such diseases going up, there has also been a corresponding rise in technologies that can effectively combat them. Sophisticated, vision correction techniques such as Customcornea are capable of providing "customized" treatments by mapping the cornea cornea: see eye. of an individual patient. This would naturally increase the accuracy and precision of the treatment. "Several patients are opting for lasers mainly because it reduces the complications involved with many diseases," says Frost & Sullivan industry analyst Dhiraj Ajmani. "Since lasers are non-invasive, a patient tends to perceive it as being less dangerous and non-threatening." However, the lack of sufficient clinical data is likely to slow down market growth. Even while procedures such as laser-assisted lead removal, excimer laser angioplasty and transmyocardial revascularization (TMR TMR total mixed ration. TMR 1 Trainable mentally retarded 2 Transmyocardial revascularization, see there ) offers great potential in the cardiology segment, surgeons remain unclear as to the clinical end points and long-term implications. The frequent introduction of new techniques also challenges the expertise among surgeons. In many instances, they prefer to opt for the comfortable familiarity of older modalities. "Generating awareness among physicians is central to the growth of the laser devices market," says Ajmani. "It is essential to provide training to surgeons and practitioners to encourage uptake." Another factor that is likely to restrain growth is that many healthcare facilities are still paying for older equipment. For instance, many renal centers are financially committed to the high-priced extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy ESWL (Extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy) The use of focused shock waves, generated outside the body, to fragment kidney stones. Mentioned in: Lithotripsy (ESWL ESWL (Extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy) The use of focused shock waves, generated outside the body, to fragment kidney stones. Mentioned in: Lithotripsy ) platforms even though they are keen to try the newer laser modality of treatment. Additionally, the lengthy turnaround time involved with an FDA FDA abbr. Food and Drug Administration FDA, n.pr See Food and Drug Administration. FDA, n.pr the abbreviation for the Food and Drug Administration. approval also acts in the favor of older procedures and seriously incapacitates new entrants. In an effort to reduce FDA paperwork and increase their market share, many participants have started focusing on overseas markets. "U.S. Medical Lasers Market" is part of the Surgical and Infection Control Products subscription, and provides a comprehensive insight of the competitive landscape of the U.S. medical laser devices market in four segments: ophthalmology, aesthetic, cardiology and urology. It evaluates the drivers and restraints affecting each of these segments and assesses the potential growth opportunities in each. It also outlines the winning strategies adopted by leading participants, which would give new comers an indication of how they could position themselves. Interviews are available to the press. Frost & Sullivan, an international growth consultancy, has been supporting clients' expansion for more than four decades. Our market expertise covers a broad spectrum of industries, while our portfolio of advisory competencies includes custom strategic consulting, market intelligence and management training. Our mission is to forge partnerships with our clients' management teams to deliver market insights and to create value and drive growth through innovative approaches. Frost & Sullivan's network of consultants, industry experts, corporate trainers and support staff spans the globe with offices in every major country around the world. "U.S. Medical Lasers Market" A522 The following is a list of key industry participants: Advanced Medical Inc., Alcon Inc., American Society of Plastic Surgeons The American Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS) is the largest plastic surgery specialty organization in the world. Founded in 1931, the society is composed of surgeons certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery or or by the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of , Bausch & Lomb, Candela Corp., Cardiogenesis Corp., Carl Zeiss Meditec AG, Convergent Laser Technologies, Diomed Inc., Dornier Medtech, IntraLase Corp., IRIDEX Corp., LadarVision, Laserex, LaserSight Technologies Inc., NIDEK, Palomer Medical Technologies Inc., PhotoMedex, PLC Medical Systems Inc., Spectranetics, Trimedyne Inc., VISX Inc. Keywords in this release: medical laser devices, ophthalmology, aesthetic, cardiology, urology, LASIK. |
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