Arizona’s healthcare community is becoming a more important part of the national medtech conversation.
That is not just because new medical device companies are paying attention to the state. It is because physicians here are treating complex cases every day and can offer the kind of practical feedback that helps new technology move from an idea to something that works reliably in patient care.
Such feedback is especially important in spine surgery. A device may be designed for strength, stability or precision, but it still has to fit into the real pace of an operating room. Anatomy can vary. Surgical plans can change. A small detail in the shape of an implant or the feel of an instrument can significantly affect how efficiently and consistently a procedure is performed.
Arizona is well positioned for that kind of collaboration. The state’s bioscience sector now supports more than 144,000 jobs, and national medical device companies already have a meaningful presence here. That creates an environment where local physicians can contribute to national innovation without losing sight of the patients in front of them.
For medtech companies, working with physicians can help answer questions that cannot always be solved in a conference room. How will a surgeon use this tool during a difficult case? How much training will be needed? Where could the design create friction once it is introduced more broadly?
For patients, those questions matter. Better collaboration can lead to tools that are more intuitive, more consistent and better aligned with real-world care.
As the healthcare ecosystem in Arizona continues to grow, its physicians have an opportunity to help shape more than local treatment. They can help influence how surgical technology is developed, taught and used across the country.
Dr. Keven Burns, a spine surgeon at Spine Institute of Arizona in Scottsdale, served as one of the design surgeons for the newly FDA-approved 3D-printed titanium ALIF cage (Ventana-A). Over the past 18 months, he worked directly with Spinal Elements’ biomedical engineering team to refine the implant design and surgical instrumentation prior to FDA clearance.
Editor’s Note: This is the second of a three-part series from Dr. Burns.
- How local surgeons are influencing the future of spine surgery (July 2026)
- The collaboration between Arizona physicians and national medtech companies (August 2026)
- What FDA approval means for patient care and regional medical leadership (September 2026)
