• OmniGuide (Cambridge, Massachusetts) reported TUV Rheinlad (Newton, Connecticuit) has approved OmniGuide Products for CE Mark. This will make flexible fiber delivery of a CO2 laser for minimally invasive surgery available in Europe and other countries that accept the CE Mark.The OmniGuide system is indicated for multiple applications including: “The incision, excision, ablation, vaporization and coagulation of body soft tissues including intra-oral tissues. It is indicated in the medical specialties of general and plastic surgery, oral/maxillofacial surgery, dentistry, dermatology, gynecology, otorhinolaryngology, gastroenterology, neurosurgery, urology, and pulmonology, and can be used in open surgical procedures as well as endoscopic minimally invasive procedures in conjunction with rigid or flexible endoscopes, such as in laryngoscopy,gastroscopy, colonoscopy, laparoscopy, thoracoscopy, hysteroscopy and bronchoscopy.” CO2 laser energy offers unparalleled precision and a high degree of control over penetration into soft tissue. These attributes are critical in otology, laryngology, head and neck surgery, and pulmonology procedures for which there is the potential to damage delicate untargeted structures. 20,000 CO2 lasers have been deployed in operating rooms throughout the world. However, until now, CO2 lasers have limited applications to invasive surgery due to the absence of a fiber delivery system at their wavelength of operation. OmniGuide produces devices for surgical therapies.

• Oncology Metrics (Dallas) reported the launch of the Oncology Metrics National Indices (OMNIs) a series of data driven national indices that measure the diagnosis, treatment and management of cancer. In recent years treatment options in oncology have expanded as has the use of electronic medical records (EMRs). EMRs have led to the availability of a significant repository of accessible clinical information. For the first time in history, data is available that makes it possible to develop analytic tools to add objective data to the discourse on practice patterns and to track the changes that occur in the patterns of care. The first OMNI to launch describes patterns of use of erythropoietic stimulating agents (ESA) and is called the OMNI ESA. OMNI ESA is based on a retrospective analysis of more than 200,000 ESA administrations recorded in the target database between January 1, 2004 and April 30, 2007. All ESA administrations recorded were analyzed with respect to the associated hemoglobin values at the time of the ESA administration. Oncology Metrics accelerates advancements in the treatment of cancer.

• Quest Diagnostics (Lyndhurst, New Jersey) reported a new diagnostic testing technique to help physicians diagnose genetic metabolic disorders, such as phenylketonuria and homocystinuria. The new technique measures amino acids in blood plasma, urine or cerebral spinal fluid by employing a combination of liquid chromatography and mass spectrometry. Physicians may also use amino acid quantitation tests on individuals whose ability to process nutrients may be impaired, such as those undergoing chemotherapy treatments for cancer, the elderly, and individuals with gastrointestinal illnesses. The new testing method also overcomes the problem of interference from medications and diet, which, when using conventional testing methods, often hinders accurate analysis. In addition, the new methodology can detect amino acid levels as low as one micromole per liter, which enhances its usefulness for detecting nutritional deficiencies compared to conventional methods, the company said. Quest provides diagnostic testing, information and services.

• St. Jude Medical (St. Paul, Minnesota) reported the first patient implant in its clinical trial of Trifecta, a new investigational stented, pericardial tissue heart valve. The trial will evaluate the safety and efficacy of Trifecta as a replacement for the aortic valve, which is located between the heart’s left ventricle and the aorta (the vessel which carries blood from the heart to the rest of the body). Efficacy will be determined by the valve’s hemodynamic performance.