Stenosis: New Screening Tool To Detect Blocked Arteries
Great advances have been made in treating blockages in the arteries of the brain using angioplasty to widen the narrowed artery and a stent to hold the artery open. However, in-stent stenosis, or a re-blockage of the artery within the stent due to scar tissue or blood clots, is estimated to occur in up to 30 percent of patients and can cause a stroke or death.

According to the researchers, conventional angiography continues to be used routinely after stent placement to screen for in-stent stenosis. However, conventional angiography requires threading a catheter from the arteries in the groin to the brain and carries a slight risk of neurological and non-neurological procedural complications.

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GE Healthcare today the introduction of its Point-of-Care Life Systems Service Family of Agreements for customers that own GE anesthesia products and solutions. Each of the four Point-of-Care plans is distinguished by its focus on a set of customer-identified priorities, as defined by market research that entailed several hundred comprehensive customer interviews.

“In our research, customers gave us a good idea of the things they valued most at the point of care,” said Mike Battuello, General Manager, GE Healthcare Point-of-Care Devices. “This allowed us to completely overhaul our service portfolio to align with their priorities.”

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Siemens Healthcare recently presented its first MRI breast scanner, Magnetom Espree-Pink. This 1.5-Tesla system is the latest innovation in magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) from Siemens, featuring a dedicated solution for breast examinations. Particularly for obese and claustrophobic patients, the large, 70-centimeter magnet bore makes examinations more comfortable than with previous systems, or, in some cases, it makes them possible for the first time ever. The flexible design of the "Sentinelle Vanguard for Siemens" breast coil also optimizes the clinical workflow. Comprehensive applications, such as syngo Grace or syngo Views, additionally set a new standard in Women’s Health.

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Addressing key national health care experts today at the “State of the Union for Health Care” Conference, Eric Silfen M.D., chief medical officer of Philips Healthcare, called for reform both within the U.S. health care industry and abroad, and a reaffirmation of a commitment to patients. With a focus on ensuring high-quality, accessible care and a renewed commitment to patients, the key to change is through meaningful innovation which encompasses both technology and health care delivery, Silfen noted.

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Toshiba America Medical Systems, Inc. announced the launch of the Aquilion® Premium CT system. The Aquilion Premium rounds out the company's CT portfolio to include a product with the capability to cover up to 8 cm in a single rotation. This system is also field-upgradeable to an Aquilion ONE.

"As part of our continued commitment to providing the right technology mix for the medical community, our customers have asked for a system that allows them to easily upgrade to the Aquilion ONE," said Doug Ryan, senior director, CT Business Unit. "Just as we developed upgrade paths with our Aquilion 8-detector row and 32-detector row products, we are providing the same consumer focused capability with the Aquilion Premium product."

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The CYPHER SELECT®Plus Sirolimus-eluting Coronary Stent has received CE marking within the European Union (EU) for treatment of patients with diabetes, a complex and often difficult-to-treat patient population. CE marking means conformity to the applicable European Directive and in the specific context of diabetes, permits the CYPHER SELECT®Plus stent to be marketed for the treatment of diabetes in all Member States of the European Union.

The expanded indication for the CYPHER SELECT®Plus Stent is based on numerous clinical studies, both randomized clinical trials as well as non-randomized trials that have been presented at major medical meetings and/or appeared in international peer reviewed publications, supporting the safety and efficacy of the device in patients with diabetes.

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Abbott today announced that it has received merger control clearance from the European Commission for its acquisition of Advanced Medical Optics (AMO) through a cash tender offer for the outstanding shares of common stock of AMO. The European Commission approved the transaction without conditions.

This satisfies the condition to the tender offer related to European Commission regulatory approval and is the last regulatory approval that is a condition to the tender offer As previously announced, the tender offer is scheduled to expire at midnight Eastern time on Tuesday, Feb. 24, 2009, unless the tender offer is extended. Consummation of the tender offer remains subject to other customary conditions, including the tender of a majority of the outstanding shares of AMO's common stock on a fully diluted basis.

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