Post-approval change management is the process of monitoring and maintaining the safety, effectiveness, and performance of a medical device after it has received Regulatory approval and has been placed on the market. This process involves continuous evaluation and management of changes to the device, including changes to its design, labeling, manufacturing, and usage. The objective of post-approval management is to ensure that medical devices continue to meet Regulatory requirements and provide the intended benefits to patients and healthcare providers.

510(k) is a premarket submission made to the FDA to demonstrate that the device to be marketed is as safe and effective, that is, substantially equivalent to a legally marketed device (predicate). Devices with moderate risk are required to submit a 510(k) notification, which includes a minority of Class I and III devices and a majority of Class II devices.

The need for continuous improvement in product quality, reliability, and safety arises due to recalls, updates of Regulatory requirements, and the desire to gain a competitive advantage. The newly introduced changes may alter the risk profile of the device, and the device manufacturers must revisit risk evaluations that pinpoint and reduce part or system failures over the product's lifecycle.

The US is the largest medical device market, worth USD 180 billion (2021) and is expected to reach USD 670 billion at a CAGR of 5.2% from 2022 to 2027. The global medical device manufacturers find it promising to get their devices approved by US FDA and subsequently export them to the US.