Hybrid operating rooms emerging as a major market segment within OR integration systems

According to Millennium Research Group (MRG), the global authority on medical technology market intelligence, hybrid operating rooms (ORs) are emerging as a major market segment within operating room integration systems. Hybrid ORs enable surgical procedures and intraoperative imaging with advanced imaging equipment to be performed simultaneously, eliminating additional patient transfers to imaging rooms, increasing patient safety and decreasing operation times. This is becoming increasingly important in the fields of neurosurgery, cardiology and orthopedics due to the need to improve cost efficiency and prevent medical errors.

“These hybrid ORs are leading to a lot of interesting strategic alliances between major companies that have never worked closely together before”

Hybrid ORs combine conventional operating room capabilities with state-of-the-art imaging. Such ORs are a significant investment. As they become more popular, hybrid ORs also increase demand for new hybrid-compatible versions of such products as surgical tables and equipment booms, while increasing the complexity and cost of integrating devices. Growing demand for advanced operating room equipment that can promote OR efficiency and patient safety will be a major driver of the $2.4 billion United States video and high-tech hardware device market.

"These hybrid ORs are leading to a lot of interesting strategic alliances between major companies that have never worked closely together before," said MRG Analyst Kai Tuomi. "Operating room integration competitors, such as STERIS, Skytron and Stryker are working closely with companies that produce high-end imaging systems or surgical robotics, such as GE Healthcare, Siemens and Intuitive Surgical. Each alliance provides a unique combination of equipment, but all support advanced surgical techniques for complex cases, while also increasing patient safety."

Three new OR suites are currently on the market:

• GE Healthcare and STERIS combine GE's Innova Imaging System with the STERIS HD 360° Suite to offer customized room setups.
• Stryker and Intuitive Surgical have an agreement that will place the daVinci Si surgical robot into the Stryker iSuite, allowing for combinations of open, endoscopic and robotic surgeries with shared access of video through both the OR displays and the surgical robot console.
• Skytron and Siemens will combine efforts to provide direct competition to the STERIS and GE Healthcare alliance.

Despite strong competition, continued high revenues are expected for all participants in the market. The OR integration market will see an average growth of approximately 15 percent per year through 2015, led by companies such as Stryker, KARL STORZ, STERIS and Skytron.

Millennium Research Group's US Markets for Video and High-Tech Hardware Devices 2011 report includes procedure, average selling price, and revenue information for articulated surgical robotic devices, operating room integration systems, cameras, surgical tables, surgical monitors, surgical lights, video capture and recording devices, light sources, capsule endoscopy devices and printers in the United States.