Interventional Cardiology Devices Market

Interventional cardiology refers to a division of cardiology that deals with using a catheter to treat structural heart diseases such as valvuloplasty, angioplasty, congenital heart defect correction and coronary thrombectomy. Numerous surgical procedures can be carried out on the heart via catheterization and the femoral or radial artery is most commonly used for cannulation of the heart. The main advantages of interventional cardiology approach are reduced pain, avoidance of scars and shorter post-surgery recovery time.

The interventional cardiology devices market is an extensive and evolving one and there are a large number of factors that have led to its growth. The increasing prevalence of cardiovascular diseases is the biggest factor driving the market. This, accompanied by soaring global aging population, sedentary lifestyle and changing dietary habits, innovations in the field cardiology as well as the rise of interventional cardiologists, and greater awareness of and demand for minimally invasive surgical techniques, have fueled the growth of the industry.

The interventional cardiology devices market is segmented, based on types, into stents and their variations, percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty (PTCA) balloons and their different types, PTCA guidewires, PTCA guiding catheters, angioplasty catheters, balloon inflation catheters and intravascular ultrasound (Ivus).

Segmentation of interventional cardiology devices market

The interventional cardiology devices market can be broadly segmented on the basis of product type. 

Stents: A stent, in medical terms, is a mesh tube that is inserted into an artery to support a tissue. The tube expands the desired location in the artery and acts as scaffolding for the artery, allowing blood to flow freely during surgical procedures. The most commonly used stents are bare metal, drug eluting, and bio-absorbable stents.

Percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty (PTCA) balloons, guidewires and guiding catheters: During an angioplasty procedure, an empty and deflated balloon is inserted into the artery using a PTCA guidewire, allowing it to pass through narrow openings. This balloon later inflates to the fixed size using water pressure. The main types of PTCA balloons are normal, cutting, scoring, and drug eluting ones. 

Angiography catheters: An angiogram is an X-ray image of blood vessels in the body and the procedure involves inserting a catheter into the vessel and allowing a water-soluble dye to flow through the catheter. 

Balloon inflation catheters: A balloon catheter is a deflated flexible rubber tube inserted into a blocked artery. When inflated, the expanded balloon pushes the plaque out allowing blood to flow through the heart.

Intravascular ultrasound (Ivus): An intravascular ultrasound is an imaging test done to examine coronary arteries and detect any heart ailments or irregularities. 

Driving forces in the market

The interventional cardiology devices market is still relatively new and untapped. There are various opportunities for further growth owing to a myriad of factors. With the advance in medicine, eradication of surgical complications such as stent thrombosis and restonsis, and introduction of minimally invasive procedures and products such as drug eluting and bio-absorbable stents, the market for interventional cardiology has become popular and demand for such procedures has grown by leaps and bounds. Easy-to-use and complication-free interventional devices are being used by more and more surgeons. Moreover, the rising number of interventional cardiologists in the industry has been a driving force for the sector.

A significant factor that has affected interventional cardiology devices market is the rise in global aging population and most importantly, the change in lifestyle and diet. With growing addiction towards sugar and high-cholesterol food, the occurrences of cardiovascular diseases has gone up and continually increasing.

The market for interventional cardiology devices is oligopolistic and market estimates show a noteworthy scope for further development in the coming years.