• ArthroCare (Austin, Texas) said study results published in this month's Journal of Arthroscopy and Related Surgery show the use of low-temperature bipolar radio frequency, known as Coblation technology, preserves the same amount of healthy cells in a bovine model as a mechanical shaver in the treatment of the meniscus. The study also indicated that Coblation technology may result in a smoother surface when compared to the shaver. This follows another study presented in January at the International Cartilage Repair Society symposium indicating that Coblation may aid in the repair of the avascular region of the meniscus of rabbits following injury and suture repair.

• iAdvantage Software (Cary, North Carolina), a provider of web-based electronic study management solutions, said it will launch ePublisher, the report generator from its web-based eStudy management solution, as a stand-alone product at the Pharmaceutical World Congress in Philadelphia in May. With ePublisher, the user has on-demand control to design templates in and to generate reports directly into the word processing or spread sheet software of their choice. ePublisher extracts data from Oracle and SQL databases. Report templates are available for reuse and sharing.

• Kensey Nash (Exton, Pennsylvania) reported that it has completed enrollment of a pilot trial for its TriActiv ProGuard Embolic Protection System in carotid stenting procedures. Data from the study will support a CE mark application for use of the device during carotid stenting procedures. It also will support an IDE submission to the FDA to begin a larger pivotal trial in the U.S. for the same indication. The U.S. pivotal trial is expected to commence this summer. The carotid pilot trial utilized the company's newest version of the TriActiv System product line, which incorporates Local Flush and eXtraction (LFX) technology designed for use in branched arteries. The TriActiv ProGuard System incorporates three features designed to reduce the incidence of embolic stroke during carotid stenting procedures - a balloon protection guidewire, a flush catheter, and an automated extraction system to remove debris. The system was studied with and can be used in combination with any approved stent in the marketplace.

• Medical Services International (Edmonton, Alberta) said that it has completed testing on its latest development of the VScan Malaria test kit and the kit is ready for market. The new kit is the first to test for all four types of malaria. The VScan rapid test kit is a single use test for the screening of HIV 1&2, hepatitis B&C, tuberculosis, Dengue fever, West Nile, syphilis and prostate cancer.

• MedQuist (Mount Laurel, New Jersey) said its DocQment Code ED Plus solution provides mobile emergency department (ED) caregivers with a highly functional, PDA-based dictation tool that allows physicians or other caregivers to dictate reports at the point of care delivery. This solution can also access the hospital's registration system to obtain necessary patient demographic data for reporting and coding purposes. Customers can also add transcription software that features integrated speech recognition capabilities and outsourcing editing services. DocQment Code ED Plus includes an intuitive web-based electronic signature component. With this solution, reports are distributed directly to the appropriate hospital systems and/or the EMR. Remote coding technology is also available, along with Natural Language Processing capabilities.

• Merge Healthcare (Milwaukee), a provider of healthcare software and services, said that it will showcase its Fusion Matrix PACS 64-bit processing technology at SCAR (Society for Computer Applications in Radiology) , which begins today in Austin, Texas. Merge eMed continues its innovation with the first PACS workstation ported to a 64-bit environment. The 64-Bit Edition of Fusion Matrix PACS enables radiologists to easily load and manipulate studies regardless of size. Comparison is possible with as many priors as needed. Performance testing has supported loading more than 10,000 studies simultaneously without any erosion of workstation performance. The power of 64-bit far surpasses existing limits on memory usage. When combined with the Fusion RIS, users gain full clinical and business workflow that the company said can substantially accelerate productivity.

• NeoPharm (Waukegan, Illinois) reported that the use of a new software-based catheter planning and positioning system developed by BrainLAB (Munich, Germany) may optimize the efficacy and safety of tumor targeting therapies delivered via Convection Enhanced Delivery (CED), specifically cintredekin besudotox (IL13-PE38QQRR), an investigational treatment being studied for the treatment of patients with first recurrent glioblastoma multiforme. The company said investigators evaluated and assessed the clinical usefulness of a novel simulation algorithm using magnetic resonance diffusion tensor imaging to predict the distribution of a drug administered via CED. Overall, investigators found that the new software simulation technique provides valuable patient-specific information including volume, location, and geometry of potential drug distribution. This information can be effectively used to assist in optimizing planning and subsequent positioning of drug delivery catheters for CED. The new technology is applied to neoplastic and other CNS pathologies.