Abbott began enrolling U.S. patients in the EXCEL trial, which will compare the use of the Xience Prime or Xience V drug-eluting strents to coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) surgery for effectiveness of left main revascularization. The large-scale trial will attempt to show stenting has comparable or superior outcomes to CABG, which has long been the dream of interventional cardiology.

October 4, 2011 – Roche announced plans today to expand its coagulation testing product line in North America beyond physician offices and outpatient clinics with the development of a full line of coagulation analyzers for hospital and reference laboratories. The new line is expected to be introduced in the United States and Canada in 2014, subject to regulatory approval and other requirements.

October 4, 2011 – The International Contrast Ultrasound Society (ICUS) submitted a petition this week to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) requesting removal of the boxed warnings on ultrasound contrast agents. The members of the group say this would bring the product labeling into line with the current body of scientific research, which it says clearly demonstrates the safety and clinical benefits of these imaging products.

Toshiba America Medical Systems will showcase the Infinix VF-i bi-plane angiography system with dual 12”x12” mid-size flat panel detectors (FPDs) at the 2011 Radiological Society of North America (RSNA) annual meeting. With a wider field-of-view and easy patient access, the VF-i bi-plane allows interventional radiologists to increase efficiency and perform complicated procedures quicker. Additionally, Variable Dose Mode, Virtual Collimation, Electronic Zoom and extensive pulse fluoro frame rate selections place comprehensive dose management features at tableside.

October 3, 2011 – Maquet Cardiovascular has signed a definitive agreement to acquire Atrium Medical Corp. for $680 million. Atrium is a medical device technologies developer for interventional cardiology and radiology, chest trauma care and thoracic drainage, vascular surgery and general surgery.  Atrium will operate as an independent, self-contained business unit of Maquet and will be led by current Atrium president Trevor Carlton.

October 3, 2011 —The American Society of Echocardiography (ASE) has published guidelines for new applications for echocardiography in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU). An expert consensus statement, “Targeted Neonatal Echocardiography in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit: Practice Guidelines and Recommendations for Training,” has been published in the October 2011 issue of JASE, the ASE’s monthly journal, and is also available online at: www.asecho/guidelines. The document defines the scope and appropriateness of echocardiography in the NICU and defines standards for both the echocardiographic examination and the individuals who perform and interpret these studies.

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