A Medical Device Daily

Varian Medical Systems (Palo Alto, California), known for its leadership position in radiation oncology products, has formed a new unit focused on the estimated $250 million neurosurgery market.

The Varian Surgical Sciences organization initially will develop and market the company's advanced X-ray imaging and treatment technologies for radiosurgical solutions in the neurosurgery sector.

Lester Boeh, a Varian Medical vice president who will manage the new organization, said, “We will offer a clinically effective and more cost-efficient alternative to dedicated radiosurgical devices that are limited in functionality and flexibility.“

He added: “We have advanced our technology to the point that it now can be used for non-invasive, painless, radiosurgical treatments of tumors and vascular malformations as well as certain functional and 'inoperable' conditions.“

Boeh said Varian is seeing “a rising need for these types of treatments.“

The new organization's radiosurgical solutions are built around the company's new Trilogy linear accelerator and On-Board Imager device, introduced last year, which for the first time make it possible to treat small areas in the brain and other parts of the body rapidly, with powerful, precisely-placed beams. “This is the most powerful, precise and versatile treatment machine ever developed,“ Boeh said.

Varian said the Trilogy accelerator already is being used successfully for radiosurgical treatments at several centers. Since treatments are usually delivered on an outpatient basis in just one or a few sessions, Boeh said the appeal of the technology to doctors, patients and insurers “will be obvious in the many cases that will benefit from it.“

As part of the process of building a marketing and sales staff for the organization, Paul Rowland, a long-time Varian employee, will serve as manager of global sales, while Marc Buntaine, an expert in radiosurgical technologies and product development, will serve as engineering and marketing manager.

Varian Surgical Sciences' financial results, which the company said are expected to be modest initially, will be included with the firm's Oncology Systems business segment.

Varian Medical Systems is the global leader in integrated cancer therapy systems, as well as a major supplier of X-ray tubes and flat-panel digital subsystems for imaging in medical, scientific and industrial applications.

With some $1.2 billion in worldwide sales in its most recent fiscal year ended last Oct. 1, Varian Medical has about 3,300 employees at manufacturing sites in North America and Europe and in 55 sales and support offices around the world.