From Mauna Kea receiving FDA clearance to Medacta getting clearance for its pedicle screw placement guide, here are seven medtech stories we missed this week but thought were still worth mentioning. 1. Mauna Kea wins FDA nod for neurosurgery indication Mauna Kea announced in a May 24 press releasethat it has received FDA 510(k) clearance for
8 companies commercializing transcatheter mitral valve replacements
May 22, 2018 By Leave a Comment
Transcatheter mitral valve replacement is a new frontier in the cardio device field, with big legacy medical device companies including Edwards Lifesciences, Medtronic and Abbott spending hundreds of millions of dollars on companies in the space. Much different from transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR), transcatheter mitral valve replacement (TMVR) has been mostly experimental. TMVR is used
Medtech stories we missed this week: April 27, 2018
April 27, 2018 By Leave a Comment
From DuPuy Synthes’s spinal implant launch to Lumendi’s FDA clearance, here are seven medtech stories we missed this week but thought were still worth mentioning. 1. DePuy Synthes launches spinal implants DePuy Synthes announced in an April 26 press release that it has launched its Proti 360º integrated titanium family of interbody devices that are designed
3D printing can reduce heart valve leaks: Here’s how
April 27, 2018 By Leave a Comment
Doctors can use 3D printing and computer modeling to predict paravavular leak (PVL) in patients who are undergoing transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR), according to new research from the University of Minnesota. One of the common risks associated with TAVR is valves not fitting which can cause PVL. A recent study conducted by cardiovascular fellow
What is a left ventricular assist device and how does it work?
April 23, 2018 By Leave a Comment
What is a left ventricular assist device? A left ventricle assist device (LVAD) is a mechanical pump that attaches to the left ventricle of the heart to supplement the function of the pumping chamber, according to Jodi Hutchins, a regulatory and quality consultant at Proven Process Medical Devices. The left ventricle of the heart is responsible
Medtech stories we missed this week: April 20, 2018
April 20, 2018 By Leave a Comment
From CHF Solutions’ new Italian distribution deal to Masimo’s CE Mark approval, here are five medtech stories we missed this week but thought were still worth mentioning. 1. CHF Solutions signs Italian distribution deal CHF Solutions announced in an April 17 press release that it has signed a new distribution agreement with TRX Italy to distribute
FDA OKs Opus breast implant line from Sientra, with Lubrizol manufacturing
April 20, 2018 By Leave a Comment
The FDA this week granted a pre-market approval supplement to Sientra (NSDQ:SIEN) for its Opus line of silicone breast implants. The implants are made in Wisconsin by Lubrizol LifeSciences subsidiary Vesta, which inked a contract manufacturing deal with Sientra back in August 2016. Sales of Sientra’s silicone breast implants ground to a halt in the autumn of 2015, when […]
Turns out graphene can fight bacteria on implants
April 18, 2018 By Leave a Comment
Graphene flakes that are arranged like spikes can kill bacteria and stop infections during implant surgery procedures, according to new research from Chalmers University of Technology in Göteborg, Sweden. Bacteria moves around the body in fluids like blood looking for an area to stick to. Once they find a place, the bacteria starts to grow
DARPA is developing a human memory prosthesis: Here’s how
April 4, 2018 By Leave a Comment
The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) has successfully created what it is calling a human memory prosthesis, a system with electrodes implanted in the brain that restores memory function using a person’s own neural codes. DARPA has been working on restoring normal memory function in military personnel since 2013 in a program known as
Medtech stories we missed this week: March 23, 2018
March 23, 2018 By Leave a Comment
From Medizone’s evaluation deal to Advantis Medical Imaging getting CE Mark approval, here are medtech stories we missed this week but thought were still worth mentioning. 1. Medizone inks AsepticSure evaluation deal with commercial cleaning products maker Innovasource Medizone announced in a March 22 press release that it has signed a product evaluation agreement with Innovasource.
Medtech stories we missed this week: March 16, 2018
March 16, 2018 By Leave a Comment
From Intricon expanding its manufacturing space to Arthrex signing a global distribution deal, here are seven medtech stories we missed this week but thought were still worth mentioning. 1. Intricon expands medical footprint Intricon announced in a March 13 press release that it has signed a 5-year lease that will secure 30,000 sq. ft of manufacturing
13 orthopedic products from AAOS 2018 you need to know
March 13, 2018 By Leave a Comment
The American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons’s annual meeting is an opportunity for industry professional to come together and showcase some of their latest orthopedic solutions, research and technology. The meeting is being held in New Orleans at the Morial Convention Center, March 6-10. This year, a number of orthopedic companies have launched some of their latest
This medtech CEO led his company to a $200 million buyout
March 8, 2018 By Leave a Comment
Guiding a company through a merger or an acquisition can test a CEO’s leadership skills. Here’s how NinePoint Medical CEO, Christopher von Jako, led his former medtech company, NeuroTherm, through a deal with St. Jude Medical. When Christopher von Jako assumed the corner office at NeuroTherm in 2013, the company had gone through two other
Microfluidics can make brain implants safer: Here’s how
February 21, 2018 By Leave a Comment
Researchers at Rice University have created a device that uses microfluidics to implant flexible, conductive carbon nanotube fibers in the brain that can record neuron actions and replace traditional implant methods that can damage brain tissues. Rice University researchers suggest that the implant technique could improve therapies that need electrodes to sense neuronal signals and
17 black innovators who made medtech better
February 9, 2018 By Leave a Comment
From cardiology to endoscopy to blood transfusion, African Americans have played an important role as innovators in the history of medicine and medtech. To help mark African American History Month, here’s a look at some of their greatest achievements. Here are 17 black innovators who have made discoveries and invented devices to make medtech better.
