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CDC: Hip replacement surgical procedures are more prevalent in the U.S.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), hip replacements are among the most common surgical procedures in the United States; and with osteoarthritis and obesity on the rise, demand for the procedure is expected to grow.

3 Dec 2010

Study on animal model may impact treatment of stroke

The results of two studies published in the current issue of Cell Transplantation (19:9) using animal models of cerebral ischemia and ischemic stroke in rats may significantly impact the treatment of stroke in humans.

2 Dec 2010

Los Angeles prosthodontist provides effective dental treatment for oral cancer patients

Oral cancer is a common condition affecting over 30,000 Americans each year. Worldwide the number falls into the hundreds of thousands, and a significant percentage of those with oral cancer end up losing teeth and normal mouth function in the absence of early cancer detection and treatment.

1 Dec 2010

FDA approves Inspire to begin STAR clinical trial to evaluate UAS therapy for OSA

Inspire Medical Systems, a leading developer of neuro-stimulation therapies for the treatment of obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), announced today that the company has received approval from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to begin its STAR pivotal clinical trial. The STAR trial (Stimulation Therapy for Apnea Reduction), is a multi-center study that will evaluate both the safety and effectiveness of Inspire Upper Airway Stimulation (UAS) therapy in patients with moderate to severe obstructive sleep apnea (OSA).

30 Nov 2010

Spray-on organic/inorganic films

Coatings functionalize surfaces or protect them from processes such as corrosion, abrasion, and weathering, and may provide an aesthetic appearance—automotive coatings and non-stick frying pans are good examples. Contact lenses, implants, LEDs, or photovoltaic cells require extremely thin coatings. In the journal Angewandte Chemie, the teams led by Gero Decher at the Institut Charles Sadron in Strasbourg (France) have now introduced a new process for the production of ultrathin coatings that is especially simple, versatile, and suitable for large-scale processes.

24 Nov 2010

Implanted devices to treat cardiac dysfunction show success in real world use

Implanted devices that treat cardiac dysfunction in heart failure patients are as successful in "real world" use as they are in controlled clinical trial settings, according to a large new study reported in Circulation: Journal of the American Heart Association.

23 Nov 2010

IsoRay to sell $2.25 million in common stock

IsoRay Inc. has entered a securities purchase agreement with an investor to sell $2.25 million in common stock with the potential of $2,075,000 additional funding through two subsequent short term warrant tranches of 90 days and 180 days assuming an average exercise price of $1.40 and that all Series A and B warrants are exercised. Additional funding will occur if Series C or D warrants are exercised.

22 Nov 2010

Palmetto GBA to cover PTNS therapy for patients with overactive bladder

Uroplasty, Inc., a medical device company that develops, manufactures and markets innovative proprietary products to treat voiding dysfunctions, today announced that Palmetto GBA for California, Nevada and Hawaii, a regional Medicare carrier, now covers posterior tibial nerve stimulation using the Urgent PC Neuromodulation System for the treatment of the symptoms of overactive bladder.

20 Nov 2010

Insertable cardiac monitors may help physicians diagnose, treat patient with syncope: PICTURE trial

Medtronic, Inc. today announced the publication of data showing that use of its Reveal family of Insertable Cardiac Monitors led to diagnosis and specific treatment for 78 percent (170 of 218) of patients who experienced a recurrent syncopal (fainting) event during the course of the study.

20 Nov 2010

Thorax Institute presents 18-year experience with SynCardia Artificial Heart at Acute Cardiac Care meeting

On Oct. 17, Dr. Jean Christian Roussel from the Thorax Institute at University Hospital of Nantes presented the center's 18-year experience with the SynCardia temporary Total Artificial Heart at the Acute Cardiac Care 2010 medical meeting in Copenhagen, Denmark.

20 Nov 2010

Merck wins third FOSAMAX bellwether trial

Merck & Co., Inc. today said a federal court jury in New York found in its favor in the Graves v. Merck case, rejecting the claims of a Florida woman who blamed her dental and jaw related problems on her FOSAMAX use. With today's verdict, Merck has won three of the first four bellwether cases in the FOSAMAX litigation.

20 Nov 2010

FibroGen to present FG-4592 phase 2a study of patients with stage 3-4 Chronic Kidney Disease and anemia

FibroGen, Inc., today announced that new data from a phase 2a study of patients with stage 3-4 Chronic Kidney Disease and anemia will be presented demonstrating that its first-in-class, investigational oral anemia therapy FG-4592 works differently than erythropoiesis stimulating agents (ESAs) to increase hemoglobin.

19 Nov 2010

Boston Scientific's CRT-Ds, ICDs receive CE Mark approval

Boston Scientific Corporation today announced CE Mark approval of its INCEPTA, ENERGEN and PUNCTUA cardiac resynchronization therapy defibrillators and implantable cardioverter defibrillators.

19 Nov 2010

Titan Spine granted FDA clearance for Endoskeleton TO system

Titan Spine, a developer of novel interbody fusion implants, announced today that it has received FDA clearance to commercially release its Endoskeleton® TO system, which consists of a line of interbody devices placed through a Posterior Lumbar Interbody Fusion (PLIF) approach. The company plans to commercially release the product beginning in December, 2010.

18 Nov 2010

UMass, PolyMedix receive Phase 2 STTR contract to conduct test on antimicrobial compounds

PolyMedix, Inc., an emerging biotechnology company focused on developing new therapeutic drugs to treat infectious diseases and acute cardiovascular disorders, and the University of Massachusetts, Amherst (UMass), have received a Phase 2 Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) contract in the amount of $750,000.

17 Nov 2010

Sonova 2010/11 first half sales increases 17.2% to CHF 832 million

Sonova generated a new sales record of CHF 832 million in the first half of 2010/11, an increase of 17.2% in Swiss francs compared to the previous year.

16 Nov 2010

OtoSCOPE method offers single-run genetic testing for hearing loss

Pinpointing the exact genetic cause of inherited deafness has always involved sequencing one gene at a time, a process that can take up to a year and cost roughly $1,000 per gene. It would cost around $75,000 to test all known deafness causing genes using this approach. Now University of Iowa researchers working with colleagues at Baylor College of Medicine have developed a test that can screen all of the genes known to cause deafness in a single run, in one to three months and for about $2,000.

16 Nov 2010

New study finds PEM reduces unnecessary breast biopsies

The Radiology journal released new data from an NIH-sponsored, multi-site study of hundreds of women with newly diagnosed breast cancer that shows Positron Emission Mammography (PEM) may reduce unnecessary breast biopsies. The study found that PEM was significantly more precise at identifying benign and cancerous lesions, in what scientists call "Positive Predictive Value" or "PPV," therefore reducing the number of unnecessary biopsies.

15 Nov 2010

Bluhm Cardiovascular Institute implants VAD device to help individuals with advanced heart failure

The Bluhm Cardiovascular Institute of Northwestern Memorial Hospital recently implanted a patient with two of the smallest experimental ventricular assist devices (VADs) currently available for study in humans. VADs are designed to assist either the right (RVAD) or left (LVAD) ventricle, or both (BiVAD) at once.

15 Nov 2010

Mentor launches PDS Flexible Plate for nasal reconstruction

Reinforcing its commitment to the aesthetic medical market, Mentor Worldwide LLC today introduced PDS™ Flexible Plate - the absorbable implant that provides structural support and streamlines cartilage management during nasal reconstruction procedures.

12 Nov 2010