What would probably be considered a huge roadblock for some companies turned into a tremendous opportunity for Cytomedix (Gaithersburg, Maryland) to undergo a re-branding and rebirth. The company develops a wound care product but up until fairly recently, the product did not have reimbursement from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS).

The path towards the development of an artificial pancreas heated up this week, as Medtronic (Minneapolis) reported that the first patients have been enrolled in an investigational device exemption study of its breakthrough Predictive Low Glucose Management (PLGM) technology.

Are Transoral Incisionless Fundoplication (TIF) procedures the go-to treatment for relief of GERD symptoms? While it might be a stretch to say that TIF procedures have reached that distinction, one-year results of EndoGastric Solutions'(EGS; San Mateo, California) TEMPO trial give credence to the procedure's effectiveness.

C. R. Bard (Murray Hill, New Jersey) reported FDA approval of the Lutonix 035 Drug Coated Balloon (DCB) catheter for percutaneous transluminal angioplasty (PTA), after pre-dilatation, for the treatment of de novo or restenotic lesions up to 150mm in length in native vascular disease of the superficial femoral or popliteal arteries with reference vessel diameters of 4-6mm.