Latest trade
$170.3BGlobal subsector valueHS4 subsector intelligence
Medical, surgical instruments and appliances
HS4 9018 trade overview
A focused view of this HS4 subsector: market scale, momentum, leading routes, countries, and the HS6 classifications inside it.
The numbers at a glanceLatest reported year · 2024
Annual change
+1.1%Latest year on yearExporters
198Active reporting countriesImporters
200Active reporting countriesHS6 products
13Classifications inside HS4The subsector read
$170.3B in trade, with +5.1% annualized growth over three years.
Medical, surgical instruments and appliances is recorded across 12,166 active corridors, with 198 exporters and 200 importers.
Annual trend
Subsector momentum over time
Reported global trade from 1995 to 2024. Read the methodology ↗
Top trade corridors
Where the subsector moves
Leading exporter-to-importer relationships by latest reported value. See data sources ↗
Latest reported relationshipsTop 10 by trade value
| Rank | Exporter | Importer | Trade value | Growth | HS6 | Distance | FTA |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | MexicoMEX | USA, Puerto Rico and US Virgin IslandsUSA | $11.0B | +14.7% | 12 | 3,359 km | Yes |
| 2 | Costa RicaCRI | USA, Puerto Rico and US Virgin IslandsUSA | $4.5B | +19.9% | 12 | 3,553 km | Yes |
| 3 | IrelandIRL | USA, Puerto Rico and US Virgin IslandsUSA | $4.4B | +10.6% | 12 | 5,129 km | No |
| 4 | USA, Puerto Rico and US Virgin IslandsUSA | NetherlandsNLD | $4.2B | +4.1% | 12 | 5,877 km | No |
| 5 | USA, Puerto Rico and US Virgin IslandsUSA | MexicoMEX | $4.1B | +13.3% | 13 | 3,359 km | Yes |
| 6 | GermanyDEU | USA, Puerto Rico and US Virgin IslandsUSA | $4.0B | +5% | 13 | 6,402 km | No |
| 7 | IrelandIRL | NetherlandsNLD | $3.2B | +21.5% | 12 | 757 km | Yes |
| 8 | USA, Puerto Rico and US Virgin IslandsUSA | ChinaCHN | $2.9B | -4.8% | 13 | 11,883 km | No |
| 9 | USA, Puerto Rico and US Virgin IslandsUSA | GermanyDEU | $2.8B | +2.9% | 13 | 6,402 km | No |
| 10 | ChinaCHN | USA, Puerto Rico and US Virgin IslandsUSA | $2.3B | +1.6% | 13 | 11,883 km | No |
Market structure
Where supply and demand concentrate
Exporter and importer rankings show the two sides of the subsector separately. Check coverage ↗
| Rank | Country | Exports | Partners | HS6 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | USA, Puerto Rico and US Virgin IslandsUSA | $33.6B | 193 | 13 |
| 2 | GermanyDEU | $18.4B | 189 | 13 |
| 3 | MexicoMEX | $15.8B | 142 | 13 |
| 4 | ChinaCHN | $12.3B | 198 | 13 |
| 5 | IrelandIRL | $11.3B | 151 | 13 |
| 6 | NetherlandsNLD | $10.8B | 188 | 13 |
| 7 | Costa RicaCRI | $7.2B | 123 | 13 |
| 8 | JapanJPN | $7.0B | 179 | 13 |
| 9 | Switzerland, LiechtensteinCHE | $4.6B | 177 | 13 |
| 10 | FranceFRA | $3.9B | 181 | 13 |
| Rank | Country | Imports | Partners | HS6 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | USA, Puerto Rico and US Virgin IslandsUSA | $41.1B | 143 | 13 |
| 2 | NetherlandsNLD | $12.6B | 136 | 13 |
| 3 | GermanyDEU | $12.5B | 147 | 13 |
| 4 | ChinaCHN | $9.9B | 109 | 13 |
| 5 | JapanJPN | $6.5B | 81 | 13 |
| 6 | FranceFRA | $6.1B | 147 | 13 |
| 7 | United KingdomGBR | $5.7B | 132 | 13 |
| 8 | MexicoMEX | $5.7B | 85 | 13 |
| 9 | ItalyITA | $4.4B | 120 | 13 |
| 10 | CanadaCAN | $4.3B | 136 | 13 |
HS6 product coverage
The products inside HS4 9018
Six-digit classifications make the subsector specific. Browse the product workspace ↗
13 classifications shownMedical, surgical instruments and appliances
Medical, surgical instruments and appliances: electro-cardiographsHS6 901811
Medical, surgical instruments and appliances: ultrasonic scanning apparatusHS6 901812
Medical, surgical instruments and appliances: magnetic resonance imaging apparatusHS6 901813
Medical, surgical instruments and appliances: scintigraphic apparatusHS6 901814
Medical, surgical instruments and appliances: electro-diagnostic apparatus (including apparatus for functional exploratory examination or for checking physiological parameters), n.e.s. in item no. 9018.1HS6 901819
Medical, surgical instruments and appliances: ultra-violet or infra-red ray apparatusHS6 901820
Medical, surgical instruments and appliances: syringes, with or without needlesHS6 901831
Medical, surgical instruments and appliances: tubular metal needles and needles for suturesHS6 901832
Medical, surgical instruments and appliances: catheters, cannulae and the likeHS6 901839
Dental instruments and appliances: dental drill engines, whether or not combined on a single base with other dental equipmentHS6 901841
Dental instruments and appliances: other than dental drill enginesHS6 901849
Ophthalmic instruments and appliancesHS6 901850
Medical, surgical or dental instruments and appliances: n.e.c. in heading no. 9018HS6 901890
Definitions and coverage
Read the numbers with context
Reported observations and calculated indicators should be read with their coverage period. Responsible AI principles ↗
Reported values
Trade values describe reported merchandise trade for the HS4 classification, not company-level sales or shipment records.
Calculated indicators
Growth, concentration, volatility, and peak comparisons are calculated from reported observations.
Missing data
Unavailable observations remain unavailable. They are not filled, interpolated, or presented as forecasts.
Coverage: 1995-2024 · Data refreshed 2026-07-20 09:34:09
Data source
OECD trade statistics with CEPII context
OECD (2025), Balanced international merchandise trade statistics (BIMTS) - HS2017-6D, OECD Data Explorer (accessed on 2026-08-27). OECD BIMTS is the primary trade series for this view. Supporting bilateral trade context uses CEPII BACI bilateral trade flows (202601) under Etalab 2.0 Open Licence. Yugalinks presents derived views of reported observations and calculated indicators. Data terms: OECD Terms & Conditions.