Say hello to MassDevice +3, a bite-sized view of the top three medtech stories of the day. This feature of MassDevice.com’s coverage highlights our 3 biggest and most influential stories from the day’s news to make sure you’re up to date on the headlines that continue to shape the medical device industry.

 

3. Intuitive Surgical touts new data on robot-assisted lung surgery

Patients undergoing robot-assisted lung surgery fared as well as or better than those treated via widely used minimally invasive techniques, according to study results touted this week by Intuitive Surgical (NSDQ:ISRG).

Researchers in a pair of studies compared 3 types of lung surgeries: robotic-assisted thoracoscopic surgery, minimally invasive video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (VATS) and open surgery. Read more

2. Boston Scientific beats estimates with Q1 earnings, but sales miss the mark

Boston Scientific beat Wall Street’s expectations with its 1st-quarter earnings, reporting a swing to black ink and raising its earnings guidance for the rest of 2014. But the medical device company missed estimates for its sales during the quarter, sending share prices down today on Wall Street.

First-quarter profits for Boston Scientific were $133 million, or 10¢ per share, on sales of $1.77 billion for the 3 months ended March 31. That compares with a net loss of $354 million during the same period last year and sales of $1.76 million, for top-line growth of 0.7%. Read more

1. Sorin wins FDA approval for Mitroflow heart valve plus calcification reduction

Sorin Group (BIT:SRN) won FDA approval for a the next generation of its Mitroflow bioprosthetic valves, touting new features that improve the implant’s durability be reducing calcification.

The new Mitroflow with Phospholipid Reduction Treatment lowers phospholipid content, which was found in testing to reduce calcium uptake by 99% compared with a control, according to a Sorin press release. Read more