Vascular News and Research

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Relieve stress: Exercise, meditate, delegate tasks, diet and be happy

It's impossible to know, unless you're Urban Meyer or one of his doctors, what exactly caused the two-time college football championship winner to see-saw decisions about his prestigious professional career and his family life.

30 Dec 2009

Spectranetics illegally imports unapproved medical devices, agrees to pay $5M for resolving allegations

Spectranetics Corporation, a medical device manufacturer, has agreed to pay the United States $4.9 million in civil damages plus a $100,000 forfeiture to resolve claims against the company, the Justice Department announced today. The claims arise from allegations that the company illegally imported unapproved medical devices and provided them to physicians for use in patients, conducted a clinical study in a manner that failed to comply with federal regulations and promoted certain products for procedures for which the company had not received Food and Drug Administration approval or clearance.

30 Dec 2009

AngioDynamics introduces its new Total Abscession nephrostomy drainage catheter

AngioDynamics announced today the release of its new Total Abscession nephrostomy drainage catheter. The launch of this product completes the Total Abscession family of products – including general drains and a biliary drainage catheter – giving physicians and hospitals a full range of choice from one source.

29 Dec 2009

MiMedx Group launches its Paradis Vaso Shield vessel cover product

MiMedx Group, Inc. announced today that it has officially launched its first product, Paradis Vaso Shield(TM). In April 2009, The Food and Drug Administration cleared the Vaso Shield for use as a cover for vessels following anterior vertebral surgeries. The Vaso Shield is a permanent and transparent hydrogel product protected by multiple patents and patent applications, as well as a proprietary manufacturing process.

24 Dec 2009

Pancreas 3-D imaging useful in preoperative assessment of pancreatic carcinoma patients

In the field of hepatic imaging in the context of living liver donors and before complex partial liver resections, three-dimensional imaging of the liver, hepatic vessels and bile ducts has managed to become established in some centers. In this case, in addition to visualization, the volumetry of various liver sections is of interest. Moreover, the three-dimensional reconstruction can be used preoperatively to consider various resection options and to evaluate their technical feasibility with regard to vascular and bile duct anatomy and to the expected liver volume after surgery.

23 Dec 2009

Niacin may not be beneficial for type 2 diabetic patients

High-density lipoprotein (HDL), known as "good" cholesterol, isn't as protective for people with type 2 diabetes, according to research reported in Circulation: Journal of the American Heart Association.

22 Dec 2009

Researchers use hydrogels to induce significant vasculature growth in areas of damaged tissue

Regenerative medicine therapies often require the growth of functional, stable blood vessels at the site of an injury. Using synthetic polymers called hydrogels, researchers at the Georgia Institute of Technology have been able to induce significant vasculature growth in areas of damaged tissue.

22 Dec 2009

Reference platform for diabetic retinopathy and other vascular complications

The volume addresses a variety of current scientific discussions about mechanisms of damage such as growth factors and the VEGF/PEDF balance in the diabetic eye, the ocular renin-angiotensin system, and leukocyte interactions with the microvasculature among others.

22 Dec 2009

Gore introduces PROPATEN Vascular Grafts with Integrated Rings

W. L. Gore & Associates (Gore) today announced it will expand its line of GORE PROPATEN® Vascular Grafts to include configurations with a unique, all ePTFE radial support that is concealed within the ultra-smooth graft wall and resists kinking and compression. The GORE PROPATEN Vascular Graft with Integrated Rings was introduced at the 2009 AIMsymposiumTM / VEITHsymposiumTM in November in New York City.

21 Dec 2009

Effectiveness of VSEL stem cells in regenerative medicine demonstrated at the ASH meeting

NeoStem, Inc. (NYSE Amex: NBS), which is a leading provider of pre-disease adult stem cell collection, processing and long-term storage services, and holds the exclusive, worldwide license to VSEL(TM) technology that uses very small embryonic-like stem cells isolated from peripheral blood, announced today that five posters and two oral presentations at the prestigious American Society of Hematology (ASH) Annual Meeting in New Orleans in early December demonstrated the basic cellular mechanisms of very small embryonic-like stem cells.

21 Dec 2009

Healthcare Trust of America to acquire medical office building for $10,775,000

Healthcare Trust of America, Inc. ("HTA"), a self-managed, non-traded, real estate investment trust, announced the execution of a purchase and sale agreement to acquire a medical office building located in Jacksonville, Florida for approximately $10,775,000.

18 Dec 2009

Neurologist performs catheter procedure on stroke patient

Most strokes are caused by blood clots in brain vessels. Brain cells die when deprived of blood and oxygen. But if a patient gets to the hospital in time, fast treatment often can restore blood flow and minimize damage.

17 Dec 2009

Arizona State University and Mayo Clinic team up to explore metabolic syndrome

Arizona State University and Mayo Clinic in Arizona are joining forces in a partnership to investigate metabolic syndrome - a cluster of high-risk medical factors that include increased blood pressure, elevated insulin levels, excess body fat and abnormal cholesterol levels, which can lead to heart disease, stroke and diabetes.

16 Dec 2009

Deaths from heart disease peak in December and January, US database reveals

'Tis the season… for a heart attack? According to Dr. Keith Churchwell, associate director of the Vanderbilt Heart and Vascular Institute at Vanderbilt University Medical Center, a US database of 53 million deaths occurring between 1973 and 2001 reveals that deaths from heart disease peak in December and January, with spikes on Christmas and New Year's Day.

16 Dec 2009

ThromboGenics completes enrollment in second microplasmin Phase III trial

ThromboGenics NV, a biopharmaceutical company focused on the discovery and development of innovative treatments for eye disease, vascular disease and cancer, announces today that it has completed the enrolment of the second Phase III trial evaluating microplasmin for the non-surgical treatment of eye disease.

16 Dec 2009

Low plasma CETP activity associated with increased risk of heart disease, says study

Although seen as a potential heart disease therapy, raising high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol levels by inhibiting activity of a transfer protein may not be effective, a new study suggests.

16 Dec 2009

Tarenflurbil drug does not appear to benefit Alzheimer’s patients

Although there were promising results in a phase 2 trial, patients with mild Alzheimer disease who received the drug tarenflurbil as part of a phase 3 trial did not have better outcomes on measures of cognitive decline or loss of activities of daily living compared to patients who received placebo, according to a study in the December 16 issue of JAMA.

15 Dec 2009

Lilly Endowment offers $60 million to implement the Indiana Physician Scientist Initiative

When a patient has a disease that can't be treated effectively, the physician can see clearly where research is needed.

15 Dec 2009

AstraZeneca, UVa announce collaboration in development of new treatments for CAD and PAD

AstraZeneca and the University of Virginia (UVa) in Charlottesville, today announced that they have entered into a strategic research collaboration to enhance development of new treatments primarily for coronary artery disease (CAD) with a secondary focus on peripheral vascular disease (PAD).

15 Dec 2009

Champagne improves blood flow and reduces risk of cardiovascular diseases

Research from the University of Reading suggests that two glasses of Champagne a day may be good for your heart and circulation. The researchers have found that drinking Champagne wine daily in moderate amounts causes improvements in the way blood vessels function.

15 Dec 2009