Stryker's Answer To The Health Care Dilemma: Innovation

“For us it’s always about innovation,” says Stryker CEO Kevin Lobo. In a recent CNBC interview, Mr. Lobo begins by revealing Stryker’s growth in the market against their competitors, growing north of five percent for the last seventeen quarters. This is especially the case for their knee replacement technology, in which Stryker is using robotic assistance in their operating rooms in order to obtain a more precise placement of the implant. As a result, the patient will come out of a surgery with less soft tissue damage, giving them a faster and less painful recovery process. This major breakthrough in the Medtech industry reveals a promising future for society, as companies such as Stryker are raising the standard for surgical procedures and equipment.

Stryker's Mako Robot

However, Mr. Lobo explained that training is a significant challenge while introducing robotic assistance, as it requires a complete change in behavior among surgeons. The modified procedures entail a new stance in the operating room, along with changing the implant itself. Instead of traditional knee replacements that follow an oval motion, Stryker’s implants are designed to have a natural circular motion. For example, a significant feature of Stryker’s Triathlon Total Knee is their patent pending anatomic radius, which improves the motion of the knee.

Stryker sponsor, Fred Funk, is a prime example of a knee replacement success story. At fifty-four years of age, the professional golfer desperately needed a knee replacement. After his surgical procedure in 2009, he not only returned to golf, but won in the PGA Tour Champions league. Fred Funk’s success stems from both his dedication to return to the game, but most importantly a less invasive surgery, which allowed him to recover quickly enough to return to his normal life.

Fred Funk, Professional Golfer

Meanwhile, about fifteen years ago Gloria Slass, the wife of the late Founder of Rotor Clip Company Robert Slass, was in dire need of a knee replacement . Due to many tennis injuries accumulated over the years, Ms. Slass underwent an excruciating knee replacement surgery in the early 2000s. During her recovery process, she developed arthritis in the knee due to soft tissue damage. Unfortunately, after recovering Ms. Slass had to give up her lifelong passion for tennis due to the severe pain. The lack in medical robotic assistance at this time was the result of a more invasive surgery. Based on the two anecdotes, the evolution in the medtech industry represents a bright future ahead for healthcare, as it is ensures a better tomorrow for patients.

Beyond orthopaedics, another innovative field that Stryker is taking by storm is neurotechnologies. Mr. Lobo explains how their technology can treat two types of strokes that can occur. For instance, in the result of a Hemorrhagic stroke, titanium coils are packed in the aneurism in order to allow blood flow. As for an Ischemic stroke, the procedure would entail the removal of clots from the brain using a stent. Therefore, with the ability to treat an often debilitating condition that results from a stroke, Stryker takes great pride in their advancement in neurotechnologies. Generally, the victim of a stroke is left impaired, which costs the healthcare system a significant amount of money.

That said, although Stryker is not necessarily concerned with how the healthcare system evolves, they are still working to reform it through innovation, as a means of cutting costs for it. Towards the end of the interview, Mr. Lobo stresses the importance of permanently repealing the medical device tax, which has previously been suspended in the past. In conclusion, as an OEM supplier, we here at Rotor Clip fully support and are proud of our fellow American manufacturers for making the world a better place through innovation.

Evan Slass is a Digital Marketing Communications Specialist for Rotor Clip Company.