Vancouver, BC -- (ReleaseWire) -- 03/30/2016 --According to a new series of reports on the Japanese market for orthopedic large joint replacement devices by iData Research (http://www.idataresearch.com), in 2015, the number of knee replacement procedures grew roughly 7% from last year. Over the forecast period, more than 100,000 knee replacement procedures are expected to be performed in Japan annually. Japanese knee procedures are performed using a variety of devices and techniques. Procedure types for knees include total, partial and revision.

The total knee replacement devices that allow the cruciate ligament to be sacrificed are more common. The Japanese surgical community believes in the greater posterior stability of the knee, which is offered when using a device that requires the cruciate ligament to be sacrificed. Since more young patients are receiving knee replacements and these replacements do not last their whole lives, the need for revisions is increasing. Thus, the revision knee market will continue to grow over the forecast period.

As the age of knee replacement patients gets younger, there is more interest in using higher-performance, premium-priced mobile bearing knees. Mobile bearing implants are more likely to be used in younger patients, where the longevity and performance of the implant is a greater concern because of the longer life expectancy of the patient group. Since the demographics of total knee replacement patients is shifting slightly towards younger individuals, mobile bearing implant unit sales are expected to grow.

However, fixed bearing devices are the gold standard for total knee arthroplasty. Although there are biomechanical benefits for using mobile bearings, fixed bearing prostheses tend to require lower rates of revision, which is a main reason why fixed bearing prostheses are more popular. Fixed devices are also better suited to elderly patients where the surrounding ligaments and muscles may be insufficient to support a mobile bearing device.

Total knee procedures utilize cemented devices. Cemented is preferred for more severe cases, typically involving older patients. Most patients requiring surgery are older, which accounts for the large portions of cemented devices in the total knee replacement markets. For the knee replacement market, cementless and hybrid total device markets are growing fast. This is due to more patients receiving surgery at a younger age and with more people having active lifestyles.

"Though cemented implants are more affordable than cementless, due to the absence of advanced surface coatings, cementless implants are still much more functional," explains Dr. Kamran Zamanian, CEO of iData. "With the average lifetime of a knee implant being around 15 years, most patients need a revision surgery at least once in their lives."

With a cemented implant, the removal of the old implant becomes very difficult: bone cement is very hard and an extremely strong adhesive. With a cementless implant, surgeons can repair and replace old, outdated parts with greater ease. Surgeons prefer to perform cemented implantation on the elderly since they need immediate fixation of the knee and recovery time becomes much slower with age. Most patients that are treated in Japan are elderly, which is why the majority of the market uses cemented devices. In addition, the odds of an elderly patient living long enough to need a revision surgery are much lower.

Zimmer Biomet is leading the Japanese knee reconstruction market. Their knee reconstruction products include the Persona® and NexGen® PLS Flex and Mobile total knees, Unicompartmental High-Flex Partial Knee System as well as various components and a NexGen® revision system. Stryker is second in the knee reconstruction market in Japan. Stryker's knee replacement market revenue comes largely from their Triathlon® and Scorpio® lines. The company also offers Scorpio® TS, Duracon® TS and the GMRS® (Global Modular Replacement System) revision options. Other competitors in the Japanese knee replacement device market includes DePuy Synthes, Smith & Nephew, Kyocera Medical, Nakashima, MicroPort, B. Braun, Exactech, JMDM, Waldemar LINK, and others.

For Further Information
More on the knee replacement device market in Japan can be found in a report suite published by iData Research entitled Japan Market for Orthopedic Large Joint Replacement Devices. The suite covers reports on the following markets: Knee Replacement Device Market, Hip Replacement Device Market, and Bone Cement Market.

The iData report series on large joint replacement devices covers the United States, China, India, Japan, Australia, South Korea, Brazil, and 15 countries in Europe. Reports provide a comprehensive analysis including units sold, procedure numbers, market value, forecasts, as well as detailed competitive market shares and analysis of major players' success strategies in each market and segment. To find out more about knee replacement market data or procedure data, register online or email us at info@idataresearch.com for a Japan Market for Orthopedic Large Joint Replacement Devices brochure and synopsis.

About iData Research
iData Research (http://www.idataresearch.com) is an international market research and consulting group focused on providing market intelligence for medical device and pharmaceutical companies. iData covers research in: Operating Room Equipment, Surgical Microscopes, Robotics and Surgical Navigation, Laparoscopy, Urology, Gynecology, Vascular Access, Endoscopy, Interventional Cardiology, Cardiac Surgery, Cardiac Rhythm Management, Electrophysiology, Ultrasound, X-Ray Imaging, Diagnostic Imaging, Oncology, Spinal Implants and VCF, Spinal MIS, Orthopedic Soft Tissue Repair and Regeneration, Orthopedic Trauma, Large & Small Joints, Anesthesiology, Wound Management, Orthopedics, Ophthalmics, Dental Operatory Equipment and more.