Medtronic (Minneapolis) said that Medtronic Surgical Navigation Technologies (Louisville, Colorado) has changed its name to Medtronic Navigation.

"The name change is driven by the expanding offering of therapies for which our technologies are used," said Nadim Yared, vice president and general manager of Medtronic Navigation. "Our products allow a medical professional to locate minute structures and deliver focused therapies to patients without the trauma often associated with traditional surgical techniques."

"Computer-assisted surgical navigation is a cornerstone for the growth of biologic delivery and a valuable part of the Medtronic portfolio," said Stephen Oesterle, MD, Medtronic senior vice president, medicine and technology. "We are well positioned to drive increased acceptance and usage of this technology in the practice of medicine."

The minimally invasive therapies from Medtronic Navigation may provide options to a number of patients whose conditions had previously been diagnosed as "inoperable." Computer-assisted navigation technology enables surgeons to target a specific area, while typically reducing the incision size – both of which may aid in avoiding damage to healthy tissue.