April 14, 2008 - MAQUET Cardiovascular launched HEARTSTRING III Proximal Seal System for coronary artery bypass surgery procedures, a proximal seal technology that allows surgeons to perform coronary artery bypass grafts without the use of a partial occlusion clamp during beating heart surgery.

April 14 - Doctors implanted the ATS 3f Aortic Bioprosthesis, marking the first North American commercial implant after ATS Medical Inc. received Canadian regulatory approval for the device at the end of December, 2007.

The first implant was performed by Benoit de Varennes, M.D., MSc, FRSC, chairman, Division of Cardiac Surgery at McGill University in Montreal, Canada. The patient was a 76-year-old man with aortic valve stenosis. The valve replacement was successful and the patient has been discharged from the hospital in good condition.

April 11, 2008 - Philips will acquire all outstanding shares in Shenzhen Goldway Industrial Inc. (Goldway), making Goldway part of the patient monitoring business within Philips Healthcare, as part of its strategy to strengthen its position in China and increase its presence in emerging markets.

Goldway offers patient-monitoring solutions that range from basic standalone to more fully-equipped monitors, including products that have been FDA approved in the U.S. or carry the CE certification in Europe.

April 11, 2008 - The incidence and hospital admissions for a heart attack in the Medicare population have dramatically declined since 2000, more than offsetting rising costs for hospital care, according to a new study by Cardiac Data Solutions Inc.