• MedAir (Delsbo, Sweden) reported the launch of its OxyCheck fingertip pulse oximeter, a medical monitoring device that performs measurement of oxygen saturation and pulse rate. Features include; durability, the ability to fit a range of finger sizes from pediatric to adult, and use of standard AAA batteries. The device also passes IPX2 testing against water ingress. MedAir makes widescreen capnography and pulse oximetry technologies

• Novartis (East Hanover, New Jersey) reported that the Exelon Patch (rivastigmine transdermal system) has received its first approval in the U.S. as a way to deliver an effective medicine for mild to moderate Alzheimer's disease patients through a skin patch instead of an oral capsule. This new therapy is the first transdermal treatment for this degenerative condition affecting millions of people in the U.S. Exelon Patch offers treatment based on placebo-controlled clinical trial results showing benefits to patients in terms of their memory and overall functioning. The patch maintains steady drug levels in the bloodstream, improving tolerability and allowing a higher proportion of patients to receive therapeutic doses compared to the capsule form of the medication. It is applied to the back, chest or upper arm, and provides continuous delivery of medication through the skin over 24 hours. The recommended dose of Exelon Patch greatly reduces these side effects, with three times fewer reports of nausea and vomiting than with the capsule form of the drug. Exelon Patch is indicated for the treatment of mild to moderate dementia of the Alzheimer's type and mild to moderate dementia associated with Parkinson's disease. Exelon Patch is contraindicated in patients with known hypersensitivity to rivastigmine, other carbamate derivatives or other components of the formulation. Novartis Pharmaceuticals makes prescription drugs used to treat a number of diseases and conditions, including those in the cardiovascular, metabolic, cancer, organ transplantation, central nervous system, dermatological, gastrointestinal and respiratory areas.

• Picis (Wakefield, Massachusetts) reported that VA Sierra Pacific Network has purchased CareSuite anesthesia manager, Preop Manager and PACU Manager. The group of five medical centers in Northern California and Nevada will implement Picis to automate anesthesia documentation and the recovery room process of all surgical cases, streamlining clinician workflow before, during and after surgery. The hospital network will combine CareSuite anesthesia manager with Picis critical care software, which is already live in the ICUs of all five medical centers. The implementation of CareSuite — and tight integration with the VA health system's VistA mainframe hospital information system — will enable clinicians to manage the complex data and care process from a patient's perioperative encounter to critical care, providing a continuous electronic record even when a patient moves from one hospital to another within the network. The VA Sierra Pacific Network serves 1.2 million veterans residing in northern and central California, northern Nevada, Hawaii, the Philippines, and several Pacific Islands including Guam and American Samoa. Picis makes high-acuity care information systems.

• Small Bone Innovations (SBI; Miami), reported that its Artelon CMC spacer arthro has been cleared by the FDA for marketing. This product is an extension of SBI's line of implants to treat a common complaint: osteo-arthritis (OA) in the base of the thumb. The Artelon CMC spacer arthro was designed to allow minimally invasive, arthroscopic implantation in the joint between the first metacarpal and the trapezium. By avoiding violation of the joint capsule, the procedure may offer significant advantages to surgeons and their patients such as joint stability, faster recovery and less pain. Small Bone Innovations specializes in the small bone andf joint market in the orthopedic industry.