The global airway management devices market size was valued at USD 1.79 billion in 2024 and is projected to reach USD 1.88 billion in 2025 to USD 2.82 billion by 2033, registering a CAGR of 5.2% during the forecast period (2025-2033).
The increasing frequency of respiratory disorders is expected to significantly impact the airway management devices market share.
Airway management devices are critical medical instruments that help establish and maintain a patient's airway during various medical procedures, surgeries, and emergencies. Ensuring a transparent and secure airway is crucial for optimal ventilation and oxygenation, especially when a patient is under anesthesia, requires respiratory support, or has difficulty breathing. Chronic diseases such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), cancer, chronic lung diseases, and others are becoming more common as a result of increased physiological risk factors in the population, such as lifestyle changes, physical inactivity, poor nutrition, and chronic factors like tobacco and excessive alcohol use. Furthermore, the global patient death rate is rising as a result of these diseases and other chronic ailments.
However, due to inefficient healthcare insurance policies, developing countries' adoption rates for pricey airway control devices could be better. Nonetheless, industry players are spending in R&D for innovative and distinctive methods to maintain their Airway Management Devices market growth. These strategies include product launches, mergers and acquisitions, collaborations, partnerships, and refurbishment.
Respiratory disorders such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), asthma, respiratory infections, and other pulmonary conditions have grown in prevalence worldwide. These disorders frequently cause respiratory distress, requiring mechanical ventilation and airway control interventions. As a result, the need for airway management devices has increased in line with the growing prevalence of respiratory disorders. According to a report from 2023, COPD affects around 12% of the global population. The study underlines the importance of appropriate respiratory care, particularly airway control devices, in addressing the rising burden of respiratory disorders.
Furthermore, the World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that over 65 million people worldwide suffer from moderate to severe COPD. Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is the world's third most significant cause of death, with 3.23 million fatalities in 2019. Low- and middle-income countries account for about 90% of COPD fatalities among people under the age of 70. Furthermore, the Global Initiative for Chronic Obstructive Lung Disease (GOLD) predicts that COPD will be the world's third most significant cause of death by 2030. Asthma affects about 300 million individuals worldwide, including 11.6% of children aged six to seven. Asthma affects 7.7% of the US population, or around 24.9 million individuals, with 20.2 million adults and 4.6 million children.
As a result, respiratory disorders frequently result in hospitalizations, during which patients may require airway management measures. This increases the demand for airway management devices in hospital settings. Furthermore, chronic respiratory problems might worsen to the point where patients need long-term breathing support. This includes tracheostomy tubes and other airway management devices for ongoing breathing treatment. The requirement for appropriate airway management in patients with respiratory disorders highlights the value of these devices in providing optimal care and improving patient outcomes. The healthcare industry continues to respond to the Airway Management Devices Market trend by investing in technology and focusing on complete respiratory care methods.
The challenge of using modern airway management devices might be a limitation, especially when quick and uncomplicated interventions are required. Some modern gadgets necessitate specialized skills and training for efficient deployment, which is difficult in emergencies. While video laryngoscopes improve visualization during intubation, they may require more training than standard direct laryngoscopy. They use a video screen for visualization, and healthcare personnel need training to navigate and understand the images efficiently. A study published in the "Journal of Emergency Medicine" discovered that healthcare workers with minimal expertise utilizing video laryngoscopes had a longer time to intubate successfully and had more difficulty during the learning phase. This emphasizes the importance of gadget complexity on performance, particularly for individuals unfamiliar with the technology.
Hence, the complexity of utilization can lead to lengthier process times, a higher percentage of failed intubation attempts, and more consequences, such as esophageal intubation or airway damage. Healthcare facilities may need help establishing consistent skills across staff members when employing advanced airway management devices, resulting in differences in patient care quality and results.
The global aging demographic represents a substantial airway management device market opportunity. Medical disorders that require surgical treatments, critical care, and breathing support are more likely to occur as people get older. This demographic transition increases the demand for airway management systems that address the senior population's unique difficulties and healthcare needs. The global population is aging, and India is no exception. According to the United Nations Population Fund's India Ageing Report 2023, the number of individuals over 60 is expected to quadruple from 10.5% in 2022 to 20.8% by 2050. According to the World Social Report 2023, population aging is a global trend that has begun or will begin shortly in all countries and regions. This is attributable to improved health and survival rates and reduced fertility.
Additionally, the aging population frequently encounters anatomical variances, comorbidities, and changes in airway physiology, so there is an opportunity to create airway management devices specifically for geriatric patients. Devices designed for older people may incorporate softer and more flexible materials, ergonomic designs, and additional safety features to address the issues associated with aging anatomy. Furthermore, the United Nations' World Population Ageing Report shows that the global population aged 60 and up is expanding faster than all younger age groups. The paper underlines healthcare systems' need to adapt to shifting demographics, such as providing specialized medical devices for senior patients.
Moreover, older adults are more likely to have chronic diseases, such as respiratory problems, which may require airway treatment. This generates an ongoing need for acute care and chronic respiratory management devices. Manufacturers can focus on patient-centered design, considering senior patients' comfort and safety. This includes material advances, convenience of use, and flexibility to anatomical changes that occur with age. In addition, with an older population, there is an opportunity to develop airway management devices suitable for home-based respiratory care. Portable and user-friendly technologies can help the elderly control their respiratory health from the comfort of their own homes.
| Study Period | 2021-2033 | CAGR | 5.2% |
| Historical Period | 2021-2023 | Forecast Period | 2025-2033 |
| Base Year | 2024 | Base Year Market Size | USD 1.79 billion |
| Forecast Year | 2033 | Forecast Year Market Size | USD 2.82 billion |
| Largest Market | North America | Fastest Growing Market | Asia-Pacific |
North America is the most significant global airway management devices market shareholder and is estimated to grow at a CAGR of 5.3% over the forecast period. North America dominates the airway management devices industry due to the high prevalence of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, asthma and the growing elderly population. According to the United States Census Bureau, as of 2017, the total number of people aged 65 and up exceeds 50 million, and they are most vulnerable to chronic conditions that require rapid ventilation. The United States and Canada are two significant regions that have seen widespread use of such gadgets. The increase in pollution rates and the growing number of cases connected to respiratory problems, including neonatal care, are the primary causes of the surge in demand for airway management devices in North America.
Furthermore, the U.S. market will expand significantly during the projected period, owing to favorable reimbursement policies, expanding R&D expenditure in the healthcare industry, and an increasing prevalence of COPD and chronic illnesses. Chronic lower respiratory disease, most notably chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), is the fourth most significant cause of death in the US. Nearly 15.7 million Americans (6.4%) have been diagnosed with COPD. More than half of persons with impaired pulmonary function are undiagnosed and unaware that they have the condition. Previously assumed to be a disease primarily affecting men, more women than men are now living with (and dying from) COPD in the United States.
Asia-Pacific is anticipated to exhibit a CAGR of 5.8% over the forecast period. Asia-Pacific is regarded as the most profitable geographical market for airway management devices, owing to rising cases of chronic respiratory disorders, increasing healthcare expenditure, and tax breaks granted by regional governments. Furthermore, infrastructure development and enhanced healthcare legislation that promote better care provision would propel the regional market forward. According to several economic statistics, in 2022, Asia-Pacific's average health expenditure per capita was USD 1,090, less than the OECD average of USD 4,100, indicating significant growth opportunities for the worldwide airway management devices market.
Additionally, according to the Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP), the senior population in APAC was approximately 697 million in 2023, accounting for more than half of the global geriatric population, and it is expected that by 2050, it will account for nearly two-thirds of the population. Japan is predicted to have the most significant market share due to an increasing geriatric population, increased occurrences of infectious respiratory illnesses caused by environmental pollution, and changing regulatory conditions in the country.
The European market held a considerable share due to increased emergency hospital visits and inpatient hospital admissions due to the population's high prevalence of chronic diseases. Similarly, rising demand for these devices to treat many illnesses will drive European market expansion. In the United Kingdom, respiratory disease, particularly pneumonia, accounts for over 700,000 hospital admissions annually. According to surveys, approximately one in every five adults in the United Kingdom has a history of asthma, COPD, or another chronic respiratory condition.
The Latin American market is expected to expand slowly. Increased anesthetic treatments and a high demand for airway management devices in hospitals and homecare settings drive the region's growth.
The Middle East and Africa region is predicted to develop at a moderate CAGR due to increased hospitals and homecare centers providing treatment, creating demand for airway devices throughout the forecast period.
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The market is further segmented by product into Supraglottic Devices, Infraglottic Devices, Resuscitators, and Laryngoscopes. The infraglottic devices sub-segment dominated the market in 2023 and is predicted to increase during the forecast period. Infraglottic devices use airway control strategies that extend beneath the glottis into the trachea or bronchi. This segment comprises endotracheal tubes (ETTs), tracheostomy tubes, and other devices that enter the lower airway through the mouth or nose. Infraglottic devices are critical for mechanical ventilation, airway protection, and suctioning in patients suffering from respiratory failure, surgery, or trauma. They provide direct access to the lower airway, allowing for proper breathing and secretion regulation.
Supraglottic devices are airway management aids that rest above the glottis, allowing ventilation without tracheal intubation. These devices include laryngeal mask airways (LMAs) and other similar equipment. They provide a seal around the laryngeal intake, allowing positive pressure breathing. Supraglottic devices are widely utilized in anesthesia, emergency medicine, and pre-hospital care settings. They provide benefits such as simplicity of insertion, less risk of airway trauma, and suitability for patients with problematic airways or short-term treatments.
The market can be bifurcated by application into Anesthesia and emergency Medicine. The anesthesia segment led the market due to anaesthesiologists' increasing inclination for and use of these devices during operative surgical operations. Anesthesia is a primary use for airway management devices, which include a variety of operations requiring controlled sedation or general anesthesia. The expanding usage will likely benefit from increased efficiency in airway clearance and proper ventilation management without jeopardizing patient safety during surgical procedures. Furthermore, it is expected that an increasing number of product launches and acquisition tactics implemented by major industry competitors will fuel market expansion.
Emergency medicine is another essential application for airway management devices, as speedy and effective airway interventions are frequently necessary. In emergency cases such as cardiac arrests, trauma, or respiratory distress, healthcare providers employ airway management equipment to secure the patient's airway quickly. This category comprises resuscitators (bag-valve-mask devices), supraglottic airway devices, and laryngoscopes used for emergency intubation. These devices are vital in pre-hospital settings, emergency rooms, and critical care scenarios, providing rapid and effective breathing support to stabilize patients in acute conditions.
The airway management devices market is fragmented into Hospitals and Homecare. Hospitals are the primary and largest end-user group for airway management devices. These healthcare organizations employ various airway management equipment across departments and specializations. In hospitals, airway management devices are used for multiple medical operations such as surgeries, anesthetic administration, and critical care. Endotracheal tubes, supraglottic airway devices, laryngoscopes, and resuscitators are widely used in operating rooms, intensive care units (ICUs), emergency departments, and other hospital clinical settings. The wide range of medical problems and treatments that require airway support drives hospital demand for these devices.
The home care segment is expected to develop at the fastest CAGR during the forecasted period. The homecare section includes using airway control devices in the patient's home. While most airway procedures and care occur in hospitals, certain disorders may require continued breathing support or monitoring at home. Homecare patients benefit from portable, user-friendly technology such as ventilators and continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) machines. Patients with chronic respiratory diseases, sleep apnea, or those recovering from surgery may benefit from airway management devices, allowing them to get critical care from their homes.
