April 9, 2007 — The drug used in Johnson & Johnson’s drug-eluting stent — produced by J&J-owned Cordis — does not infringe on a patent held by Boston Scientific. So rule a U.S. federal judge last week.

U.S. District Court Judge Sue Robinson, Delaware, granted a motion by J&J unit Cordis for summary judgment, saying, "based on the evidence of record, no reasonable juror could find for Boston Scientific on the issue of infringement."

Patent disputes in lower courts had previously ruled in Boston Scientific’s favor.

April 9, 2007 — Possis Medical Inc. has announced that the FDA has approved its AngioJet Spiroflex VG rapid exchange for blood clot (thrombus) removal in coronary conduits.

April 6, 2007 — Ohio State University Heart Center has appointed cardiac ultrasound expert Dr. Thomas Ryan as its new director. Dr. Ryan was director of the Duke University Heart Center.

April 6, 2007 — Toshiba America Medical Systems, Inc. has developed three imaging techniques for its MR product line, including the Vantage systems, that allow for contrast free imaging during MRA procedures. Contrast-free imaging is particularly important because gadolinium, the common contrast agent used for magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and magnetic resonance angiography (MRA) exams, recently has been directly linked to nephrogenic systemic fibrosis, also known as nephrogenic fibrosing dermopathy (NSF/NFD), a sometimes fatal disease that occurs in patients with renal insufficiency.

April 6, 2007 — MedicalCV Inc., Minneapolis, MN, has announced that Allen R. Raczkowski, M.D., director of Robotic Cardiac Surgery at Banner Baywood Health Systems in Mesa, AZ, performed a closed-chest, robotic, lone cardiac ablation procedure on an arrested heart on March 30 using the ATRILAZE Surgical Ablation System.

April 6, 2007 — Spectranetics Corp., Colorado Springs, CO, has announced the commercial availability of the TURBO elite product line for excimer laser ablation to treat peripheral artery disease (PAD). The TURBO elite product line features an enhanced outer jacket and inner guide wire lumen with optimized ablation efficiency and energy output that enables increased penetration rates.

The AXIOM Sensis XP combines both hemo and advanced EP applications in one system. The system delivers clinical workflow support programs that are flexible and customizable. Reports are generated automatically, based on customizable templates, integrating database entries and key images. High signal quality means diagnostic confidence during procedures.

The AXIOM Sensis XP combines both hemo and advanced EP applications in one system. The system delivers clinical workflow support programs that are flexible and customizable. Reports are generated automatically, based on customizable templates, integrating database entries and key images. High signal quality means diagnostic confidence during procedures.

April 4, 2007 — Immersion Medical has updated its endovascular platform with features that allow it to simulate a wider range of procedures. The new platform, now called the CathLabVR system, allows surgical simulation with as many as four devices or tools and for procedures involving more regions of the body.

In addition to coronary treatments, physicians use endovascular procedures to treat several other diseases, including peripheral arterial disease.

Cardica Inc. has announced that it has received FDA 510(k) clearance to market its C-Port Flex A Anastomosis System in the U.S. The Flex A is a variation of Cardica's C-Port xA Distal Anastomosis System product line and further facilitates the automated anastomosis, or attachment of blood vessels and grafts, during less invasive coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) procedures.

Subscribe to
© Copyright Wainscot Media. All Rights Reserved.
Subscribe Now