The FDA has cleared a inferior vena cava filter with bi-directional retrieval from Crux Biomedical (Menlo Park, California). Vena cava filters (VCF) are designed to trap blood clots that can lead to potentially fatal pulmonary embolisms (PE) among patients at risk. The Crux VCF is the first of its kind designed to facilitate bi-directional retrieval through either the femoral or jugular veins, which is a major design innovation that will set it apart from competing devices, according to Robert Mendes, MD, an associate professor of surgery at the University of North Carolina and chief of vascular surgery at Rex UNC Healthcare (Chapel Hill).

An acquaintance of mine who, like me, has inflammatory bowel disease, received a call recently from her local hospital informing her they had lost her MRI images. They found them, but she is concerned they will have to retake them anyway because at this point her images are no longer current enough for the doctor to make an informed treatment decision. This is a prime example of why all hospitals should use electronic health records (EHRs). At a time when health IT (HIT) companies are cropping up faster than Starbucks coffee shops, and the federal government is handing out incentive...

Being able to differentiate a new medical device is important in any sector, but it's especially crucial when the device is entering a highly competitive space. That is why Cayenne Medical (Scottsdale, Arizona), according to CEO David Springer, worked even harder on designing its recently launched Quattro shoulder system for rotator cuff and labral repair.

St. Jude Medical (St. Paul, Minnesota) has released the initial findings from its Riata lead evaluation study. The study's phase-one results indicate that externalized conductors occur less frequently in thinner leads. According to the study, externalized conductors occurred in 9.3% of the smaller-diameter Riata ST 7 Fr leads in the study and in 24% of the larger-diameter Riata 8 Fr leads.