Amedica says its high-strength silicon nitride-based ceramic could be the answer to some of the more vexing problems in spine, hip and knee surgeries. But can this materials science expert become a real orthopedics company?

A former pharmaceutical executive, Steve McMillan was tapped three years ago to replace John Brown as CEO of Stryker Corp. Following someone who had been in the post 30 years was daunting enough; even more so was continuing the record of strong financial performance that Stryker had maintained throughout its history. In this Interview adapted from the "From the Innovator's Workbench" series sponsored by Stanford University's BioDesign program, McMillan talks about the challenges he faced.

Guess who was the fastest growing orthopedic implant company last year. Smith & Nephew. The boom that has characterized the orthopedics market for the past several years has been a rising tide that lifts all boats--all, that is, except Smith & Nephew. But in the last couple of years, Smith & Nephew has actually been growing faster than their larger competitors. And in an industry that will increasingly see winners and losers, Smith & Nephew believes it is positioned to be one of the winners.