Olympus today announced positive changes to commercial payer policies covering patients who could benefit from its iTind procedure. iTind treats symptoms of lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS) caused by benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH), or enlarged prostate. Aetna updated its Clinical Policy Bulletin 0079 for Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia to include the iTind procedure as medically necessary […]
Olympus
Olympus wins FDA clearance for its first single-use flexible ureteroscope
Olympus announced today that the FDA granted 510(k) clearance for its RenaFlex single-use ureteroscope system. The company expects to begin a full-market rollout at a later date. RenaFlex offers access and visualization in the urinary tract to diagnose and treat urinary diseases and disorders, such as kidney stones. It helps visualize organs, cavities and canals […]
New Olympus Americas CEO takes corner office after former CEO joins Grifols
Olympus Corporation of the Americas (OCA) has a new CEO after its former leader formally took up the same post at Grifols. Julien Sauvagnargues takes over as president and CEO, reporting to Olympus Chief Strategy Officer (CSO) Gabriela Kaynor. The change went into effect today after former OCA CEO and Olympus global COO Nacho Abia […]
Olympus completes acquisition of GI stent maker Taewoong Medical
Olympus announced today that it closed its acquisition of Taewoong Medical, a Korea-based medical device manufacturer. Taewoong Medical develops gastrointestinal (GI) metallic stents, among other offerings. Olympus announced its intent to acquire the company for $370 million in February 2023. The deal includes $255.5 million upfront, with up to $114.5 million in potential milestone payments […]
Olympus, Canon Medical partner on endoscopic ultrasound
Canon Medical and Olympus announced that they reached an agreement to collaborate on endoscopic ultrasound technology. Under the agreement, Canon will develop and manufacture diagnostic ultrasound used in endoscopic ultrasonography (EUS). Olympus handles the sales and marketing efforts in the collaboration. The deal utilizes Canon’s Aplio i800 diagnostic EUS ultrasound and Olympus’ ultrasound endoscope. Canon […]
Olympus bronchoscopes in Class I recall could lead to burns, fire
The FDA labeled a recall of Olympus bronchoscopes that could lead to burns or fire Class I, the most serious kind. Olympus reports 192 complaints related to the issue, including four injuries. The company has received no reports of death. This recall — a correction, not a product removal — applies to Olympus bronchofiberscopes and […]
Sony, Olympus to collab on next-gen endoscopes
Olympus announced today that it agreed to a new business alliance with Sony over medical devices — specifically endoscopes. The two companies first entered into a collaboration in September 2012, establishing Sony Olympus Medical Solutions. The joint venture aimed to combine Olympus’ lens and optical technologies, plus brand and R&D, with Sony’s broad range of […]
Olympus has more warnings over bronchoscopes
Olympus has initiated a voluntary field corrective action following reports of endobronchial combustion incidents involving bronchoscopes. The field corrective action — announced Nov. 9 — is taking place after incidents occurred during medical procedures utilizing high-frequency therapy equipment in environments rich in oxygen, according to the company. The warnings are separate from Olympus’ July field […]
Olympus warns on insufflation unit after reported death, other complications
Olympus announced a field corrective action in the U.S. due to over-insufflation during use of its UHI-4 high-flow insufflation unit. The company designed UHI-4 to facilitate laparoscopic and endoscopic observation, diagnosis and treatment. It insufflates the abdominal cavity and colon, providing automatic suction and smoke evacuation. Olympus received complaints of patients suffering complications from over-insufflation […]
Olympus launches operating room visualization, integration system
Olympus announced today that it launched its EasySuite ES-IP system for procedure room visualization and integration in the U.S. The next generation of EasySuite, ES-IP is a modular, scalable, workflow-based solution. It features the Olympus digital hub and its flexibility to run current software and potential future multi-specialty applications. “We are excited to bring the […]
Study backs Olympus iTind for treating enlarged prostate
Olympus today announced positive study data for its minimally invasive iTind treatment for symptoms of enlarged prostate. The iTind procedure involves the placement of a temporary implanted nitinol device that reshapes the prostatic urethra. It does this without burning or cutting the prostate. Device placement can occur in an outpatient setting or physician’s office. The […]