• Astra Tech (Cambridge, Massachusetts) reported the availability of the Atlantis abutment in Zirconia for Biomet 3i Certain MicroMini implants. The Atlantis abutment in Zirconia for Biomet 3i Certain interfaces with the primary internal hexagon providing anti-rotational stability and strength. Astra Tech now offers the broadest range of patient-specific zirconia abutments available today with this addition to the Atlantis product line. The Atlantis abutment in Zirconia are also available for Biomet 3i certain internal connection implants in 4.0, 5.0 and 6.0 mm diameters including the XP 4/5 and 5/6 designs, as well as for Astra Tech OsseoSpeed implants, Nobel Biocare internal connection implants, Zimmer Dental internal hex implants and most standard diameter external hex implants. Astra Tech specializes in dental implant products.
  • BioE (St. Paul, Minnesota) said that it submitted a 510(k) application to the FDA requesting for its PrepaCyte-CB Processing System for umbilical cord blood. PrepaCyte-CB is a sterile, three-bag, closed cell processing system used to separate and collect therapeutically important cells, including stem cells, from human umbilical cord blood. When mixed with cord blood, the proprietary reagent within PrepaCyte-CB rapidly facilitates a negative selection process. This process causes essentially all red blood cells to settle to the bottom of the mixture, leaving significant quantities of viable and unmodified cells, including high yields of total nucleated cells and stem cells, in the upper fraction of the solution. Public and private cord blood banks can easily collect these viable cells for cryopreservation and eventual transplantation in humans. BioE provides enabling, high-quality human stem cells for drug discovery and therapeutic research.
  • Covidien (Boulder, Colorado) and Questra (Redwood City, California), reported the global launch of the Valleylab exchange software update system. The first remote update system in the electrosurgical market today, the Valleylab is a method for hospitals to remotely update the software on the ForceTriad energy platform. Hospitals can extend the capabilities of the energy platform and add support for new surgical instruments with this system, which updates software through secure electronic communications via RS-232 ports. They may also conduct updates over the Internet at their facility — without needing to send the surgical unit to a center or depot. Covidien makes energy-based surgical systems, Questra makes intelligent device management solutions.
  • Wright Medical Group (Arlington, Tennessee) reported the commercial release of its new biologic grafting system for use in core decompression surgical procedures. The core decompression surgical procedure is commonly used in treating patients with early stage avascular necrosis of the hip. The biologic grafting system combines Wright's new X-Ream expandable reamer with a simplified procedure kit that includes Wright's Pro-Dense injectable graft. Using Wright's new system, the surgeon first drills a small channel through the neck of the femur to access and "decompress" the necrotic (diseased) bone. The X-Reamdevice is then inserted into the channel, the tip expanded and rotated, removing the necrotic bone in the process. Pro-Dense graft is then injected into the surgically created space in order to regenerate healthy bone. Wright Medical Group is an orthopaedic medical device company.