Surgery

Plastic surgery

Main article: Plastic surgery

Endovascular surgery

Main article: Endovascular surgery

Surgical sutures

2024: Sales of absorbable medical sutures worldwide reached $3.04 billion in a year

At the end of 2024, the global market for absorbable sutures for medicine reached $3.04 billion. More than 40% of global costs came from the North American region. Such data are provided in a study by Fortune Business Insights, the results of which were released on September 22, 2025.

Analysts consider natural (ketgut) and synthetic threads, which are gradually absorbed into the body as a result of hydrolysis or enzymatic reactions. In this case, there is no need to remove the sutures, which increases comfort for patients.

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Фото: Freepik

Among the key drivers of the industry are the increase in the prevalence of chronic diseases and an increase in the number of surgical operations. In addition, the aging of the population contributes to the expansion of the market. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), in 2024, the global average life expectancy reached 73.3 years, which is 8.4 years more than in 1995. According to forecasts, the global number of people aged 60 and over will increase from 1.1 billion in 2023 to 1.4 billion in 2030. Elderly people are more susceptible to chronic diseases, which leads to an increase in the number of operations, and therefore to an increase in the demand for absorbable sutures.

Another stimulating factor is the achievements in the medical field, including the development of synthetic absorbable sutures of a new generation. One of the main advantages of such products is their high biological inertia, due to which they practically do not cause a response in tissues. In addition, when using synthetic threads, it is possible to predict the result and resorption time: the rate of decomposition does not depend on the patient's immunity and enzymatic activity. Such a material has no carcinogenic effect. Moreover, synthetic threads are seven times superior in strength to ketgut. Innovative sutures with notches for nodeless tissue fixation are increasingly being used.

The expansion of healthcare infrastructure in developing countries is also having a positive impact on the industry. This leads to an increase in the number of surgical procedures, and therefore to an increase in sales of the corresponding products.

By application of absorbable sutures, the market is segmented into gynecology, orthopedics, cardiology, general surgery, etc. In 2024, the largest share of revenue came from orthopedics, which was primarily due to the increase in the prevalence of such diseases and an increase in the number of hip and knee replacement operations. Synthetic threads dominate the type of products, but positive dynamics are also observed in the field of natural materials. From a geographical point of view, North America leads, which accounted for 42.8% of expenses, or about $1.3 billion. Globally, significant industry players are named:

• Johnson & Johnson Services;
• Medtronic;
• Braun SE;
• Healthium Medtech;
• DemeTECH;
• Genesis Medtech;
• Dolphin Sutures;
• Lotus Surgicals;
• Suture Planet;
• Medico;
• Dynek;
• Orion Sutures India;
• Unisur Lifecare.

In 2025, the global market for absorbable sutures for medicine is expected to reach $3.2 billion. Fortune Business Insights experts predict that in the future, the CAGR will be 8%. Thus, by 2032, costs may increase to $5.51 billion.^[1]

2023

A surgical suture has been created in Russia that reduces the risks of complications by 2.4 times

The Belgorod State National Research University (NIA BelSU) has developed a new method of applying surgical sutures, which, as stated in the university in early July 2023, reduces the risks of postoperative complications by 2.4 times.

Prior to the development of this method in surgery, a mainly horizontal U-shaped single-row Kuznetsova-Pensky suture was used. However, it has a number of drawbacks: the seam material accumulates in the wound, the threads twist between themselves, knots must be tied from different edges of the wound. All this increases the time of the operation, which is fraught with an increase in blood loss.

A surgical suture has been created in Russia that reduces the risks of complications by 2.4 times

When using the method developed by Belgorod scientists, one thread is used for the seam, and as a result, there is no border between sewing and tying surgical knots. They are located on one side of the organ, which also allows you to reduce blood loss, avoid the damage caused by it and speed up the healing of the suture, emphasizes one of the developers of the new method, professor of the Department of Hospital Surgery at the National Research University of BelSU, board member of the Russian Society of Urologists Sergei Shkodkin.

The new suture can be used for damage to the kidneys, liver, pancreas and thyroid glands. The effectiveness of the method was confirmed by the results of the performed operations in patients with kidney tumors. A week after the operation, the researchers note, in the tissues adjacent to the suture line, there was no swelling and signs of necrosis - tissue death.

Experimental assessment of the effectiveness of the seam was carried out on the basis of the Research Institute "Pharmacology of Living Systems of the National Research University" BelSU "and the Center for Collective Use" Technologies and Materials of the National Research University "BelSU," clinical - on the basis of the Belgorod Regional Clinical Hospital of St. Joasaph.^[2]

The thinnest surgical threads in Russia begin to be produced in Kaliningrad

In June 2023, on the basis of the scientific and technological park "Factory" BFU named after I. Kant, a laboratory of polymer and composite materials SmartTextiles was opened. One of her projects is the production of the thinnest synthetic surgical suture threads based on polyamide in Russia. Read more here.

Bone implantation

Main article: Bone implantation

Bariatric surgery

Main article: Obesity

Bariatric surgery, bariatry is a branch of surgery that treats obesity. The term "bariatrics" in general can be used in relation to any method of reducing excess weight (for example, by following a diet or drug treatment), however, historically, when talking about bariatric methods, they primarily mean overweight surgery.

In 2021, more than six thousand bariatric operations were performed in Russia.

Abdominoplasty

Main article: Abdominoplasty

Amputation

Main article: Amputation

Cryosurgery

Main article: Cryosurgery

Surgical instruments

Main article: Surgical instruments

Technology in surgery

2025: The first Russian optical navigation system for spinal operations is presented

In mid-April 2025, Sechenov University introduced the first Russian optical navigation system Multitrek. It is designed to perform high-precision operations on the spine. On the basis of the Department of Topographic Anatomy and Operative Surgery of the University, a study of the accuracy of this navigation system during surgical interventions is being carried out. Read more here.

2024

Living Tissue Project Will Help Training Surgeons

A group of employees of the National Research Nuclear University "MEPhI" under the guidance of Denis Shimanovsky, a teacher of the Engineering and Physical Institute of Biomedicine, MEPhI, has developed a training simulator "Living Tissue" to train future surgeons. The university announced this on December 25, 2024. Read more here.

In Russia, they developed and began to use the country's first laser to assess blood supply during operations

In October 2024, it became known that the specialists of the Faculty Surgery Clinic named after N.N. Burdenko began clinical testing of the first domestic laser device for assessing blood supply and diffuse tissue spectroscopy during operations. The development, created at the Prokhorov Institute of General Physics of the Russian Academy of Sciences, allows you to measure the degree of saturation of tissues with oxygen. Read more here.

2023

The world's first animal organ simulator for training surgeons has been created in Russia

In Russia, the world's first animal organ simulator has been created to train surgeons. This is the development of scientists of the Sechenov University. The university told about her at the end of September 2023. Read more here.

Russia developed and began to use a new universal surgical table, consisting of almost 100% of domestic components

A universal operating table has been developed in Novosibirsk, which has successfully passed preclinical tests on real patients. This table can adapt to different types of operations, making it a unique and useful tool in medicine. Read more here.

Russian company released a laser device for open and endoscopic surgery

On August 16, 2023, the First Moscow State Medical University named after I. M. Sechenov (Sechenov University) announced the development of the Russian LaserTul apparatus, designed to perform operations in open and endoscopic surgery. Read more here.

An ultrasonic apparatus was presented in Russia, which will replace a saw and a drill in surgical operations

In early July 2023, Togliatti State University (TSU) announced the development of a specialized ultrasound instrument that can replace a surgical saw and drill during joint prosthetics operations. The developers believe that the novelty will help reduce the rehabilitation time of patients. Read more here.

Moscow company released a titanium mesh for surgical soft tissue surgery

The Moscow company "ElTi" received a registration certificate for a medical product of its own design - a titanium mesh for surgical soft tissue repair. Vladislav Ovchinsky, head of the Moscow Department of Investment and Industrial Policy, spoke about this in early March 2023. Read more here.

Smart surgical threads developed that are displayed on CT scans

In mid-February 2023, a team of specialists from the Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology presented a smart antimicrobial 40I-PCL seam that will monitor the condition of the patient's wound after surgery and speed up the patient's recovery. This may be particularly useful for locating internal sutures and for detecting infected wounds within the body without the need for surgery. Read more here.

2022

Rostec has created a technology for conducting operations by laser surgery

Holding Schwabe"" State Corporation Rostec has developed a special one. procedure for dissection of biological tissue by laser radiation The technology improves the quality of surgical operations and promotes faster patient recovery. The experimental approach has already been successfully tested in clinical practice. This was announced on December 1, 2022 by Rostec. More. here

Hologram surgical planning system released

On December 5, 2022, the company apoQlar announced the release of an assisted surgery planning system ON mixed reality called. VSI HoloMedicine More. here

Chronicle

2024: The number of operations in round-the-clock hospitals in Russia for the year increased by 2% and reached 12 million

The number of surgical operations in round-the-clock hospitals in Russia in 2024 amounted to 12 million units, an increase of 1.8% compared to 2023. This is evidenced by the data of the analytical company SYNOPSIS consulting & research, published in October 2025 based on FSGS statistics.

According to RBC, the increase in the number of operations reflects the restoration of the health care system after the pandemic period and the expansion of the availability of surgical care. The statistics cover medical organizations of all forms of ownership operating in a 24-hour hospital.

In 2020, the number of operations decreased significantly due to the large number of non-working days due to the spread of coronavirus infection. Medical institutions have been redesigned for the treatment of patients with COVID-19, which has reduced the volume of planned surgical interventions.

In the next three years, the number of operations in round-the-clock hospitals recovered to the previous values. The average annual growth rate was 7.5%. For the period from 2020 to 2024, the number of operations increased by 2.98 million units, which corresponds to an increase of 33%.

The Institute for Statistical Research and Knowledge Economics of the Higher School of Economics conducted a study of promising areas in medical robotics. The number of surgeries using robotic surgeons from Intuitive Surgical - the Da Vinci system - is showing significant growth.

In 2007, 11 procedures were performed in Russia with the participation of a robotic system. By 2024, this figure has grown to 5.7 thousand operations. The increase of more than 500 times reflects the active introduction of robotic solutions into surgical practice.

As of 2023, about 50 companies with projects and developments in the field of specialized robotics functioned in the country. The development of this area increases the accuracy of surgical interventions, reduces the recovery time for patients and expands the possibilities for complex operations.^[3]

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