European Markets for Neurosurgical and Neurointerventional Products

This report presents an overview of the European market for neurosurgical and neurointerventional products. The devices analyzed in this report are used to treat a variety of neurologic diseases/disorders including Alzheimer’s disease, cerebral aneurysms, head trauma, hydrocephalus, epilepsy, multiple sclerosis, Parkinson’s disease (PD), treatment-resistant depression (TRD), and tumors of the brain or central nervous system; the analyzed devices also are used for the prevention of stroke.

Devices covered in this report include aneurysm clips, coils, and intracranial stents; hydrocephalus shunts; image-guided and stereotactic surgical navigation systems; neuroendoscopes; neurointerventional devices, and deep brain stimulation (DBS), and vagus nerve stimulation (VNS) products.

During the forecast period covered by this report, many of the European market segments are expected to realize significant growth, partially as a result of the increasing popularity of minimally invasive procedures. Although open surgery has been the mainstay of neurosurgery since its inception, the neurosurgical devices market is in a state of transition as neurosurgeons avoid the performance of open craniotomies whenever possible. Neurointerventional and neuroendoscopic techniques offer key advantages that include unrestricted access to the operative site, the elimination of brain and cranial nerve manipulation, shorter hospital stays, and faster postoperative recovery times. Due to the minimally invasive benefits of neurointerventional procedures, their numbers are on the rise, as are related device sales, with increases related to new developments in technologies. Some treatments (including those for stroke prevention, arteriovenous malformations [AVMs], and cerebral aneurysms, as well as deep brain and vagus nerve stimulation) have proven amenable to minimally invasive interventions.

Aiding in the growth of the European neurointerventional and neurosurgical products markets is the continued technological advances that have occurred in the development of devices such as neuroendoscopes and image-guided surgical navigation systems. Since the late 1980s, there has been renewed interest in neuroendoscopic techniques, which may be attributed to the increasing sophistication of these devices as a result of improvements in optics technology and the miniaturization of video cameras. The European imaged-guided and stereotactic surgical navigation systems markets also are benefiting from technological advancements including the development of miniature transmitters and sensor technologies.

The European neurointerventional and neurosurgical devices markets are expected to see significant growth during the forecast period, not only benefiting from the move toward minimally invasive procedures but also as a result of the growing population of elderly who will require treatment for neurologic disorders such as cerebral aneurysms, PD, and stroke prevention. Between 1996 and 2006, most European countries experienced at least a 10% increase in the demographic group older than age 65, with many seeing significantly higher increases (Germany saw a 25% increase in this age group; Italy, 18%; and Spain, 14%).

At the same time that growth is occurring in the European neurointerventional and neurosurgical devices markets, limitations will occur as a result of several converging factors including cost constraints that have been imposed by national healthcare systems, delay of product launches as a result of government regulations requiring evidence of product efficacy, and lengthy delays in device reimbursements on the part of certain European countries.