Becker's Spine Review

30 DEVICES & IMPLANTS 5 key trends in cost & scalability of 3D-printed orthopedic technology By Laura Dyrda A dditive technology is becoming more common in the medical device space, including for spine and large joint implants. e 3D printing technique allows companies to create patient-specific devices that could lead to better outcomes. Advanced Manufacturing took an in-depth look at the technology in the medical space, examining the cost and performance of devices already on the market. Here are five key trends from the report: 1. e cost of additive technology is de- creasing; however it's still more expen- sive than traditional manufacturing. e "break-even" point mentioned in the article is having around a 50,000-unit run. 2. e devices made with additive technol- ogy could reduce operating room time and improve outcomes as well as surgeon and patient satisfaction and confidence. Some orthopedic surgeons are using nylon cutting guides to drive production. 3. e number of metal additive manufac- turing machines sold doubled over the past year, a trend driven in part by the medical field. e metal implants can spur bone in- growth, which is ideal for orthopedic sur- geons to avoid titanium plasma sprays. 4. Being first to market with 3D printing in either plastic or metal devices can be a com- petitive advantage, according to the report, because companies can then scale faster. e first companies with a new innovation are also the first to have 10-year clinical data, which is attractive to surgeons. 5. e 3D-printed implants are so close to the patient's natural anatomy that surgeons do less machining, which saves on cost. n NuVasive to launch new spine device: 5 takeaways By Mackenzie Garrity A fter receiving FDA approval earlier this year, NuVasive unveiled its XLIF Lordotic Expandable (XLX) Interbody System at the International Meet- ing on Advanced Spine Techniques, July 11 to 14 in Los Angeles. Here are five takeaways: 1. The XLIF anterior column realignment technique uses controlled lordotic expansion and multifunctional instrumentation, and partnered with the XLX system it offers a unique alternative to open surgery. 2. NuVasive incorporated its integrated global alignment software, which can calculate alignment parameters, and its preoperative planning tools NuvaLine and NuvaMap. 3. The interbody system is intended for use in the lumbar spine, from L1 to S1, for the treatment of symptomatic disc degeneration or degenerative spondy- lolisthesis at one or two adjacent levels. 4. The XLIF XLX Interbody System is the company's first lateral expandable. It joins NuVasive's two existing expandable interbody systems, TLX and MLX. 5. NuVasive will offer the new system in a comprehensive range of lengths and heights with up to 30 degrees of customizable lordosis. n Stryker reports $3.3B in Q2 sales: 6 things to know By Mackenzie Garrity S tryker released its second quarter 2018 operating results. Here are six things to know: 1. The company reported net sales of $3.3 billion in the second quarter, a 10.3 percent increase year-over-year. 2. Within its orthopedic segment, Stryker experienced a 7.6 percent increase year-over-year, reaching $1.2B in sales. The company's medsurg segment also saw an 8.9 percent increase year-over-year. 3. Stryker's neurotechnology and spine segment reported $600M in sales, a 19.4 percent increase year-over-year. 4. Stryker's earnings per share increased 15.5 percent to $1.19, compared to the same quarter last year. 5. The company reported net earnings of $452 million, a 15.6 percent increase year-over-year. 6. Stryker expects its adjusted net earnings per diluted share to sit between $7.22 and $7.27 at the end of the year. n

• Cover