Embolization Particle Market

The embolization particle market is expecting a healthy growth during the forecast period. With the growing use of embolization technique as a treatment for conditions other than cancer such as vascular malformations and fibrosis is fueling the demand for embolization particles globally. Continuous introduction of technically advanced products with enhanced efficiency is also boosting the growth of the market in the forecast period.

Embolization particles are used in interventional radiology for the treatment of uterine fibroids. These embolization particles block the arteries which provide blood to the fibroids and cause them to shrink. The demand for interventional radiology is growing as it is cheaper as compared to surgeries. In 2017, According to the Society of Interventional Radiology, the cost of uterine fibroids embolization was about USD 21,583 whereas hysterectomy costs about USD 33,104. Also, in the same year according to the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, in the US it was estimated that about 26 million women aging between 15 years to 50 years are suffering from uterine fibroids. Embolization particles used in minimally invasive procedures are great alternatives for surgeries, as this procedure requires minimum or no hospital stay and also a short recovery period. The risk compared to surgeries are less in embolization procedures and it has about 85% of success rate. Moreover, the technological advancement through years and increasing awareness of embolization in rural areas are increasing the demand. These factors are expected to drive the growth of the global embolization particle market during the review period.

The companies in the market are coming up with various technological advancements in embolization. For instance, in 2018, Guerbet LLC USA announced the launch of SeQure and DraKon, novel microcatheters for tumor and vascular aneurysm embolization procedures. These devices will aid in cases of difficult-to-navigate vascular networks and lesions. Furthermore, companies like Medtronic have embolization device in their product pipeline for the endovascular treatment of patients of 22 years of age or older. These products also have a safe and highly effective procedure in treating small and medium, unruptured aneurysms of the intracranial carotid and proximal vertebral arteries.

Embolization particle is also being used in geniculate artery embolization for the treatment of knee pain due to osteoarthritis. As this novel, minimally invasive procedure is image-guided and aids in decreasing the inflammation and pain by blocking abnormal blood vessels in the knee. In 2019, according to Clinical Trails, there are about four clinical studies conducted to test the geniculate artery embolization method, to reduce the severity of pain and disability caused by knee osteoarthritis. Also, the other area where the demand for embolization is expected to grow in the future is gastric artery embolization to treat obesity. There are a few pilot studies ongoing to evaluate the feasibility, safety, and efficacy of the procedure. There are several other clinical trials ongoing on embolization interventional procedures for the treatment of benign prostatic hyperplasia, and others. So, there is a rising demand in the forecast period of embolization particles in the treatment of knee pain and obesity.

In addition, embolization particles offer an impressive array of options in particle size, composition, and drug delivery, however, no two patients are the same. Consequently, the major characteristics of an ideal embolization particle includes a monodisperse size distribution, specific activation within the target cut to reduce the risk of non-target embolization, and a customizable design that can be tailored to patients on an individual basis. These factors will boost the market growth of the embolization particle during the reviewing period.

There is a high preference for surgeries in the market over embolization procedures. As the embolization procedure can only be performed by specialized interventional radiologists or neuro-radiologists, wherein other surgeries can be performed by any skilled surgeon. Therefore, the surgeries are available at every hospital, but embolization procedures may not be. Though in some cases embolization procedure is more effective than surgeries but due lack of skilled professional embolization procedure is not performed. There are very few women who undergo uterine fibroid embolization in the rural area and small hospital setting, due to lack of healthcare access and education disparity. In 2017, according to the Society of Interventional Radiology, about 167,650 hysterectomies surgeries and about 2,470 uterine fibroid embolization procedures were performed in the US. Also, the rural hospitals performed about 0.4% of uterine fibroid embolization procedures and about 9.4% of hysterectomies surgeries, and small hospitals & large hospital systems performed uterine fibroid embolization procedures were about 7.9% and 67.4%, respectively. Therefore, the demand for surgeries is high compared to embolization procedures, is due to the high availability of general surgeon and low availability neuro-radiologists and interventional radiologist and is hampering the growth of the embolization particle market in the forecast period.