Wednesday, August 12, 2009

The Peoples' Choice Awards

In the spirit of competition, of course this will be interpreted as a preemptive strike, the Spine Blogger is proud to announce "The Peoples' Choice Awards!" These awards will be bestowed upon the spine technologies and companies by the vote of industry professionals that read SpineBlogger via write-in votes. Rather than have a controversial panel that may be potentially biased, the SpineBlogger wants you the people, that work in the trenches, to pick the most innovative products that our industry offers. All we ask is that you cast your vote with a brief commentary as to why this product should be acknowledged. The criteria for the following categories is that these products must be generating revenues, with the exception of some of the artificial discs and dynamic stabilization systems.

Best New Cervical Plate?

Best New Cervical Disc?

Best New Cervical PEEK?

Best New Pedicle Screw (Is there such a thing?):

Best New TLIF Device (And remember XLIF is a procedural approach)?

Best New PLIF Device (Is anyone doing this procedure anymore)?

Best New ALIF Device?

Best New Anterior Lumbar Plating System?

Best New Thoracolumbar Plate?

Best New Lumbar Artificial Disc?

Best New Interspinous Process Device (Fusion)?

Best New Interspinous Process Device (Non-Fusion)?

Best New Dynamic Stabilization System?

Best New Vertebroplasty/Compression Fx System?

Best New Facet Fusion Product?

Early Growth Stage Company Most Likely to Succeed:

Early Growth Stage Company Most Likely to Fail:

Best New Emerging Technology (Why?):

Best CEO (It's like the Leading Man Oscar):

Best New Biologic Product?

Best New Stem Cell Company?

Since the SpineBlogger is a not-for-profit organization, rather than going to the Spine Technology Awards in San Francisco, I would recommend making reservations at either the Zuni Cafe (San Francisco), Chez Panisse (Berkeley) or Tyler Florence's restaurant in the newly renovated Hotel Vertigo (aka the Hotel York, SF). When making your reservation just tell them the SpineBlogger recommended you. In addition the winners will receive the first annual Spineblogger.blogspot.com baseball hat, anonymously, of course.








4 comments:

  1. From what I am seeing in my sales region, I think that facet fusion will be the next emerging technology. I think the most novel product in that category today, that I have seen, is VerteLoc. It appears to have the most science behind it to address the biomechanical forces of the spine to limit motion. However, everytime I turn around, there is yet another company introducing a facet fusion product based off of a round bone dowel, and certainly nothing novel about a round dowel. VerteLoc is the only one that's different, being rectangular. Watch this company, as I think bigger things are coming.

    As for my pick of the 'Early Stage Company Most Likely to Fail', well that would be any new company trying to develop / market 'me too' products, such as Custom Spine, etc.

    ReplyDelete
  2. I agree that the Vertelock has impressed a number of surgeons I deal with. The facet screw market is becoming quite crowded and most are "me-too" lag screw products and the bolt has instrumentation issues from the feedback I have received. The Aspen is another product that I think is great....nice improvement over the X-stop

    ReplyDelete
  3. Best cervical artificial disc on the market - ProDisc-C

    ReplyDelete
  4. M: Why do you consider the ProDisc C "the best?" There has to be a reason. Please elaborate, thanks!

    ReplyDelete