A Medical Device Daily

Misonix (Farmingdale, New York), a developer of ultrasonic medical device technology for the treatment of cancer and other healthcare purposes, said it has entered into an agreement with the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center (UPMC) to evaluate its Ultrasonic Osteotome device on animal laminectomies.

The device, also known as the Misonix “bone cutter,” will be used on animals with a bone structure most analogous to that of humans. The clinical procedures will begin this month.

The bone-cutter device has undergone testing at other facilities with favorable results. Based on this progress, Misonix said it intends for this study to provide final testing parameters to ensure a clinically proficient product that addresses the specialized needs of modern-day surgery.

The appeal of the Ultrasonic Osteotome, which cuts bone in “a very precise and safe manner,” is a device that meets the growing need for specialty cutting of bone, according to the company.

The device is designed to allow the surgeon to cut close to the nerve tissue safely and is soft tissue-sparing to ensure no injury to adjacent tissue. The device has specialty applications in neurosurgery, orthopedic surgery, maxillofacial surgery, and plastic and reconstructive surgery.

The device is portable, simple to operate and could be used in hospitals, clinics or physician offices, Misonix said. The commercial release of the product is scheduled for later this year.

Misonix offers medical, scientific and industrial ultrasonic and air pollution systems and maintains a minority equity position in Focus Surgery (Indianapolis) as its exclusive manufacturer of the Sonablate 500.

Cartesis (Norwalk, Connecticut), a supplier of business performance management (BPM) software, reported a deal with First Consulting Group (FCG), a provider of outsourcing, consulting and systems implementation and integration to health-related industries, to provide planning software to the organization.

FCG will use the planning, budgeting and forecasting applications for all of its business units in North America, Europe, Vietnam and India. Cartesis Magnitude Planning will enable FCG to integrate its planning, budgeting and forecasting functions into a single integrated solution, significantly shortening its planning processes, creating time for more value-added planning activities and creating a system that is optimized for a multi-user environment.