Cretex Medical Featured in ODT Magazine Article on Single-Use Orthopedic Surgical Instruments
Brian Nissen, Director of Engineering for Cretex Medical | QTS, was featured in ODT Magazine’s “Tools of the Trade Transformation for Orthopedic Surgical Instruments.”
January 27, 2026
Brian discussed the factors driving increased demand for single-use instruments, the impact on package design, and future challenges the industry may face.
ODT (Orthopedic Design & Technology) interviewed experts from multiple companies about the growth of single-use surgical instruments in the orthopedic market. From design to manufacture to packaging and sterilization, the impacts of this trend are pervasive. Brian discussed how QTS can partner with MDMs to ensure proper sterilization as well as cost management. Highlights from the article are below.
Latest Trends in Orthopedic Surgery
The surgical instrument market continues to evolve, driven by automation, cost pressures, and patient outcomes. “We’ve seen increased utilization of single-use pre-sterilized instruments as a significant market trend, and we believe this growth will continue,” said Brian Nissen, director of engineering for Cretex Medical | QTS.
"Single-use instruments can be more convenient for hospitals and ASCs because they do not require the sterilization that reusable instruments do. “ASCs in particular,” said Nissen, “have limited storage space and reprocessing and sterilization capacity, meaning there is less capacity for keeping reusable instruments on hand.”
Traditionally, added Nissen, “a surgeon would have a separate instrument for dissecting, placing, and then closing. We’re moving more and more toward a single instrument that can perform all three tasks. As the complexity of instruments increases, they become that much more difficult to effectively reprocess and re-sterilize. In this environment, single-use instruments become increasingly attractive.”
Partnering with MDMs
At QTS we work closely with customers to understand their needs so we can find the solution that is right for them. We’ve become experts in supporting single-use instruments because we understand the demands ASCs place on manufacturers. In a highly competitive market, MDMs always want to drive speed and cost consciousness. Controlling costs is also important for hospitals and ASCs. “Materials and designs that are easier to manufacture may not lend themselves as easily to reuse,” said Nissen. “Adopting single-use instruments can drive down costs.”
PTFE Challenges Ahead
In the near future, surgical instrument manufacturers will have to solve their reliance on polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE), which is best known for its lubricious properties. Unfortunately, there are health and environmental concerns over the per-and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS, also known as forever chemicals) generated in PTFE production.
“More local regulations that restrict the use of PTFE will create complications for surgical equipment manufacturing and usage,” said Nissen. “We may run into situations where some devices will not be allowed in certain localities because of the materials used in their construction. Surgeons may need to adapt procedures to use different instruments in different areas. In the long run, this is going to require the redesign of devices, packaging, and even surgical procedures themselves.”
You can read the full article in ODT Magazine.
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