Companies

Medtronic, Inc. has used the annual meeting of the Congress of Neurological Surgeons in San Francisco, at which to announce the launch of the first procedure that allows lateral access to the most common operative level of the spine.

Medtronic, Inc. has announced the U.S. launch of its Export Advance aspiration catheter, which it says offers greater power and superior deliverability in coronary artery thrombus removal.

Surgical implant company RTI Surgical Inc. has announced preliminary revenue results for the third quarter that are way off prior guidance. In the same release it confirms a new agreement with Medtronic Sofamor Danek USA, Inc. to process allograft implants for use in spinal surgeries.

The FDA has issued an alert to health care providers and patients concerning its Amplatzer Atrial Septal Occluder (ASO). It seems that in very rare instances, tissue surrounding the device can erode, resulting in life-threatening emergencies that require immediate surgery.

This time last year the news was filled with externalising ICD lead discussions, focusing to a large degree on St.Jude Medical. It seems a raft of clinical data has helped minimise the negative impact, while a healthy sales line and two exciting new acquisitions mean the company’s financial report is a positive sounding affair.

Covidien has released positive final results from its DURABILITY II study and promising preliminary data from its DEFINITIVE AR Peripheral Artery Disease (PAD) trial involving some of its technologies. The results are sure to fuel its ongoing push into the peripheral vascular therapy area.

Device sales, especially in the US, were pretty weak in Q3. And when you’re J&J you’ll always have some special items on your expenses line. The net result looks a bit like a battening down of the hatches, although the business overall is showing healthy growth, fuelled by pharma.

St.Jude Medical says newly acquired Nanostim’s leadless pacemaker represents one of the most important advances in the history of pacing technology. The deal could cost it $188m

When the boss of a big dog medtech company stands up to speak we all listen. And when he says a combination of FDA rules and medical device sales tax is hurting US industry we cannot disagree. But are these people ignoring the threat of newly restrictive EU regulations?

TRUMATCH® CMF Solutions Spans Preoperative

Virtual Surgical Planning Services, Intraoperative Tools and Customized Implants

In a guest editorial, author Whitney Taylor from Injury Lawyer News writes about the current state of play in the long running saga of Medtronic’s Infuse Bone Graft.

Depuy Synthes Spine is launching its SYNFLATE Vertebral Balloon at NASS, claiming it offers a versatility not found in other vertebral body augmentation portfolios. At the same event the company is announcing the “mPACT” program targeting posterior mini open spinal fixation and fusion procedures.

The U.S. FDA’s Circulatory Systems Devices Advisory Panel has narrowly voted (4 vs 3 with one abstention) that biventricular (BiV) pacing with Medtronic, Inc. devices is beneficial for treating patients who have atrioventricular (AV) block and left ventricular (LV) systolic dysfunction, compared to conventional right ventricular pacing.

Biomet Spine is to get a host of range enhancements with the incorporation of newly acquired Lanx, Inc.’s range, including its Timberline® Lateral Approach Fusion System, pictured.

So CryoLife had a stake in hemostat maker Medafor. Medafor sells up to CR Bard, giving CryoLife a very healthy return on its investment. Even better is the fact that it has its own hemostat already out there in certain markets and en route to US approval.

When a company’s major shareholder goes public it has no option but to respond. Echo Therapeutics has one, big, unhappy investor so has followed replacement of its CEO with a raft of measures to prove it’s on top of its game, including sacking 33% of its workforce.