Alginate Dressing Market Size, Share & Trends Analysis Report By Type (Antimicrobial, Non-antimicrobial), By Application (Chronic Wounds, Acute Wounds), By End Use (Home Healthcare, Hospitals), By Region, And Segment Forecasts, 2022 - 2030

Report Overview

The global alginate dressing market size was valued at USD 868.75 million in 2021 and is projected to grow at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 4.10% from 2022 to 2030. The rising incidence of chronic and acute wounds is the major factor driving the industry. For instance, according to recent estimates published in NCBI (2022), the annual incidence rate of diabetic foot ulcers globally was expected to be between 9.1 million to 26.1 million. Similarly, as per the Independent Diabetes Trust in the U.K. asserted in its report (2019) that while 278,000 people are treated for venous leg ulcers, around 115,000 people annually develop diabetic foot ulcers.

In addition, the rising incidence of serious burn injuries may boost market expansion. According to the Undersea and Hyperbaric Medical Society, in the U.S., there are more than 2 million burn injuries reported each year, and 14,000 people pass away, whereas, about 20,000 have injuries that necessitate admission to a burn unit. Moreover, each year, around 75,000 individuals need to be hospitalized, and 25,000 of them stay there for more than two months. Furthermore, it is anticipated that the rising rates of burns, trauma and auto accidents will fuel the expansion of the industry. For instance, the WHO (2018) estimates that each year in India, around 1,000,000 people suffer from severe or moderate burns.

As per the U.S. Fire Administration, 1,291,500 fire events were reported in 2019, with 16,600 injuries and 3,704 fatalities. According to data from the WHO, road traffic accidents claim the lives of almost 1.3 million people annually. Similar to this, between 20 and 50 million non-fatal injuries are caused by automobile accidents each year, according to the Brake organization. These incidents frequently cause serious bleeding and other injuries, demanding immediate medical attention and surgical procedures to provide patients with immediate relief. Furthermore, there are several advantages of using an alginate dressing for advanced wound care, including durability, faster healing, reduced pain, lower risk of infection, adherence only to surrounding skin, ease of use, and cost-effectiveness.

Moreover, it can create an excellent protective barrier for newly healed skin that is still intact or for partially healed wounds that might need protection from possible surface damage. Owing to the aforementioned product benefits, its adoption is likely to increase during the forecast period. COVID-19 had a detrimental impact on the industry due to the cancellation or postponement of elective procedures. However, increased telehealth and virtual consultation penetration have aided the industry’s recovery post-pandemic. For instance:

• In January 2021, Delta Care Rx unveiled a virtual service for wound care consulting that pairs hospice and palliative care nurses with a physician and nurse specialist in wound care
• In February 2021, the Digital Technology Supercluster invested USD 2.5 million into a new USD 3.1 million initiative-Telewound Care Canada, which is intended to aid wound patients access care virtually
• According to a research article published in Medline Industries LP, independent medical practices offering telemedicine surged from 22% pre-pandemic to 41% post-pandemic. Similarly, post-pandemic, 60% of consumers are willing to use telehealth, as compared to 49% before the pandemic

In addition, a number of studies show that telemedicine alternatives are an economical way to improve wound care outcomes while boosting patient compliance and satisfaction. Furthermore, insurance companies have begun to pay for telemedicine. The aforementioned factors will boost the industry’s growth post-pandemic.

Application Insights

The acute wounds segment is expected to grow at the fastest CAGR of 4.22% during the forecast period. The surgical & traumatic wounds segment held the largest share in 2021. A rise in the number of surgical site infections is one of the major driving factors for the segment growth. Surgical wounds majorly occur due to Surgical Site Infections (SSIs). For instance, according to the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, SSIs occur in 2 to 4% of the total number of patients undergoing inpatient surgical procedures. In addition, according to a study by Wounds International, the incidence rate of SSIs in general surgery was found to be 11.7%, which resulted in 19.2% of patients being readmitted throughout the study period. Furthermore, the rising incidence of trauma is contributing to the segment growth.

For instance, as per a study by ResearchGate, in 2020, around 6.6% of mortality occurs due to trauma every year. Due to the increasing frequency of burn injuries, the burns segment is estimated to experience a considerable growth rate over the projection period. Around 90% of all fire-related trauma cases happen in low- to moderate-income nations. Moreover, according to the Joye Law Firm, there are roughly 3,500 fatal burn accidents each year in the U.S. and 450,000 burn injuries that need medical attention. Therefore, the rising prevalence of traumatic wounds and SSI & burn injuries are among the key factors anticipated to boost the segment growth over the forecast period. The chronic wounds segment accounted for the largest revenue share in 2021 and will expand further over the forecast period.

The rising incidence of diabetes and diabetic foot ulcers is a major factor driving the segment growth. For instance, according to ScienceDirect, more than 25% of diabetic patients may develop diabetic foot ulcers, and 20% of patients may require foot amputation. Moreover, as per the National Diabetes Statistics Report by the CDC, 37.3 million i.e., 11.2% of the U.S. population had diabetes. As per the CDC, nearly, about 96 million U.S. residents aged more than 18 years or older were expected to have prediabetes. Moreover, as per a similar source, 26.4 million people aged more than 65 years & above were estimated to have prediabetes. The use of alginate wound dressings helps such ulcers to heal, thus, with an increasing number of patients suffering from diabetes, and a rise in the prevalence of diabetic foot ulcers, the segment is expected to impel during the forecast period.

Type Insights

The non-antimicrobial alginate dressing segment dominated the industry in 2021 and accounted for the largest share of more than 61.65% of the global revenue. The segment’s dominance can be credited to the availability of products that are being used predominantly. In addition, the majority of the companies are providing low-cost products. However, with the development in technology, silver alginate dressing is gaining popularity, and thus, the use of non-antimicrobial alginate dressing is expected to decrease. The antimicrobial alginate dressing is projected to witness the fastest CAGR over the forecast period due to recent product launches and various studies on antimicrobial alginate dressing.

For instance, recently, in February 2021, Winner Medical received U.S. FDA market access for its silver alginate dressing. This is expected to help the company expand its business in the North America region, and thereby promote antimicrobial alginate dressing. Moreover, there are many benefits, which an antimicrobial dressing provides as it has silver in it. For instance, as per the NCBI, antimicrobial alginate dressings are especially useful for managing severely leaking wounds because the addition of silver ions provides antibacterial properties, thereby healing the wounds quickly. Therefore, the aforementioned factors are expected to help the segment grow.

End-use Insights

The hospitals end-use segment accounted for the largest share of more than 45.25% in 2021. The dominance of this segment can be attributed to an increase in the patient population and a rise in the number of hospitals worldwide. For instance, as per Smith & Nephew, patients with wounds occupy between 25 and 40% of beds in a normal hospital setting. Moreover, an increase in the number of surgical procedures is further driving the segment growth. For instance, as per the latest statistics published by a research article in NCBI, a total number of 31,02,674 surgical procedures were carried out in England & Wales in 2020. Alginate dressings are commonly used for surgical incisions, thereby its adoption is likely to increase with the rising number of surgeries.

The aforementioned factors will drive the segment during the forecast period. The home healthcare segment is anticipated to grow at the fastest CAGR during the forecast period due to patients’ increasing preference shift from hospital to home care settings for personalized wound care. Most of the surgeries require a prolonged recovery period, leading to frequent changing of dressings. Moreover, the geriatric population suffering from wounds prefer homecare over hospital stay. The increasing geriatric population across the globe is expected to impel industry growth. For instance, as per the United Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific, the geriatric population is expected to reach 1.3 billion in 2050, from 630 million in 2020.

13.6% of the Asian population is aged more than 65 years, which is expected to be one-quarter of the total geriatric population in 2050. Conditions, such as diabetic foot ulcers, venous leg ulcers, and surgical wounds typically necessitate extended hospital stays, which can be difficult for senior patients. Thereby, boosting the industry growth. Furthermore, due to the rising healthcare expenses, a growing number of individuals with chronic conditions prefer to obtain treatment at home. This trend is expected to surge the demand for alginate dressings, as they are used to treat, diagnose, and monitor a variety of chronic and acute wounds. Hence, such factors are anticipated to boost the segment growth over the forecast period.

Regional Insights

North America dominated the global industry with the largest share of more than 45.40% in 2021 and is expected to witness a considerable growth rate over the forecast period. The region’s dominance can be attributed to the increasing prevalence of chronic wounds, higher treatment costs, and the availability of appropriate reimbursement programs in the U.S. and Canada. According to an article published by the NCBI, the prevalence of diabetic foot ulcers among the population in the U.S. was roughly 13%. Moreover, it was also estimated that the yearly economic burden for venous leg ulcers in the U.S. was roughly USD 14.90 billion. Due to the large patient population suffering from chronic wounds, there is an increasing need for advanced wound care products, such as alginate dressings, thereby helping the region dominate the global industry.

Asia Pacific is estimated to witness the fastest CAGR over the forecast period. The region is steadily increasing, offering several opportunities for the introduction of new products. Furthermore, medical tourism in this region is increasing, which is boosting the number of surgeries performed. For instance, as per a study conducted by the Indian Institute of Public Administration, in 2019, around 697,453 foreign tourists visited India for medical treatments. The market in this region is also expanding as a result of increased government backing as well as a focus by the leading players in the developing Asian nations. However, price sensitivity & lack of knowledge have significantly inhibited the expansion of advanced wound care management.

Key Companies & Market Share Insights

The industry is consolidated and is dominated by a few large manufacturers. The degree of competition and competitive rivalry in the industry is anticipated to intensify over the forecast period. Major companies are focusing on mergers & acquisitions, product launches, and approvals, and geographic expansion to have a competitive edge over others. For instance, in February 2022, the silver alginate dressing manufactured by Winner Medical has been granted U.S. FDA market access (510K Number: K202982), and the company will continue to expand its operations in North America. Thus, with various strategies acquired by players to strengthen their product portfolios, the industry is expected to impel during the forecast period. Some prominent players in the global alginate dressing market include:

• Cardinal Health

• Smith & Nephew

• 3M

• Coloplast Corp.

• ConvaTec

• Paul Hartmann AG

• B. Braun Melsungen

• Hollister Incorporated

• Molnlycke Health Care AB.

• Medline Industries, Inc.

Alginate Dressing Market Report Scope

Global Alginate Dressing Market Segmentation

This report forecasts revenue growth at global, regional, and country levels and provides an analysis of the latest industry trends in each of the sub-segments from 2018 to 2030. For the purpose of this study, Grand View Research has segmented the global alginate dressing market report on the basis of type, application, end-use, and region:

• Type Outlook (Revenue, USD Million, 2018 - 2030)

  • Antimicrobial

  • Non-antimicrobial

• Application Outlook (Revenue, USD Million, 2018 - 2030)

  • Acute Wounds

    • Surgical & Traumatic Wounds

    • Burns

  • Chronic Wounds

    • Diabetic Foot Ulcers

    • Pressure Ulcers

    • Venous Leg Ulcers

    • Other Chronic Wounds

• End-use Outlook (Revenue, USD Million, 2018 - 2030)

  • Hospitals

  • Specialty Clinics

  • Home Healthcare

  • Others

• Regional Outlook (Revenue, USD Million, 2018 - 2030)

  • North America

    • U.S.

    • Canada

  • Europe

    • Germany

    • U.K.

    • France

    • Italy

    • Spain

  • Asia Pacific

    • Japan

    • China

    • India

    • Australia

    • South Korea

  • Latin America

    • Brazil

    • Argentina

    • Mexico

    • Colombia

  • Middle East & Africa

    • South Africa

    • Saudi Arabia

    • UAE