MOUNTAIN VIEW, CA--(Marketwired - Jun 24, 2014) - The increasing prevalence of cardiac arrhythmias and availability of premium-priced innovative technologies are driving the cardiac ablation market in the U.S. Promising technologies, including balloon-based ablation catheter devices such as cryo-balloon, visually-guided laser, and radiofrequency balloon will push the market forward. Image-guidance and mapping technologies are currently under development, some of which are predicted to usher in a new era of effective and personalized atrial fibrillation (AF) care management.
Recent analysis from Frost & Sullivan's Analysis of the US Cardiac Ablation Market finds the market earned revenue of $2.77 billion in 2013 and estimates this to reach $5.75 billion in 2020. The analysis covers catheter ablation, surgical ablation and cardiac mapping.
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AF affects more than 2.5 to 3.0 million people in the U.S. This number is projected to rise rapidly over the next few years. Consequently, with more than 100,000 surgeries likely to be performed, the use of cardiac ablation devices will escalate.
"Strong demand will remain as high success rates and a growing number of studies showcasing the clinical effectiveness of ablation catheters encourage adoption," said Frost & Sullivan Advanced Medical Technologies Research Analyst Swathi Allada. "Future technologies will shift towards indirect measures, such as real-time contact force ablation lesion and assessment of tissue temperature, opening up niche opportunities in the U.S. market."
Conversely, the increasing number of ablation procedures performed will heighten the need to train electrophysiology specialists and physicians, adding to the already high costs of ablation devices and leading to uncertainties in physician reimbursement. Reimbursement issues will remain a significant factor restricting market growth now and in the future. The lack of differentiation in most vendor offerings will further affect uptake in the U.S.
The development of advanced technologies with superior clinical outcomes will be critical to eliminate pricing issues. Manufacturers need to develop long-term contracts and build good rapport with distributors and physicians in hospitals and clinics to fuel sales. Standardization of procedural times too will be crucial to lower costs and improve staffing and scheduling efficiency, thereby attracting patients to safer procedures with superior outcomes.
"Companies should also bolster their marketing campaigns to boost awareness among practitioners in the U.S.," concluded Allada. "Better awareness will enhance reimbursement approval rates for insurance agencies and prompt more patients to seek treatment for symptoms that often go undiagnosed."