Medical Devices News and Research

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Nanoscale switch could serve as sensor, medical tool

Improving significantly on an early prototype, Johns Hopkins University researchers have found a new way to join two unrelated proteins to create a molecular switch, a nanoscale "device" in which one biochemical partner controls the activity of the other.

29 Nov 2004

Effective research could prevent half of the world's deaths

Health systems research has the potential to produce dramatic improvements in health worldwide and to meet some of the major development challenges in the new millennium.

11 Nov 2004

New valve repair device that could replace major heart surgery

The Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania (HUP) is participating in a nationwide clinical trial of a new valve repair device that could replace major heart surgery in some patients.

8 Nov 2004

Blood flow monitoring system to reduce risks during heart surgery

A unique haemodynamic (blood flow) monitoring system which will help to minimise the risk of complications during cardiovascular surgery is being developed by Leeds-based medical devices company, Medics Research Ltd.

4 Nov 2004

Uterine fibroid treatment option 'safe and effective'

Boston Scientific Corporation today welcomed an announcement by the Interventional Procedures Advisory Committee (IPAC) of the National Institute for Clinical Excellence (NICE), confirming the safety and efficacy of uterine fibroid embolization (UFE), an innovative treatment for fibroids.

1 Nov 2004

Is NICE delivering the goods?

Implementation of guidance issued by the National Institute for Clinical Excellence (NICE) has been mixed, according to a study in this week's BMJ.

29 Oct 2004

FDA approves device that uses magnetic resonance image guided focused ultrasound to target and destroy uterine fibroids

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) today approved the ExAblate 2000 System, a new medical device that uses magnetic resonance image guided focused ultrasound to target and destroy uterine fibroids, non-cancerous masses located in the uterus.

22 Oct 2004

Pilot study of mind-to-movement device shows early promise

In March 2002, Brown University researchers published an astounding piece of science. Three rhesus monkeys, they reported, could control a computer cursor without their hands. They used their minds instead.

10 Oct 2004

New medical imaging device will help pinpoint suitable veins for an injection or a drip

The modern technology of light detection using charge coupled device (CCD) TV cameras along with the power of the modern digital computer and state of the art image processing algorithms can be applied to the solution of problems in Medical Imaging.

7 Oct 2004

Guidant announces plans to initiate vulnerable plaque study

Guidant has announced plans to conduct a study designed to increase clinical understanding of “vulnerable” plaques – lipid-rich coronary lesions that suddenly rupture – that may cause most heart attacks.

27 Sep 2004

$16 million investment in minute wireless implant technology

Remon Medical Technologies a privately held medical device company, today announced that it has raised $16 million in the initial close of a Series C financing.

23 Sep 2004

Study on the long-term health effects associated with silicone breast implants

It is estimated that between 1.5 million and 2 million women in this country have had breast implants since they first appeared on the market in 1962.

23 Sep 2004

FDA approves permanently implanted lens as an alternative to contact lenses or laser surgery

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved a plastic lens that is permanently implanted into the eye to correct moderate to severe nearsightedness.

14 Sep 2004

New device aimed at detecting glaucoma

The physician who revolutionized screening methods for glaucoma nearly 20 years ago has patented a new device aimed at detecting glaucoma, a leading cause of blindness.

10 Sep 2004

Estimated 454,383 people suffered injuries from medical devices

An estimated 454,383 people suffered injuries from medical devices – ranging from wheelchair accidents to careless toothbrushing – in one 12-month period from 1999-2000, say researchers from two federal regulatory agencies.

10 Sep 2004

Hospitals should use latex medical gloves with lower protein and powder levels to reduce latex sensitivity rather than synthetic alternatives

The non-profit, independent evaluator of medical devices notes that while some synthetic alternatives may cost less, latex gloves are still the most cost-effective choice when a glove offering a good level of protection is required.

8 Sep 2004

FDA clears device to remove blood clots from the brain in patients experiencing an ischemic stroke

An ischemic stroke occurs when a blood vessel in the brain is blocked by a blood clot which can impair brain function and cause severe disability or death. Of the 700,000 annual strokes in the US, approximately 83 percent (or 581,000) are ischemic. The Merci Retriever is a novel therapy that removes clots, restores blood flow and offers hope for ischemic stroke patients with no other options.

16 Aug 2004

Dynamics between disposable and reusable segments affect expansion of disposable drapes and gowns markets

The market for disposable surgical drapes and gowns in Europe has seen steady growth in the recent past owing to the high standards of infection control enforced by the new European Union Medical Device Directive (MDD) and EU regulations.

11 Aug 2004

FDA asks Utah Medical Products to stop manufacturing and distributing medical devices

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has announced that it is asking Utah Medical Products, to stop manufacturing and distributing medical devices until the firm has demonstrated that it has corrected deviations from Current Good Manufacturing Practice, as set forth in the Quality System regulation.