Who We Are

Established by Marc R. Viscogliosi, John J. Viscogliosi, and Anthony G. Viscogliosi in New York City in 1999, Viscogliosi Bros., LLC (“VB”) was the first venture capital/private equity and merchant banking firm dedicated to the musculoskeletal/orthopaedics sector of the healthcare industry.

T he principals of VB led in the exploration of the orthopaedics niche, setting an example for the numerous analysts and bankers assigned to this market at every major bank in the world. The principals of VB have been active participants in an industry that has grown from $3 billion to more than $25 billion over the past 15 years.

Often, VB is asked why it spends the time, money, and effort to produce these analyses and our answer is simple: we hope this discourse benefits all those involved. We intend to help patients by focusing the health care industry on this specific area.

VB has spent the last four years creating and reshaping the spine segment of orthopaedics. We are now applying the understanding and foresight that guided us in our spine ventures to a new area that we believe exhibits the same dynamics—small bones and joints.

What We Are Witnessing

Small bone and joint solution providers have begun the transformation from fusion and generic orthopaedics procedures to indication-specific, anatomy-preserving, non-fusion, and motion preservation technologies. Even within areas such as small bone and joint trauma and biologics, new systems and techniques are being developed to provide solutions that allow quicker recovery, less invasive approaches, fewer side-effects, and decreased need for future surgery.

The Contents of This Report

As a result of our investigations, we thought it appropriate to provide an explanation of what the small bone and joint market is, who occupies it, and which trends will drive it forward.

This first of several volumes presents our perspective on what constitutes small bone and joint anatomy, what pathologies are important, and what treatments offer the most promise.

During this project, we have enjoyed the expertise of several visionary surgeons: Leonard Bodell, MD; Gary Lowery, MD; and Thierry Marnay, MD. They share with us their opinions, beliefs, and direct personal experiences. We are honored to have had their assistance.

Future Reports

The next several years will prove extremely exciting as new thinking, techniques, and technology drive forward the frontiers of treatment. This period will see the introduction of life-altering solutions as treatments move along the continuum from pain and disease management to actual cures. Better alternatives will quickly shift the current treatment paradigm and create effective care for hundreds of thousands of previously untreatable patients. As always, surgical technique training, changes in treatment philosophy, improved product design and testing, and comprehensive care at every clinical stage will be the cornerstones on which improvement rests.

Other volumes in the forthcoming series will explore the markets, trends, and technologies present in distinct anatomies. We will highlight why we believe the creation of a small bone and joint “total solution provider” is necessary.

Goals

We hope that the reader will find a variety of new, useful information in the series of analyses presented in the following volumes. We intend for our occasionally controversial opinions to stimulate constructive discussion among surgeons and industry leaders. Thank you for allowing us to share our thoughts and perspectives in this analysis. Ultimately, the product of this process will be patients that emerge healthier, stronger, and pain-free.