ABSTRACT
Companies based outside the United States, such as Siemens, Hitachi Medical Corporation, and Toshiba , are major players in the biomedical device industry. The United States is the largest producer of medical devices worldwide. Standard & Poor reports that US medical device manufacturers receive 40-50% of their revenues from the foreign markets. Lightweight, strength, and biocompatibility are the key requirements for the material to be chosen for medical implants. The most commonly used orthopedic implant materials are stainless steels, cobalt-chromium alloys, and titanium alloys Stainless steel is often preferred for making bone plates, screws, pins, and rods because of its resistance to chemicals and environmental conditions found inside the human body. Knee reconstruction is the most common surgery, constituting 50% of the total joint replacement market. For example, DePuy Rotating Platform Knee mimics the human knee's natural range of motion.
