US aspiration thrombectomy market views rapid growth

Acute ischemic strokes afflict millions of people across the world every year, and the incidence of this life-threatening medical event continues to rise, driven by higher rates of hypertension and other comorbidities. The clots and debris that choke off the blood supply within the brain during these strokes can be removed in different ways, which are often used in combination with each other to maximise the benefit to patients. Yet, sales of aspiration thrombectomy catheters and associated guide catheters have surpassed the size of the stent retriever market in the US in recent years, says GlobalData, a leading data and analytics company.

According to GlobalData estimates, the US sales for super bore size catheters grew by 171 per cent and small bore size catheter sales grew by 55 per cent from 2023 to 2024, while sales of large bore size catheters grew by only 16 per cent.

Aspiration thrombectomy catheters come in small (0.0-0.54”), large (0.06-0.08”), and super (>0.08”) bore sizes. Originally, only large-size catheters were available, limiting the number of stroke procedures that could use aspiration thrombectomy. However, new clinical evidence and advances in technology have allowed for the use of small aspiration catheters in much smaller blood vessels than in the past. In contrast, for larger vessels, there has been a shift toward using super-sized catheters instead of large ones to benefit from their increased suction power and the ability to more quickly capture bigger thrombi and emboli.

Amy Paterson, Medical Analyst at GlobalData, comments, “The small and super bore size neurovascular aspiration thrombectomy catheters are the fastest growing segments in the US, suggesting that physicians are ready and willing to adopt these devices for a wider range of blood clot sizes.”

In addition to the increased adoption of newer catheter sizes, there has also been a move by manufacturers away from selling aspiration catheters alone to selling kits with both aspiration and delivery catheters packaged together. Companies such as Penumbra and Route 92 Medical are leading the way with this commercial strategy, but others are expected to follow. In 2024, the proportion of kitted units sold increased to 8 per cent compared to 4 per cent in the previous year.

Paterson continues, “Aspiration catheters sold in kits have an average selling price almost double that of standalone aspiration catheters of the same size. Despite the price difference, kitted catheters are expected to continue taking over market share, suggesting that physicians are willing to pay more for the convenience of the kit.”

The average selling price per procedure for these products used during acute ischemic stroke intervention is expected to continue growing with increased use of kitted catheters and new technological advancements. For example, in the coming years, GlobalData anticipates that Penumbra will be approved to commercialise the use of its Thunderbolt Aspiration Tubing and computer-assisted vacuum thrombectomy (CAVT) technology for use with its Penumbra ENGINE and RED reperfusion catheters.

Paterson concludes, “These technologies are designed to more rapidly and thoroughly remove ischemic blood clots, but they are expected to carry with them a hefty price tag. If these technologies become the gold standard, competitors are likely to enter the space with other types of cyclic technologies that will further grow the size of this dynamic market.”