Conditions involving the musculoskeletal system can be a literal pain in the neck for patients and a complex challenge to treat, but advancements in medical technology are opening up new ways to tackle orthopaedic issues. One such solution comes from Israeli start-up VRHealth, which may have found a way to ease the recovery process using a surprising tool – virtual reality. We take a closer look at how the technology is helping patients.

Also in this issue, we find out how the Calypso Knee System developed by Moximed could prevent the need for major knee replacement surgery,ask if automation could be the key to speeding up diagnostic lab operations, round up key points from the Future of Surgery report, and track the rise of the Epipen as generic challengers begin to appear on the market.

Plus, we explore the potential of a portable, pocket-sized ultrasound device developed by US company Butterfly, check in with a virtual GP to see how a future digital doctor-patient relationship might work, and review the most exciting medical technologies focusing on Parkinson’s disease today.

And, as always, we round up the latest news from the medical device industry, and get comment and analysis from GlobalData’s healthcare analysts.

Eloise McLennan, editor