"More people will be able to have surgery in this country because they will have insurance coverage," wrote Marcelo Salvade, export manager for SH Medical Corporation, in an online response to DOTmed News. "Greater demand will translate into more sales eventually."

Gearing up and shrinking down


For arthroscopy, size matters. Fortunately, even if OEM marketing departments haven't taken note, the research and development teams have. Miniaturization is a hot spot for arthroscopy. That's good news for patients too. Smaller tools mean smaller incisions and even speedier recoveries from surgery.

"Miniaturizing scopes will definitely continue," says Robert Harris, sales engineer for Imaging Associates, Inc. "The major manufacturers like Storz and I believe Olympus and Wolf are using 4 millimeter scopes. There are also more 2.7 and 1.9 millimeter scopes out there that are becoming the standard for the new equipment coming out," he says.




The give and take of the market

Imaging Associates sells and services peripherals for endoscopy and arthroscopy systems. It handles LCD monitors, cameras, printers, DVD recorders, and they also sell scopes, light sources and processors. Although there's some uncertainty among the medical community, overall, Imaging Associates says business has been good.

"Domestic business has been back and forth during the past year or two, but international business has been better during that time to pickup for the slowdown," Harris says. "The exchange rate has helped. A lot of people, especially end-users, outside of the U.S. are buying equipment they weren't able to afford before."

Harris identifies South America and the Middle East as two key emerging markets for Imaging Associates.

Jeremy Cooper, president of United Endoscopy, shares Harris' opinion of the international arthroscopy market, but his targets differ a little.

"We definitely are more on an international-based business," he says. "We are growing in the domestic market, but 80 percent of our business is export with South American, Europe and Asia."

United Endoscopy has been in business for 16 years, offering sales, service and refurbishing. But, it hasn't all been smooth sailing.

More Industry Reports