• Cook Medical (Bloomington, Indiana) reported the launch of the Spectrum Turbo-Ject PICC, an antibiotic-impregnated peripherally inserted central venous catheter capable of accepting the contrast media injection rates required for CT scans. Cook says the ability to power-inject contrast media, combined with the Spectrum technology's proven ability to prevent fatal catheter-related bloodstream infection, means that patients receiving PICC lines will gain the highest possible protection from deadly CRBSIs, while clinicians will have access to the industry's best flow rates. The Cook Spectrum Turbo-Ject PICC will be complimented by the PICC Procedural Tray, designed to efficiently supply the essential components for a clinician placing a PICC, whether bedside or in an interventional radiology lab. The tray provides the vital components for maximal sterile barrier precautions, a significant part of patient safety and infection control.

• EaglePicher Medical Power (Plano, Texas) reported the introduction of its enhanced Lithium Carbon Monofluoride (Li/CFx) battery technology with end-of-life capability. The technology includes a new Elective Replacement Indicator (ERI) / End of Life (EOL) Indicator to accurately predict battery depletion six months in advance, potentially requiring fewer replacement surgeries over time. The company says that the enhanced Li/CFx battery chemistry provides higher energy density for use in a variety of implantable applications including telemetry-capable pacemakers and ICDs,

• Edwards Lifesciences (Irvine, California) received FDA approval for the Carpentier-Edwards Perimount Magna Ease aortic valve, designed for easier implantation in the heart. The new valve includes a low profile and smooth commissure posts to ease insertion through small incisions or small aortic roots. "The Magna Ease valve sets a new standard for tissue valves, by combining enhanced implantability with the unsurpassed hemodynamics and long-term durability of bovine pericardial tissue," said cardiac surgeon Michael Mack, MD, a consultant to Edwards Lifesciences.

• Lifecore Biomedical (Chaska, Minnesota) reported the launch of its Corgel BioHydrogel research kits. Corgel is a hyaluronan (hyaluronic acid) based biocompatible hydrogel. It was initially conceived and developed by scientists at Cleveland Clinic as a tissue bulking agent and drug delivery matrix. The tunability of the matrix and the biocompatibility also allows for the direct inclusion of cells or bioactive agents.

• Medtronic (Minneapolis) reported FDA approval and availability of the Attain Ability left-heart lead (Model 4196) for use with cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT) devices for heart failure patients. Medtronic says that the Attain Ability has the thinnest lead body of any left-heart lead currently available, providing physicians with a tool to deliver therapy directly to hard-to-reach areas of the heart. Attain Ability uses insulation material developed by NASA Langley Research Center that was previously evaluated for space applications, high-performance engines and harsh environments. This application marks the first time a NASA-developed material has been used in this kind of implantable medical device. NASA's Langley Research Center created an advanced aerospace resin, named Langley Research Center's Soluble Imide, or LaRC-SI. It is highly flexible, resistant to chemicals, and withstands extreme hot and cold temperatures. The "super plastic" was determined to be biologically inert, making it suitable for medical use, including implantable devices.

• NeuroScience (Osceola, Wisconsin) has launched NeuroSLP, a medical protocol that tests for potential imbalances in the hormones and neurotransmitters that regulate sleep. This protocol enhances a clinician's ability to make more informed decisions regarding patient care. The NeuroSLP protocol includes an enhanced non-invasive lab test that measures the key neurotransmitters and hormones in sleep biochemistry. The concentration of melatonin, classically considered the "sleep hormone," is only one of 12 biomarkers in the profile. Other sleep-influencing hormones and neurotransmitters measured include cortisol, y-amino butyric acid (GABA), and serotonin.

• Pluristem Therapeutics (New York) said that the Duke University Medical Center will serve as a clinical site for Pluristem's PLX-PAD Phase-I stem cell trial for smokers, diabetics, and obese from critical limb ischemia. PLX-PAD has recorded significant increase in blood flow and the formation of new blood vessels in pre-clinical animal studies. Recently cleared for clinical trials, placenta-derived PLX-PAD is now set for clinical trials on humans at Duke. The treatment will be the world's first stem cell trial using PLX/PAD on patients considered "late stage" whose limb ischemia has not responded to traditional medical or surgical interventions and are facing amputation.