Cartilage Degeneration Market Size, Share, and Industry Analysis, By Procedure Type (Microfracture, Osteochondral Allograft Transplantation, Osteochondral Autograft Transplantation, Autologous Chondrocyte Implantation (ACI), and Others), By Application (Knee, Hip, Shoulder, and Others), By End-user (Hospitals, Specialty Clinics, and Others), and Regional Forecast, 2024-2032

Cartilage degeneration is a process in which the cartilage that cushions and protects joints begins to break down and deteriorate. This degeneration can lead to various joint conditions, including osteoarthritis (OA), which is characterized by the gradual loss of cartilage and the resulting friction between bones. The symptoms of this condition include inflammation, pain, stiffness, and a limited range of motion in the joints.

The causes of cartilage degeneration include genetic factors, traumatic injuries, and obesity. The diagnosis of cartilage degeneration includes a physical examination and imaging procedures, such as magnetic resonance imaging (MRI).

The market growth is primarily attributed to the rising prevalence of osteoarthritis globally. Osteoarthritis significantly affects the knees, hips, spine, and small joints in the hands, damaging the articular cartilage in these joints. This disease, which causes complications to patients' daily lifestyles, is increasing the demand for treatment procedures, which is anticipated to boost the market growth.

• For instance, according to data published by the World Health Organization (WHO) in July 2023, the prevalence of osteoarthritis was reported to be 365 million, and the knee joint was the most frequently affected area, followed by the hip and the hand.

Moreover, the high prevalence of osteoarthritis is primarily attributed to the growing geriatric population worldwide. The risk of such conditions is higher among older individuals who need medical intervention. This is expected to boost the market growth during the forecast period.

• For instance, according to data published by the World Health Organization (WHO) in July 2023, osteoarthritis was more prevalent among aged individuals (around 70.0% are older than 55). Furthermore, the WHO states that the global prevalence of osteoarthritis is projected to surge with the growing geriatric population.

The COVID-19 pandemic had a slightly negative impact on the cartilage degeneration market. The market experienced a decrease in demand for treatment procedures such as replacement surgeries for cartilage degeneration in 2020. Furthermore, the decrease in the number of traumatic injuries significantly reduced the demand for such procedures, resulting in a decline in market growth in 2020. Moreover, as the lockdown restrictions were lifted, the postponed elective surgeries were carried out more efficiently. This increased the demand for cartilage degeneration treatment procedures and led the market back to its pre-pandemic level.

Segmentation

Key Insights

The report covers the following key insights:

• Prevalence of Key Diseases, By Key Countries/Region, 2023


• Key Industry Developments (Mergers, Acquisitions, Partnerships)


• Impact of COVID-19 on the Market


• Overview: Advancements in Cartilage Repair

Analysis by Procedure Type

Based on the procedure type, microfracture, osteochondral allograft transplantation, osteochondral autograft transplantation, autologous chondrocyte implantation (ACI), and others. The osteochondral autograft transplantation segment is projected to hold a significant share of the global cartilage degeneration market during the forecast period. The growth is highly attributed to the rising popularity of this procedure among athletes. This procedure, within a minimum 2-year postoperative timeframe, leads to better outcomes and helps athletes return to their previous level of activities. This factor is further anticipated to boost the segment growth in the forthcoming years.

• For instance, as per the article published by the National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI) in November 2021, out of 2549 athletes who underwent cartilage restoration surgery validated that osteochondral autograft transplantation offered the highest return to sport rate followed by osteochondral allograft transplantation at 88.0%, autologous chondrocyte implantation at 82.0%, and microfracture at 58.0%.

On the other hand, the osteochondral allograft transplantation segment is anticipated to grow at a noteworthy CAGR during the forecast period. The growth of this segment is attributed to the high burden of knee articular cartilage injuries across the globe. The osteochondral allograft transplantation procedures help regain the function of the knee joint and improve overall patient outcomes. This is expected to increase the demand for such a procedure in knee articular cartilage repair, thereby driving the segment growth.

• For instance, as per the data published by the National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI), in May 2022, the articular cartilage injuries accounted for 60.0% to 66.0% of the knees undergoing arthroscopy.

Regional Analysis

The global market is geographically segmented into North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, Latin America, and the Middle East & Africa. North America is expected to hold a significant share of the cartilage degeneration market during the forecast period. The market growth is attributed to the high burden of degenerative diseases such as osteoarthritis in the region. Moreover, the well-established healthcare infrastructure in the region significantly boosts the demand for several treatment procedures. In addition, the significant rise in traumatic injuries is driving the need for medical intervention, surging the demand for treatment procedures in the region. This is expected to surge the market growth in the forthcoming years.

• For instance, as per the article published by the National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI) in March 2023, global and U.S. national traumatic injury rates have been rising significantly over the last four decades.

Asia Pacific is projected to grow at a significant CAGR during the forecast timeframe. The growth of the region is mainly attributed to the high incidence of risk factors such as obesity and trauma associated with cartilage degenerative diseases. These factors are significantly increasing the burden of osteoarthritis in the region, thereby increasing the demand for its treatment procedures. This is expected to propel regional market growth in the coming years.

Key Players Covered

The market consists of significant players, such as Johnson & Johnson Services, Inc., Zimmer Biomet, Stryker, Smith+Nephew, B. Braun SE, Vericel Corporation, Anika Therapeutics, Inc., CONMED Corporation, and Arthrex, Inc.

Key Industry Developments

• In November 2023, Smith+Nephew acquired CartiHeal, a manufacturer of implants for the treatment of cartilage and osteochondral defects in knee joints.


• In May 2022, OCUGEN, INC introduced phase 3 for NeoCart, an autologous chondrocyte-derived neocartilage following the Regenerative Medicine Advanced Therapy (RMAT) designation by the FDA for repair of full-thickness lesions of the knee cartilage in adults.


• In March 2022, Smith+Nephew’s subsidiary CartiHeal Ltd received premarket approval (PMA) for its Agili-C implant for the treatment of cartilage and osteochondral defects.