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Study: DBS surgery allows 77% of patients to stop anti-tremor medication use

Deep brain stimulation, a surgical procedure to suppress faulty nerve signals, allowed 77 percent of patients to stop the medications used to treat their essential tremors within one year following the surgery, University of South Florida researchers report.

8 Apr 2011

BIOTRONIK donates ICD and pacemaker to 75 cardiac patients in Trinidad & Tobago

BIOTRONIK SE Co. & KG, a leading manufacturer of implantable cardiac devices, has provided a donation of implantable cardiac defibrillators and pacemaker device implants to more than 75 low-income and impoverished patients in the Republic of Trinidad & Tobago as part of its collaboration with Heartbeat International Foundation Inc.

7 Apr 2011

Japanese MHLW approves Spectranetics LLD lead locking device

Spectranetics Corporation today announced that the Japanese Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare granted approval for the LLD lead locking device, which is used for the removal of pacemaker and defibrillator cardiac leads.

6 Apr 2011

Device to treat resistant hypertension lowers blood pressure by 33 points

A device designed to treat people with resistant hypertension helped lower blood pressure by 33 points, a substantial drop that would otherwise require patients to take an additional three or four drugs, on top of this subgroup's usual regimen of up to five drugs, to control their difficult-to-treat condition.

6 Apr 2011

Toshiba highlights new enhancements for cardiac ultrasound imaging at ACC meeting

Ultrasound is often used as a first-line diagnostic exam to quickly and safely diagnose a range of patient conditions. At this year's American College of Cardiology annual meeting in New Orleans, April 2 - 5, 2011, Toshiba America Medical Systems, Inc., will highlight new enhancements to its cardiac and shared service ultrasound systems that are designed to enhance cardiac ultrasound imaging.

5 Apr 2011

Avanir files IND for NUEDEXTA/AVP-923 Phase II clinical trial for central neuropathic pain in MS patients

Avanir Pharmaceuticals, Inc. today announced that it has filed an Investigational New Drug (IND) application with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to begin a large Phase II clinical trial of AVP-923, an investigational drug for the treatment of central neuropathic pain in patients with multiple sclerosis (MS). The FDA has acknowledged receipt of the submission and the company expects that the IND filing will be subject to standard 30-day review.

4 Apr 2011

FDA approves Medtronic's InterStim Therapy to improve bowel control

Medtronic, Inc. today announced U.S. Food and Drug Administration approval of InterStim Therapy for Bowel Control. InterStim Therapy, previously available to treat the symptoms of overactive bladder and non-obstructive urinary retention, is now also approved for the treatment of chronic fecal incontinence in patients who have failed or are not candidates for more conservative treatments.

1 Apr 2011

Medtronic's Resolute drug-eluting stent pivotal U.S. data to be presented at ACC.11

Medtronic, Inc., today announced the imminent release of the pivotal U.S. data on its Resolute drug-eluting stent at ACC.11, the 60th Annual Scientific Session & Expo of the American College of Cardiology, which takes place April 2-5 in New Orleans.

29 Mar 2011

New discovery may improve cochlear implants for deafness

University of Utah scientists used invisible infrared light to make rat heart cells contract and toadfish inner-ear cells send signals to the brain.

28 Mar 2011

First AngelMed Guardian cardiac monitor system implanted in patient at Jersey Shore

Today at Jersey Shore University Medical Center, 66-year-old heart attack survivor Charles Theodora from Ocean Township became the first NY/NJ Metropolitan resident to be implanted with the experimental AngelMed Guardian cardiac monitor and alert system device that could alert him if a heart attack is imminent.

25 Mar 2011

FDA approves Medtronic's Consulta and Syncra pacemaker systems

Medtronic, Inc. today announced that the U.S. Food & Drug Administration has approved its Consulta and Syncra cardiac resynchronization therapy-pacemaker systems.

25 Mar 2011

First MRI-compatible pacemaker implanted in patient at MetroSouth Medical Center

Lee Ryan, 74, a Worth, Illinois man was among the first in Chicago to receive a MRI-compatible pacemaker. His pacemaker was implanted at MetroSouth Medical Center, a hospital known for its excellent cardiac care.

24 Mar 2011

Cardiac pacing may help epilepsy patients with seizure-related falls

Mayo Clinic researchers have found that cardiac pacing may help epilepsy patients with seizure-related falls due to ictal asystole, an unusual condition in which the heart stops beating during an epileptic seizure. The study was recently published in the journal Epilepsia.

24 Mar 2011

St. Joseph's Hospital launches new neuromodulation center in Barrow

St. Joseph's Hospital and Medical Center's Barrow Neurological Institute has received a $10.1 million donation, the largest single gift in the organization's history and one of the biggest ever given to any Arizona hospital.

10 Mar 2011

Researcher launches new DBS clinical trial to pinpoint brain activity in depressed people

A top medical researcher at Barrow Neurological Institute at St. Joseph's Hospital in Phoenix, Arizona, has launched a clinical trial to pinpoint brain activity in depressed people by using scientifically designed sad and heartrending photos and music.

10 Mar 2011

Medtronic opens new manufacturing facility in Singapore

Medtronic, Inc., the global medical technology leader, announced today the official opening of its new manufacturing facility, Medtronic Singapore Operations. The facility will enhance the company's manufacturing capabilities to meet the future expected growth of cardiac devices in Asia.

10 Mar 2011

Brain implant surgery can improve life for people with cervical dystonia

Implanting electrodes into a pea-sized part of the brain can dramatically improve life for people with severe cervical dystonia - a rare but extremely debilitating condition that causes painful, twisting neck muscle spasms - according to the results of a pilot study led by Jill Ostrem, MD and Philip Starr, MD PhD at the University of California, San Francisco.

9 Mar 2011

State roundup: Mass. effort to manage care for chronically ill; promoting organ donations

For a glimpse of the future of Massachusetts health care as Gov. Deval Patrick envisions it, consider Phyllis Minsky. At 82, Phyllis is complex. Medically, that is. ... Older patients with multiple chronic diseases are the biggest consumers of health care; some 15 percent of Medicare patients make up over 75 percent of health care spending.

8 Mar 2011

Scientists discover SNPs linked with high risk of sick sinus syndrome

Scientists at deCODE genetics and academic colleagues from Iceland, The Netherlands, Denmark, USA and Illumina, Inc., today report the discovery of single-letter variants in the sequence of the human genome associated with high risk of sick sinus syndrome.

6 Mar 2011

BIOTRONIK launches new Renamic implantable cardiac device in Europe

BIOTRONIK SE & Co. KG announced today the European market launch of their new Renamic implantable cardiac device programmer. Renamic is the latest addition to BIOTRONIK's new portfolio of external devices launched within only a few months.

3 Mar 2011