Mitral valve annuloplasty rings are medical devices that are used during mitral valve repair surgeries to correct deficiencies in the mitral valve of the heart. These rings are employed to reshape the mitral valve annulus and stabilize its geometry and promote valve competence. Over the past few decades, mitral valve repair surgery using annuloplasty rings has emerged as the preferred treatment option compared to mitral valve replacement for various types of mitral regurgitation.
Drivers for Increased Demand for Mitral Valve Annuloplasty Rings
There has been a steady rise in the global prevalence of valvular heart diseases such as mitral regurgitation due to an aging population and lifestyle-related risk factors such as obesity, hypertension, and diabetes. Mitral regurgitation affects millions of people worldwide and often progresses from mild to severe over time if untreated. As persensus guidelines, mitral valve surgery with annuloplasty ring implantation is recommended for patients with severe asymptomatic primary mitral regurgitation. This has significantly driven the demand for mitral valve annuloplasty rings in recent years.
In addition, mitral valve repair using annuloplasty rings is increasingly being preferred over replacement surgeries due to the durability and low complication rates associated with repair procedures. Further, ring annuloplasty is a technically more appealing option for surgeons to treat complex mitral valve pathologies. Extensive research to develop novel low-profile rings that can facilitate beating heart and minimally invasive mitral valve surgeries has also expanded the addressable patient population globally.
Product Innovations and Expansion of Clinical Indications
Over the past decade, manufacturers have introduced several innovations in annuloplasty ring designs to address shortcomings of earlier devices and expand clinical indications. Several new rigid, semi-rigid, and flexible rings made of synthetic, biological, and hybrid materials are now available with varied shapes and sizes. For instance, the Trigon and Trifecta rings introduced by St. Jude Medical were designed to be uniform, smooth, and create a natural elliptical contour. Edwards Lifesciences' Physio series rings mimic the natural anatomical shape and motion of the mitral valve. Such continuous product innovations are expected to drive the adoption of newer generation annuloplasty rings.
Regional Analysis
On the basis of geography, the global mitral valve annuloplasty rings can be segmented into North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, Latin America, and Middle East & Africa. North America currently dominates the global demand owing to high prevalence of mitral valve diseases, rising geriatric population, existence of sophisticated healthcare infrastructure, and growing public awareness regarding valvular heart diseases in the region. Europe held the second largest share in 2017 due to increasing adoption of ring annuloplasty procedures over mitral valve replacement surgeries. Developing region of Asia Pacific and Latin America are also projected to provide lucrative opportunities over the forecast period attributable to rising healthcare expenditures and growing medical tourism industry.
Competitive Landscape
Some of the key players operating in the global mitral valve annuloplasty rings include Edwards Lifesciences, Medtronic, Abbott, Boston Scientific, and LivaNova. Majority of the large players offer a wide portfolio of patent-protected annuloplasty ring designs with varied clinical indications. Manufacturers are focusing on developing new materials, lower profiles, adjustable ring concepts, and tricuspid valvuloplasty solutions through partnerships and acquisitions. In addition, they are involved in extensive R&D activities to strengthen their product pipelines and consolidate presence. The demand demonstrates a mix of larger global players and smaller regional system and technology suppliers.
Conclusion
In conclusion, the global demand for mitral valve annuloplasty rings is expected to witness steady growth during the forecast years from 2018 to 2025. Increasing pool of patients with degenerative mitral valve diseases and rising adoption of repair surgeries over replacements worldwide are the major factors propelling demand. Ongoing technological advancements coupled with expansion into new geographies will further aid industry revenues. Emergence of transcatheter mitral valve therapies may challenge the ring annuloplasty systems in future. However, growing applications of repair rings in complex valve procedures suggest continued growth opportunities for manufacturers.
Published Date: Oct 2024
