ENT Devices: Large Markets, Minimally Invasive Procedures Fuel Innovation

For innovators in the medical device industry, the otolaryngology or ENT (ear, nose, and throat) specialty offers just about everything that investors look for these days. Large patient populations underserved by current treatments – check. Large, acquisitive strategic players and a history of successful exits for start-ups – check. Existing frameworks for reimbursement – check. Best of all, medical device innovators targeting the ENT sector have the opportunity to improve the care of patients while delivering the kinds of economic advantages that interventional technologies offer over open surgeries.

The move from open surgeries to less invasive procedures and even office-based procedures began with chronic sinusitis, a condition that affects 12% of the US population or 29 million people, according to the Centers for Disease Control & Prevention. Chronic sinusitis is an inflammatory condition that causes the sinus lining to become swollen and inflamed. Sinusitis patients suffer from headaches, have difficulty breathing, and are prone to chronic fatigue and depression. Medical management is the front-line therapy for sinusitis sufferers, but 20% of patients don’t respond well to pharmacological treatments