• CardioDynamics (San Diego) said it has received FDA market approval for the new ICG clinical parameters and electronic medical record (EMR) interface capability for its BioZ Dx system. The BioZ Dx is the product of a co-development partnership between the company and Philips Medical Systems. The new ICG clinical parameters include total arterial compliance (TAC) and Q-C time interval (QC). TAC allows the assessment of peripheral artery elasticity, an early marker of peripheral artery and cardiovascular disease. Monitoring TAC may allow earlier identification of cardiovascular risk not apparent with standard tools, including blood pressure assessment, and earlier therapeutic intervention which has been proven to delay or prevent cardiovascular disease progression. QC has been demonstrated to offer enhanced assessment of cardiac contractility. CardioDynamics specializes in impedance cardiography technology.

• Paramed (Salt Lake City) reported the release of their Mobility Offers Versatility (MOV) chair, a fully motorized stair-chair capable of carrying fire, emergency medical, and rehabilitating patients safely and easily both up and down flights of stairs with the touch of a button. The MOV has been designed to significantly reduce the inherent risk of back and lower abdominal injury for the care giver when transporting a non-ambulatory patient up or down stairs. Paramed makes patient transport devices for non-ambulatory patients.

• Stereotaxis (St. Louis) said a presentation by Xu Chen, MD, of the Rigshospitalet at the University of Copenhagen, showed a 93% acute success rate in patients treated for atrial fibrillation with the Niobe magnetic navigation system. Chen’s presentation focused on his use of catheter ablation to treat 42 patients with atrial fibrillation. In all cases, Chen guided the catheters with the Niobe magnetic navigation system, controlled from his remote station adjacent to the procedure room. In 93% of these cases the pulmonary veins were fully isolated from the left atrium, eliminating the main cause of the arrhythmia. Stereotaxis makes cardiology instrument control systems for use in a hospital’s interventional surgical suite.

• Transoma Medical (St. Paul, Minnesota) said that it has received FDA clearance for its Sleuth electrocardiogram monitoring system, the first wireless, implantable heart monitor for human applications. Sleuth monitors heart activity to provide accurate, timely diagnostic data for evaluating cardiac arrhythmias and other serious conditions, which often lead to infrequent, unexplained syncope (fainting). The sleuth includes a high-definition implantable loop recorder, a personal diagnostic manager, and a monitoring center. Transoma makes implantable wireless monitoring systems for biomedical research.

• Verathon (Bothell, Washington) reported the introduction of the GlideScope ranger single use video laryngoscope that it said provides a clear, real-time view of the airway and endotracheal tube placement, enabling quick intubation. Specificially for use in the Emergency Department (ED), EMS and military applications, the GlideScope design, which eliminates the need for disinfecting the “blade,” is ideal for fast-paced intubation settings. The GlideScope consists of: a slim video baton which houses a high-resolution camera with a patented anti-fogging mechanism to resist lens contamination; a non-glare color monitor that is easily seen in bright light; and single-use, sterile GVL(R) Stats in large and small sizes that offer a 60-degree blade angulation.