China’s surgical advanced energy devices market outlook: wider VBP rollout and intensifying competition

China’s surgical advanced energy devices market outlook: wider VBP rollout and intensifying competition


China’s advanced energy device market—covering generators, handles and blades—grew by more than 30% in 2021 compared to the previous year. This is due to the recovery of surgery procedures, organic growth in surgery volume and increased uptake of single-use blades.

“In the next three to five years, the overall energy market in China is expected to grow at an annual average rate of around 10%. The increase in procedure volume and a stricter enforcement of the single-use policy are the main forces driving growth.

As the affordability of energy devices improves with the implementation of volume-based procurement (VBP), there is significant market potential expected in the lower-tier market. Companies should focus on providing surgical devices and services to this market to improve accessibility of related procedures” said Andy Hua, product specialist, Clearstate.

What are energy devices?

Energy-based surgical devices are used in surgery to seal or cut blood vessels along with associated soft tissue. Energy devices use electric current or ultrasonic waves produced by a generator to have the required effect on body tissue (called electrosurgery). Monopolar devices, bipolar devices and ultrasonic devices are frequently used. 

Surgical Gateway provides medtech companies with data, analysis and forecasts for key market segments. This includes energy devices at city-tier and hospital-class levels to enable companies to operate successfully in an increasingly complex market environment. 

Essential 2021-2022 insights into China’s advanced energy device market:

  • The energy blades segment grew the fastest in 2021, while the energy generators market contracted
  • Advanced energy devices have a higher rate of adoption in tier 1 cities than tier 2, 3 and 4 cities. Hospitals in top-tier cities generally administer a greater proportion of complex surgery and have higher medical spending, and are more likely to use top-end energy products
  • Volume-based procurement (VBP) implementation in Guangxi in December 2021 resulted in energy blade prices falling by 70%. Wider VBP rollout is expected to further impact the energy device market
  • Advanced energy devices have a high rate of adoption in Class 3 hospitals, accounting for 80% of usage
  • For advanced energy devices, thoracic, gastrointestinal and gynaecological surgery are the biggest buyers. Liver and thoracic surgery have the highest rate of adoption 
  • Domestic companies emerging in China’s advanced energy device market include Anhe, Banbiantian, Hocermed, Innolcon and Reach Surgical
  • MNCs will need to strengthen their market position in tier 3 and 4 cities, with domestic companies closing in on the share of the market in customer segments including Class 2 hospitals in tier 3 and 4 cities. Competition is also intensifying between domestic companies and MNCs in tier 2 cities

China surgical device market insights and tracker

China Segmentation Surgical Devices Tracker for Surgical Gateway is the go-to source of data, analysis and forecasts for the world’s largest emerging surgical device market at city-tier and hospital-class levels. Clearstate’s Surgical China segmentation offers access to surgical market data to provide the visibility for medtech companies to operate successfully in an increasingly diverse and complex surgical devices market environment.