Medtronic, Medtronic, Medtronic: MedGadget editor Dan Buckland took time off from his MD studies at Harvard Medical School and MIT to drop in on the Minneapolis headquarters of Medtronic Inc. for an in-depth, inside look at the world’s largest medical device maker. Buckland got Dr. Stephen Oesterle, MDT’s VP of medicine and technology, to dish on the company’s future direction; he also got a look at the company’s Mounds View Bakken Education Center, a "medical Epcot," and got answers for MedGadget readers’ questions.
Covidien’s Endo GIA endoscopic stapler: Covidien introduced the first two products in its new Tri-Staple platform: the Endo GIA Ultra Universal Stapler and the Endo GIA Reloads with Tri-Staple Technology. The system can accommodate a wider range of tissue sizes than traditional staplers and the company hopes that the improved firing mechanism will make the device more convenient for surgeons. Covidien also announced plans to add additional products to the Tri-Staple technology platform over the next year.
PatchAssist laparoscopic hernia mesh tool wins 510(k) clearance: Israel’s PolyTouch Medical received 510(k) clearance from the Food & Drug Administration for its PatchAssist laparoscopic hernia mesh placement device. The tool was developed to allow surgeons a more predictable and standardized approach to applying hernia patches.
SafeStitch Medical’s AMID Stapler launches in the U.S.: SafeStitch Medical Inc. of Miami, Fla., announced the commercial launch of its AMID Stapler Inguinal and Ventral Hernia Repair System. The device, which won CE Mark approval in the European Union last February, causes less tissue retraction than suturing, which can result in a faster and less painful recovery process for patients.
A weekly roundup of new developments in medical technology, by MedGadget.com.