Dr. Eduardo Gonzalez-Hernandez, MD and Founder of Toby Orthopaedics, discusses how investing in infrastructure and equipment is crucial for delivering optimal patient care.
The orthopaedics market is poised for substantial growth from 2023 to 2027, with a projected CAGR of 3.1% globally [1]. In the United Kingdom alone, the orthopaedic devices market is forecasted to reach US$1.74 billion in revenue by 2024, expanding to US$2.03 billion by 2028 at a CAGR of 3.93% [2].
Despite this promising trajectory, orthopaedic surgery, like the whole healthcare sector, still grapples with a short-term cost-cutting approach in provisioning that often leads to inadequate investment in crucial surgical tools. This in turn can force surgeons to improvise during procedures creating makeshift tools to bridge the provisioning gap. Prioritizing investments in essential surgical tools ensures smoother and faster surgeries, facilitating the treatment of more patients and alleviating backlog issues.
Improving access to simple yet effective orthopaedic tools can make a huge difference, particularly when operating hand injuries in intricate anatomical areas like “no man’s land”.
“No man’s land,” or Zone II, is a segment of anatomy in the hand from the mid-palm where the flexor tendons of each finger glide back and forth inside a tight tunnel structure called the flexor tendon sheath, or pulley, system. When situated within the flexor tendon sheath and under tension, the tendon remains healthy. However, if a tendon gets lacerated and slips out of the pulley system, it swells and frays, making it challenging to return it to its sheath. Concurrently, the flexor tendon sheath, devoid of the tendon, contracts over time, eventually deteriorating. Aside from lacerations, certain sports activities like football, wrestling, rugby, or rock climbing can lead to flexor tendon injuries, and health conditions such as rheumatoid arthritis can weaken flexor tendons, increasing the likelihood of tears. Surprisingly, tendon damage can occur without obvious injury, with individuals suddenly noticing a loss of finger mobility without recalling the cause.
This delicate area presents intricate challenges for surgeons, that often face difficulties in repairing tendons in this area, leading to prolonged surgeries and increased risks of soft tissue trauma. Additionally, successful treatment of tendon injuries becomes increasingly difficult after three weeks from the initial laceration.
Considering the hand’s vital role in daily activities, injuries in this area present significant challenges for patients, as they can severely impact quality of life, compromising the ability to carry out routine tasks, participate in leisure activities, and maintain independence. Simple activities like dressing, eating, and writing can become arduous or even impossible with a hand injury, resulting in frustration, reliance on others, and a loss of confidence.
Furthermore, hand injuries are often an obstacle to productivity in both personal and professional lives, leading to diminished productivity and the potential risk of job loss. This decline in productivity not only affects the individual but also carries broader economic implications, contributing to reduced output and heightened healthcare expenses.
Therefore, the importance of swiftly restoring full mobility after a hand injury cannot be emphasized enough. Positive surgical outcomes must be combined with immediate rehabilitation to expedite recovery, enabling individuals to regain independence and resume their normal activities promptly. Additionally, rapid return to full mobility can mitigate secondary complications like muscle atrophy and joint stiffness, which may result from prolonged immobility. From the patient’s perspective, achieving mobility quickly is paramount, as any setback requiring a return to surgery prolongs the recovery process, potentially delaying the return to work and normal life by up to two years.
Orthopaedic surgery plays a pivotal role in facilitating this restoration of mobility and productivity, laying the groundwork for effective and rapid rehabilitation and recovery. However, essential