• ApaTech (Foxborough, Massachusetts) said it has presented clinical data for its synthetic bone graft, Actifuse, suggesting that it can provide a better alternative to the current "gold standard" therapy, Iliac Crest Bone Graft (ICBG), to treat degenerative lumbar spine disease. ApaTech says that the silicate calcium phosphate chemistry of Actifuse is an advance in synthetic bone graft technology, providing a safe and effective alternative to both autograft and allograft. Actifuse accelerates bone formation and improves the organization and strength of the graft/host bone composite structure. The company says that comopared to traditional calcium phosphate-based or other silicon containing products, Actifuse is steadily and predictably remodelled by the host biology over time, ensuring that conductive scaffold remains for the duration of new bone growth and subsequent maturation.

• DePuy Spine (Raynham, Massachusetts) reported launch of Healos Fx Injectable Bone Graft Replacement, the company's first bone graft solution designed for minimally invasive spine surgery. Healos Fx is a moldable, injectable version of Healos Bone Graft Replacement, the company's osteoconductive and osteogenic (when combined with bone marrow aspirate) bone graft substitute, shown to achieve fusion rates equivalent to autograft in peer-reviewed human studies. Healos Fx is a ready-to-use fibrous material that can be molded for open applications or injected via cannulas of differing lengths to reach difficult implantation sites in minimally invasive or small void surgical environments, DePuy said.

• Dilon Technologies (Newport News, Virginia) reported that a study by Beth Israel Medical Center (New York) indicates that additional breast cancer was found in 9% of patients when Breast-Specific Gamma Imaging (BSGI) was used to complement mammography, improving surgical treatment. A total of 82 patients underwent BSGI for newly diagnosed breast cancer; of these, 18 had an additional abnormality, and 17 were biopsied. BSGI, a molecular breast imaging technique, is an adjunct to mammography that can see lesions independent of tissue density and discover early stage cancers. With BSGI, the patient receives a pharmaceutical tracing agent that is absorbed by all the cells in the body. Due to their increased rate of metabolic activity, cancerous cells in the breast absorb a greater amount of the tracing agent than healthy cells and appear as dark spots on the BSGI image. The Dilon 6800 Gamma Camera is a high-resolution, compact gamma camera, optimized to perform BSGI.

• GI Dynamics (Lexington, Massachusetts) reported the presentation of preclinical data for its EndoBarrier Technology, highlighting the enhanced weight loss effects of combining the EndoBarrier Gastrointestinal Liner with a new EndoBarrier Flow Restrictor. The EndoBarrier Flow Restrictor provides an adjustable restriction at the outlet of the stomach and is designed to delay gastric emptying. The EndoBarrier creates a physical barrier that lines the intestine to keep food from coming in contact with the intestinal wall. GI said that physicians believe this may alter the activation of hormonal signals that originate in the intestine and may mimic the effects of a Roux-en-Y gastric bypass procedure. The EndoBarrier is placed and removed endoscopically, via the mouth, without the need for surgical intervention or alteration of patient anatomy.

• GlobalMedia (Scottsdale, Arizona) reported the introduction of the TransportAV – a portable medical consultation system that operates in real-time. Mounted on a stretcher, TransportAV allows for medical consultation from the field directly to the clinic or hospital where a patient is being transported. GlobalMedia says the system features a military-grade touch-screen PC, a controllable camera, echo canceling microphone, a ClearSteth Stethoscope, a TotalExam examination camera, and a Bluetooth wireless keyboard with headset for private conversations.