Inhalation Anesthesia Market Size, Share & Trends Analysis Report By Drug (Sevoflurane, Isoflurane, Desflurane), By Application, By End-use (Hospitals, Ambulatory Surgical Centers), By Region, And Segment Forecasts, 2023 - 2030

Report Overview

The global inhalation anesthesia market size was valued at USD 1.46 billion in 2022 and is expected to grow at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 9.04% from 2023 to 2030. The market growth can be attributed to the growing number of surgical procedures and demand for lesser duration of hospital stays. Inhalation anesthesia facilitates higher patient outcomes as compared to intravenous route. Administration of an anesthetic agent through the respiratory tract allows controllable and effective sedation, which is cost-effective and safe. Various advantages of inhalation route over intravenous route are primarily driving the market growth. Inhalation anesthesia is considered to be the best alternative for patients who are on ventilation for more than 24 hours as it becomes easy to monitor the patient’s health. Hence, higher patient benefits associated with the use of inhalation anesthesia as compared to intravenous version is expected to drive revenue growth over the forecast period.

According to NCBI data, around 310 million major surgeries are performed across the world every year, out of which approximately 40-50 million are performed in the U.S. and 20 million in Europe. During the post-COVID-19 situation, there has been an increase in the number of elective surgeries, which has further boosted the demand for inhalation anesthetics. In 2020, during the COVID-19 pandemic, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services recommended that hospitals minimize, postpone, or cancel elective surgeries which have led to a reduction in the number of surgeries by 48% in the U.S. Inhaled anesthetics are commonly used to provide general anesthesia. Based on NIH data, nearly 60,000 people undergo a surgical procedure under general anesthesia. Life-saving surgical procedures such as brain surgery, open-heart surgery, or organ transplantation would not have been possible without general anesthesia, thereby, boosting the demand for inhaled anesthetic drugs.

Inhaled anesthetics help in reducing patients’ overall healthcare expenditure. Patients who have undergone surgery and are critically ill are usually admitted to ICUs, which increases their healthcare expenditure due to an increase in the duration of hospital stays. Inhalation anesthesia helps surgeons design the dosage to avoid additional hospital stay. However, this is not possible in case of intravenous form which helps reduce the patient’s overall healthcare expenditure.

Drug Insights

Sevoflurane held the highest share of 62.54% in 2022 in the inhalation anesthesia industry because it is potent, rapidly acting, and has faster emergence and recovery as compared to the other drugs available in market; however, it is more expensive than its alternatives. These factors have led to sevoflurane being the preferred choice of surgeons during surgical procedures for induction and maintenance of anesthesia.

Isoflurane is expected to show the highest growth rate over the forecast period. If fresh gas flow rates are considered, sevoflurane and desflurane cost two to three times more than isoflurane. Hence, isoflurane is the preferred choice for inhalation general anesthesia of anesthesiologists in developing countries owing to the presence of a cost-sensitive patient pool.

End-use Outlook

Hospitals segment dominated the market for inhalation anesthesia with a share of 68.54% in 2022, attributable to the highest number of surgeries performed in hospital settings. In addition, the presence of an anesthesiologist and the availability of better patient monitoring services for management is anticipated to aid the segment in maintaining its dominance over the forecast period. However, European hospitals aim to reduce harmful gas emissions by reducing the usage of inhalation anesthesia, influencing market growth adversely.

Ambulatory surgical centers segment is projected to grow at the fastest rate over the forecast period as it is a specialized setting for conducting same-day surgeries, which requires inhalation anesthetics that have a fast effect and recovery time. These patients do not require an overnight stay giving the inhaled anesthesia a competitive edge in the ambulatory surgical center setting.

Application Insights

Maintenance segment dominated the inhalation anesthesia industry with a share of 84.91% in 2022, attributable to the fact that inhaled anesthetics are preferred for the maintenance of anesthesia. It allows more precise control of the anesthetic state, which is cost-effective. However, in June 2022, the American Society of Anesthesiologists introduced guidance due to the rising concern regarding mitigating the effect of greenhouse gases. It aims to reduce inhalation anesthesia usage, influencing the market growth adversely.

Factors influencing induction of anesthesia include a therapeutic index of a drug, Minimum Alveolar Concentration (MAC), potency, patient’s age, rate of metabolism by kidney/liver, compatibility with other drugs, and blood/gas solubility. Inhalation general anesthetic agents have different mechanisms of action in the central nervous system depending on blood and gas solubility and the Minimum Alveolar Concentration (MAC) concentration of different drugs.

Regional Insights

North America was the largest revenue-generating region in the inhalation anesthesia industry, with a share of 52.37% in 2022, which can be attributed to the rise in the number of surgeries performed in the U.S. Key players have also gained significant market revenue in the country. Piramal Enterprises Limited, one of the key players in inhalation anesthetics, holds the largest market share of sevoflurane and isoflurane in this region. Presence of a large number of registered hospitals in the U.S. is also a factor contributing to the high demand for anesthetic drugs in surgeries performed in the country. The total number of U.S. hospitals increased by 61 percent from August 2020 to March 2021.

The Asia Pacific is anticipated to witness the fastest growth in the forecast period due to the rising population in this region and subsequent increase in the number of surgical procedures. The growing geriatric population is also a significant factor driving the disease incidence in the region, thereby leading to high demand for inhaled anesthetic drugs. Moreover, in China, sevoflurane and desflurane are widely used in day surgeries owing to advantages such as rapid response and faster recovery. However, regions such as Europe are aiming at reducing the use of inhalation anesthetics. For instance, in March 2023, Scotland announced the ban on inhaled anesthetic desflurane attributable to its adverse environmental impact. This initiative is anticipated to reduce 40 kilotons of harmful emissions.

Key Companies & Market Share Insight

The key players in the market are undertaking various strategic initiatives to gain market shares, such as mergers & acquisitions, technological collaborations, partnerships, and innovative product developments & launches. Some of the key players holding the maximum share in the market include Baxter, Abbvie, Halocarbon Life Sciences, Sandoz, and Piramal. In January 2019, Sandoz International GmbH launched Desflurane liquid as an inhalation agent for induction and maintenance of anesthesia, required for inpatient and outpatient surgery in adults & pediatric patients in the U.S. It was the first generic of Suprane in the U.S.  Some of the key players in the global inhalation anesthesia market include:

• Halocarbon Products Corporation

• Baxter

• AbbVie Inc.

• Lunan Pharmaceutical Group

• Piramal Enterprises Ltd.

• Sandoz International GmbH

• Fresenius Kabi AG

Inhalation Anesthesia Market Report Scope

Global Inhalation Anesthesia Market Report Segmentation

This report forecasts revenue growth and provides an analysis on the latest trends in each of the sub-segments from 2018 to 2030. For the purpose of this report, Grand View Research has segmented the global inhalation anesthesia market report on the basis of drug, application, end-use, and region:

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

  • Sevoflurane

  • Desflurane

  • Isoflurane

  • Others

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

  • Induction

  • Maintenance

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

  • Hospitals

  • Ambulatory Surgical Centers

  • Others

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

  • North America

    • U.S.

    • Canada

  • Europe

    • Germany

    • France

    • UK

    • Italy

    • Spain

    • Denmark

    • Sweden

    • Norway

  • Asia Pacific

    • Japan

    • China

    • India

    • South Korea

    • Australia

    • Thailand

  • Latin America

    • Brazil

    • Mexico

    • Argentina

  • Middle East & Africa

    • South Africa

    • Saudi Arabia

    • UAE

    • Kuwait