Spinal implant market growing by billions despite questionable effectiveness in outcomes

March 5 th, 2024

Spine surgery expert warns against money-motivated surgeries, as spinal implant market projected to grow by $6.7 billion

A Florida-based spine surgeon is warning potential patients about the dangers of spine surgeries, which include the use of hardware as the multi-billion-dollar market for spinal implants is projected to grow exponentially. Meanwhile, medical studies suggest that only half of spinal implant procedures are successful while failed surgeries are on the rise.

HUDSON, Fla. – While the success rate of spinal implant procedures remains questionable, the healthcare industry is expecting the market for spinal implant devices to boom over the next several years, largely fueled by Medicare and insurance reimbursement rates.

According to recent reports, the already multi-billion-dollar industry is expected to grow from $10.6 billion in 2022 to $16.7 billion in 2031.

However, one Tampa Bay area doctor is warning potential patients to think twice before undergoing a procedure involving hardware or implants.

Spinal implants are surgical devices like screws and rods that, when implanted, are marketed as being meant to support and strengthen the spine while relieving pain. However, recent studies like the one published by the National Institute of Health about “Post Surgical Spinal Syndrome” (failed spinal surgeries) note that failed surgeries are on the rise, and that they are “becoming an increasingly common challenge for clinicians who deal with spinal disorders.”

That particular study says that roughly 50 percent of primary spinal surgeries are successful, an already low figure. Worse, it notes that the success rates of second, third and fourth spinal surgeries are only 30 percent, 15 percent and five percent, respectively.

Alfred O. Bonati, M.D. of The Bonati Spine Institute, who has performed nearly 80,000 minimally invasive spine procedures and does not utilize spinal implants, says spinal implant procedures are costly and largely ineffective. These procedures are pushed on patients because of the power that medical device sales companies exert on the federal government through lobbying efforts, which have resulted in larger payouts by Medicare and insurance providers, according to Dr. Bonati.

“While there is certainly a need for some procedures requiring hardware, particularly extreme cases of scoliosis and kyphosis, many, if not most, spinal fusion cases are a result of money-driven-medicine resulting in manufactured demand for lousy spinal implants and spinal implant procedures. What you’re seeing is the business taking priority over the medicine, and that’s just wrong,” Dr. Bonati said.

According to Dr. Bonati, large healthcare companies make billions of dollars from selling hardware and surgical devices. In turn, they grease the wheels of the federal government to tell the public that spinal implant surgeries are safe and effective, while convincing Medicare and insurance companies to fork over far more money for procedures that require their hardware.

“Unfortunately, this makes procedures utilizing spinal implants far more lucrative for surgery centers, than historically proven techniques without the use of hardware,” said Dr. Bonati. “In reality, surgeries that utilize hardware carry a great deal of risk and their outcomes are not only questionable, studies have actually indicated an uptick in failed procedures.”

Dr. Bonati, doesn’t just see first-time patients with chronic back pain, but often removes hardware from patients who underwent failed spinal fusion procedures at other surgery centers and repairs the damage caused. With his minimally invasive and patented surgical procedures, Dr. Bonati maintains a greater than 98 percent patient-reported satisfaction rate. In 45 minutes to an hour, Dr. Bonati’s procedure alleviates chronic back pain. Patients remain awake throughout the procedure and walk out of Dr. Bonati’s surgical center on their own the very same day their procedures are completed.

“Patients come to my practice from all over the world with chronic back pain and debilitating conditions, often caused by failed spinal fusions and procedures that have used screws and hardware, which have made matters worse,” said Dr. Bonati. “On the contrary, here at the Bonati Spine Institute, we don’t make large incisions, we certainly don’t do spinal implants, and we eliminate the need for long recovery times and extensive physical therapy. Most importantly, if you’re a person considering a spinal fusion, I would encourage you to get a second opinion from a doctor who does not utilize hardware or implants before deciding to move forward one way or another.”

About The Bonati Spine Institute:

For almost 40 years, The Bonati Spine Institute, led by Dr. Alfred O. Bonati, has provided world-class surgical treatment to patients suffering from spine pain. Dr. Bonati and his team of highly trained specialists have successfully performed nearly 80,000 patented procedures, helping patients who suffer from a range of spine pathologies. While the Bonati Spine Institute is located in the Tampa Bay area, patients from all over the world have sought Dr. Bonati’s care, often after other doctors tried and failed to relieve their pain. Of those patients seen, 65 percent have had a history of failed back surgery prior to coming to the Bonati Spine Institute. The Bonati Spine Institute has received a patient-reported satisfaction rate of higher than 98 percent.