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Two patients receive first kidney transplants through OPTN national program

A man in St. Louis and a woman in New Hampshire have received the first kidney transplants made possible through a new national program of the Organ Procurement and Transplantation Network that uses a Carnegie Mellon University computer algorithm to match transplant candidates with living donors.

14 Dec 2010

World's first remote 3D keyhole surgery to be performed at University of Surrey

Doctors will shortly be performing the world's first remote 3D keyhole surgery during a symposium at the University of Surrey. Keyhole surgery - where doctors operate on organs through a tiny incision - reduces the length of hospital stays and post-operative complications. This also means that patients experience less scarring and pain. 3D keyhole surgery is a state-of-the-art extension of standard keyhole surgery that uses 3D cameras like those used to make the film 'Avatar'. It puts the surgeon right inside the patient's body and significantly improves accuracy.

14 Dec 2010

Glycotope receives innovation award 2010 for GlycoExpress technology platform

Glycotope GmbH, a leading glycobiology company, has won the innovation award 2010 jointly presented by the German states of Berlin and Brandenburg in recognition of the company's GlycoExpress™ technology platform. GlycoExpress™ combines a very efficient improvement of the activities and side effects of a broad range of protein biopharmaceuticals with the suitability for a much broader patient population and a very high productivity.

14 Dec 2010

Life Technologies announces launch of Ion Personal Genome Machine sequencer

Life Technologies Corporation, a provider of innovative life science solutions, today announced that it has launched its Ion Personal Genome Machine (PGM™) sequencer, the first product to use semiconductor sequencing technology. The sequencer is shipping to select sites in North America, Europe and Asia Pacific.

14 Dec 2010

UnitedHealthcare's care management solution will improve diabetes prescription drug adherence: Study

HealthLeaders-InterStudy, a leading provider of managed care market intelligence, reports that UnitedHealthcare's innovative care management solution in the Phoenix market will improve diabetes prescription drug adherence. According to the recent West Health Plan Analysis, the use of non-physician, credentialed providers is intended to create virtual medical homes that allow non-traditional providers, such as pharmacists, wellness coordinators and lifestyle coaches, to recommend and coordinate necessary prescription adjustments.

14 Dec 2010

NIST publishes guides to support EHR system developers

Two new publications from the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) are intended to help developers of software and computer systems for doctors' offices, clinics, and hospitals improve the ease of use of electronic health records (EHRs). These publications are part of a federal effort, led by the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology (ONC) to help providers adopt and use EHRs that can bring about broad quality improvements and cost savings in the health care system.

14 Dec 2010

ICESP selects Ekahau RTLS for staff tracking solution

Ekahau Inc., the worldwide leader in high performance Wi-Fi-based Real Time Location Systems, today announced that Ekahau RTLS is being utilized as the underlying real-time tracking and bi-directional communications technology for a staff tracking solution at Instituto do Cancer do Estado de Sao Paulo Octavio Frias de Oliveira - ICESP, part of the "Sistema FMUSP-HC" system, which is the largest public cancer treatment center in Latin America.

14 Dec 2010

Integra launches second size of Endoscopic Gastroc Release System

Integra LifeSciences Holdings Corporation announced today the launch of a second size of the Integra™ Endoscopic Gastroc Release (EGR) System in the United States. Integra's EGR System is a disposable device with a unique articulating blade that allows selective cutting of soft tissues. It is intended for use in the surgical treatment for posterior heel cord, or equinus, contracture.

14 Dec 2010

Chinese hospital uses UNIQUE radiotherapy system to treat cancer patients

Prince of Wales Hospital in Hong Kong, China, has become the first treatment center in Asia to commence treating cancer patients using the UNIQUE™ medical linear accelerator from Varian Medical Systems (NYSE: VAR).

14 Dec 2010

Genomic Health announces results of Oncotype DX test in early-stage breast cancer patients

"We provide optimal care to breast cancer patients when we treat the underlying biology of their individual tumors," said Steven Shak, MD, chief medical officer of Genomic Health.

14 Dec 2010

Gore releases statement in response to safety of GORE HELEX Septal Occluder for PFO closure in cryptogenic stroke patients

W. L. Gore & Associates (Gore) today released the following statement from the Gore REDUCE Clinical Study Principal Investigators on behalf of the Gore REDUCE Clinical Study Steering Committee in response to the recent CLOSURE I results presentation.

14 Dec 2010

Vented bottles prevent nutrient loss in breast milk and infant formula

A recently published University of Nevada study indicates that both breast milk and infant formula should be protected from the air to reduce the impact of oxidation on essential nutrients, including vitamins A and E. An earlier phase of the study showed similar impacts on Vitamin C.

14 Dec 2010

Roche launches new xCELLigence System RTCA HT Instrument

The new xCELLigence System RTCA HT Instrument from Roche Diagnostics rounds out the company's portfolio in real-time cell analysis with a high-throughput product. The new instrument merges the power and flexibility of xCELLigence System technology with high-throughput analyses and workflows for automated screening applications.

From Roche Sequencing and Life Science 14 Dec 2010

Study finds carotid artery stenting has higher risk of stroke and death than carotid endarterectomy

To meet reimbursement criteria, candidates for carotid artery stenting (CAS) must either be high-risk surgical patients or be enrolled in a critical trial.

14 Dec 2010

SINTEF ICT scientists develop sensor belt to monitor chronically ill patients

SINTEF ICT scientists have developed a sensor belt that monitors chronically ill patients and communicates the results via mobile telephone. The scientists are now about to carry out a user trial together with a research partner in the US.

14 Dec 2010

National Institutes of Health honors Nevada nursing professor with $377,000 for ischemia study

University of Nevada, Reno Orvis School of Nursing researcher Michele Pelter has been awarded $377,000 from the National Institutes of Health to study detection of ischemia, a condition that can lead to heart attacks.

14 Dec 2010

UCSF physicians evlaute devices that could reduce hair loss in breast cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy

UCSF physicians are combating a devastating side effect of chemotherapy with an innovative new program -- "Hair to Stay" -- to evaluate devices that could reduce scalp hair loss in breast cancer patients.

14 Dec 2010

Intercell to stop further development of Travelers' Diarrhea Vaccine Patch

Intercell AG announced today preliminary clinical results on its investigational Travelers' Diarrhea (TD) Vaccine Patch program and the decision not to pursue further the development of this vaccine candidate. The decision was made following the receipt of results of its randomized and placebo-controlled Phase III study (ELT301) with 2036 travelers from Europe to Mexico and Guatemala as well as the pilot efficacy Phase II trial (ELT209) with 723 travelers from Europe to India.

13 Dec 2010

Enrollment commences in multi-center clinical trial of CorMatrix ECM for Pericardial Closure

CorMatrix Cardiovascular, Inc., an Atlanta-based company dedicated to developing and delivering unique extracellular matrix (ECM) biomaterial devices that harness the body's innate ability to repair damaged cardiovascular tissue, announced today that Franciscan Alliance/St. Francis Heart Center in Indianapolis, Indiana is the first site to enroll a patient in the multi-center clinical trial of the CorMatrix ECM for Pericardial Closure to reduce the incidence of new onset postoperative atrial fibrillation.

13 Dec 2010

iMDsoft, Mindray enter new distribution agreement

iMDsoft®, a leader in hospital-wide clinical information systems, and Mindray, a leading global provider of medical devices, have today announced a new distribution agreement. Under the agreement, Mindray will sell only clinical information systems by iMDsoft, and will be the sole distributor of MetaVision® in China. Mindray will also distribute iMDsoft's MetaVision® Suite solutions in 10 countries in Europe, Africa, and Asia.

From Mindray 13 Dec 2010