Surgery

J&J division Ethicon, Inc., has followed Covidien into the barbed suture market with the launch of its new portfolio of Stratafix™ Knotless Tissue Control Devices. The idea is that barbed sutures offer significantly more points of fixation than traditional sutures, giving surgeons more consistent control over every pass (through the tissue), and combining the strength and security of interrupted closure with the efficiency of continuous closure.

A one day conference entitled Enhanced Recovery After Surgery (ERAS) is being held this Friday in Cardiff, Wales.

Convincing a surgeon to use a blunt suture needle is akin to asking him to ditch the Aston Martin in favour of the Micra. It’ll work, but not in quite such a satisfying way. Maybe FDA can do a better job than we did twenty years ago when even HIV/AIDS didn’t prove convincing.

This new CO2 Laser solution from OmniGuide is claimed to improve surgical precision, access and control.

Funky skin closure technology company ZipLine has announced the appointment of former Peak Surgical, ArthroCare and Acufex man, John Tighe as its CEO.

What an interesting deal. J&J’s Ethicon, not known for its soft negotiating stance, has agreed a deal in which it pays Angiotech for IP relating to the company’s Quill suture technology, yet is allowing the pharma company to keep on selling it.

Ansell launches it’s newly acquired portfolio of healthcare safety gizmos. We’re liking the orange towel.

FDA approval for non-invasive pressure device prevents Post-op nausea. Acupuncture without needles.

Hydrogel heal thyself. Californian researchers have taken the hydrogel to the next level with this modified version with “self-healing” characteristics.

Checkpoint’s newly CE marked device helps surgeons avoid nerve damage.

Deltex Medical Group has announced that Department of Health initiatives will see wider adoption of its CardioQ Oesophageal Doppler Monitoring technology.

Cardinal Health has announced the availability of its Smart-Seal™ surgical mask, designed to enhance fit and help reduce fog on eyewear.

Surgeons at the Karolinska Institute in Sweden have implanted a second patient with a synthetic trachea formed from CT scans of the patient’s own anatomy and seeded with his own stem cells.

Scientists and surgeons from France, Germany, United Kingdom and Switzerland have developed a “virtual liver”, using EU research funding, which will help surgeons better plan and carry out tumour operations and ensure quicker patient recovery.

STERIS Corporation and Toshiba America Medical Systems, Inc.have formed an alliance to offer advanced vascular, cardiovascular, pediatric and neurosurgical hybrid surgical suites.

Intuitive Surgical, Inc. the global leader in minimally invasive robotic-assisted surgery, has announced that it has received FDA clearance to market its Single-Site Instrumentation for laparoscopic cholecystectomy procedures.