Thoratec (NSDQ:THOR) shares are up more than 11% today after the heart pump maker put mid-double-digit profit growth numbers on the board for the 4th quarter and full-year 2011.

The Pleasanton, Calif.-based cardiac assist device maker logged profits of $15.3 million, or 25 cents per diluted share, on sales of $109.4 million for the 3 months ended Dec. 31, 2011. That’s a 46.4% bottom-line gain and a top-line boost of 12.1%, compared with profits of $10.5 million, or 17 cents diluted EPS, on sales of $97.6 million during Q4 2010.

For the full year, Thoratec reported profits were up 34.6%, to $71.5 million ($1.19 diluted EPS), on sales of $422.7 million – a 10.4% top-line gain.

Sign up to get our free newsletters delivered straight to your inbox

In early 2010, the company won pre-market approval for its HeartMate II left ventricular assist device as a so-called “destination therapy.” That meant it could be marketed to heart disease patients too sick to undergo a transplant or other cardiac surgeries.

President & CEO Gary Burbach said the HeartMate II device’s expanding footprint drove the strong results.

“Our growth came primarily from utilization increases at existing VAD programs, driven largely by our investment in market development initiatives, but also from continued expansion of the therapy to new centers,” Burbach said in prepared remarks. “Our 4th-quarter performance was particularly encouraging, highlighted by mid-teens volume growth of HeartMate II in both the U.S. and our direct European markets. Internationally, HeartMate II had its best quarter in history, and in the U.S., we estimate that the destination therapy indication climbed to over 40% of HeartMate II implants, providing us with solid momentum as we enter 2012.”

THOR shares were trading at $43.34 today as of about 3:15 p.m., up 11.5%.

 Accuray soars on Q2 results

Shares of Accuray (NSDQ:ARAY) closed up nearly 15% today after the company said it nearly doubled 2nd-quarter sales and beat Wall Street’s bottom-line estimates by a cool 29 cents.

The Sunnyvale, Calif.-based radiosurgery device maker posted losses of $10.4 million, or 15 cents per share, on sales of $106.4 million during the three months ended Dec. 31, 2011.

That compares with profits of $4.1 million, or 7 cents per share, on sales of $54.2 million during the same period in 2010.

ARAY shares closed up 14.8% at $7.22 today. Read more

 Hanger’s Q4, 2011 profits soar

Fourth-quarter and full-year profits soared for Hanger Orthopedic Group (NYSE:HGR).

The Austin, Texas-based firm posted profits of $18.0 million, or 52 cents per share, on sales of $248.1 million during the three months ended Dec. 31, 2011.

That compares with profits of $745,000, or 2 cents per share, on sales of $226.5 million during the same period in 2010.

For the full year, Hanger reported profits of $55.0 million, or $1.61 per share, on sales of $918.5 million, compared with profits of $21.4 million, or 65 cents per share, on sales of $817.4 million during 2010. Read more

 Cerner posts double-digit increases for Q4, 2011

Cerner Corp. (NSDQ:CERN) reported mid-double-digit increases in sales and earnings during the 4th quarter and 2011.

The Kansas City-based HIT provider posted profits of $91.2 million, or 52 cents per share, on sales of $220.5 million during the three months ended Dec. 31. 2011.

That compares with profits of $70.6 million, or 41 cents per share, on sales of $164.5 million during the same period in 2010.

For the full year, Cerner logged profits of $306.6 million, or $1.76 per share, on sales of $706.7 million. That compares with profits of $237.3 million, or $1.39 per share, on sales of $164.5 million during 2010. Read more

 Steris posts solid Q3 growth

Steris Corp. (NYSE:STE) posted solid top- and bottom-line growth for its 3rd fiscal quarter.

The Mentor, Ohio-based sterilization device maker posted profits of $33.6 million, or 58 cents per share, on sales of $355.2 million during the three months ended Dec. 31, 2011.

That compares with profits of $21.8 million, or 36 cents per share, on sales of $328.3 million during the same period in 2010. Read more

 Misonix swings to Q2 black

Misonix (NSDQ:MSON) swung to 2nd-quarter profits on a 28.5% sales increase.

The Farmingdale, N.Y.-based ultrasound device maker posted profits of $1.0 million, or 15 cents per share, on sales of $3.6 million during the three months ended Dec. 31, 2011.

That compares with losses of $536,000, or 8 cents per share, on sales of $2.8 million during the same period in 2010. Read more

 Q2 losses double for Cardiovascular Systems

Second-quarter losses widened for Cardiovascular Systems (NSDQ:CSII) despite a 5.1% addition to the top line.

The St. Paul-based vascular device maker posted losses of $4.1 million, or 23 cents per share, on sales of $19.7 million during the three months ended Dec. 31, 2011.

That compares with losses of $2.0 million, or 13 cents per share, on sales of $18.8 million during the same period in 2010. Read more

 Q2 sales slump, losses gape for pSivida

Second-quarter sales plunged 131.8% and losses gaped nearly 550% for pSivida (NSDQ:PSDV).

The Watertown, Mass.-based ophthalmic drug-delivery device maker posted losses of $17.5 million, or 84 cents per share, on sales of $204,000 during the three months ended Dec. 31, 2011.

That compares with losses of $2.7 million, or 15 cents per share, on sales of $88,000 during the same period in 2010. Read more

 DermaGraft sales trickle in for Shire

British biotech Shire Corp. (NSDQ:SHPGY) said it’s sold $105 million worth of of the DermaGraft skin substitute it paid $750 million for when it bought Advanced BioHealing last year.

Shire posted full-year profits of $865 million, or $4.53 per share, on sales of $4.26 billion during 2011.

That compares with profits of $588 million, or $3.16 per share, on sales of $3.47 billion during 2010. Read more