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. Covidien opens Brazilian training center

Medtech titan Covidien cut the ribbon on a new training center in Sao Paulo, Brazil, the home country of president & CEO Jose Almeida.

The company said that the new 3,000-square meter facility is located near the Ponte Estaiada, which is not far from the Instituto Maua de Tecnologia where Almeida received a Bachelor of Science in mechanical engineering. Read more

2. FDA delays UDI rule for contacts, intraocular lenses

Makers of contact lenses and intraocular lenses are getting a 1-year reprieve after the FDA agreed to shift their due date for complying with Unique Device Identifier rules.

Manufacturers successfully lobbied for a delay after demonstrating that requirements for lenses would create a massive burden for both device makers and regulators. Read more

1. Covidien’s atherectomy study finally hits JACC

It may have taken 2 years but final results from Covidien’s DEFINITIVE LE study finally appeared in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology’s Cardiovascular Interventions issue.

Originally announced in 2012, the results show that Covidien’s directional atherectomy devices are safe and effective in treating peripheral artery disease. Researchers used the company’s TurboHawk and SilverHawk systems to help save patients from amputation by removing plaque from blood vessels and keeping arteries open. Read more