Lithotripsy is a medical procedure for treating kidney stones and other urinary tract stones. Lithotripsy devices are specialized medical instruments created to perform lithotripsy. The term "lithotripsy" derives its etymology from the Greek language, specifically from the words "lithos" (stone) and "tripsis" (the process of crushing). Lithotripsy aims to reduce the size of kidney stones and other urinary stones to facilitate their expulsion from the body through natural processes.
Despite the existence of numerous types of lithotripsy devices, the utilization of shock waves remains a widely employed technique. The methodology elucidated is called extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy (ESWL). Alternative lithotripsy techniques, such as intracorporeal lithotripsy, may utilize specialized instruments to facilitate direct contact with the stone.
Urolithiasis is a pathological condition distinguished by the translocation of stones from the renal pelvis to the ureters, bladder, and urethra, among other components of the urinary collecting system. The escalating global incidence of urolithiasis can be attributed to many factors, including dietary trends, lifestyle modifications, and demographic attributes.
An article published in NLM states that the prevalence of stone disease among adults worldwide varies between 1% and 13%. An article published in the International Journal of Clinical Practice reports that the global incidence of urolithiasis increased by 48.57 percent, from 78 million in 1990 to 116 million in 2019. According to the same source, mortality attributable to urolithiasis has increased by 17.12% since 1990, from 11,338 to 13,227. Thus, the demand for effective treatments is increasing, which stimulates the global market for lithotripsy devices.
Rapid development has been made in recent years regarding lithotripsy procedures. For instance, Lumenis Ltd., a medical device manufacturer, unveiled the groundbreaking Moses holmium technology for urology applications in India in October 2017. Stones in inaccessible regions can be surgically treated with the assistance of Moses technology, and initial fiber insertion is simplified through an entirely deflected scope. This method has been designed to significantly limit retropulsion during lithotripsy, enabling a significantly lower stone migration and a more efficient operation.
Additionally, urologists from UCI Health conducted trials in May 2021 on a novel laser technology called the "super-pulsed thulium fiber laser." This technology can reduce kidney stones measuring up to the thickness of a forefinger into dust particles measuring 100 microns or less. The thulium fiber laser reliably fragments kidney stones into ten times smaller pieces than the holmium laser, which most urologists currently utilize. Therefore, the progression of these laser technologies may facilitate the creation of innovative lithotripsy devices, consequently generating opportunities for market growth.
North America is the most significant global lithotripsy device market shareholder and is expected to expand substantially during the forecast period. The region's market expansion is propelled by the developed and smart healthcare services, superior infrastructure, and high adoption rate of cutting-edge products found in North America. In the region, the increasing incidence of kidney stones is the primary factor propelling the lithotripsy device market.
For example, UCI Health reports that the prevalence of kidney stones among the American populace has increased substantially by a factor of two over the past two decades. Kidney stones may manifest in over 10% of the population of the United States at some stage throughout their lives. In addition, the United States has the greatest health expenditure per capita at USD 7,720 and the highest per capita GDP at USD 46,760. This also fuels the North American market for lithotripsy devices.
The key global lithotripsy device market players are Zimmer MedizinSystems GmbH, Olympus Corporation, Boston Scientific Corporation, Richard Wolf GmbH, EDAP TMS, NOVAMEDTEK, Advin Health Care, STORZ Medical AG, and others.