HydroCision Inc has announced the purchase of the majority of the Company by new investors, led by venture capital firms Volcano Capital, Bioventures, and Omega Funds. HydroCision is the developer, manufacturer, and marketer of SpineJet®, whose innovative Fluidjet surgical technology allows discectomy and interbody fusion procedures to be performed faster, less invasively, and with a higher degree of precision than traditional surgical modalities.

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Amedica Corporation announced that it has been granted two United States patents for its total disc replacement (TDR) technology that features the use of silicon nitride in the construction of the complete implant. U.S. Patent No. 7,758,646 B2 and U.S. Patent No. 7,771,481 B2 cover the disc’s design and the use of the silicon nitride ceramic materials in its construction. This is yet another important addition to Amedica’s growing patent portfolio for spinal implant applications.

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A study appearing in the August 2010 issue of Anesthesiology found that patients receiving a total hip or knee replacement in Taiwan had a higher incidence of surgical site infections (SSIs) when general anesthesia was administered for the operation than when the same procedures were performed under epidural/spinal (regional) anesthesia. The study’s findings support the evolving concept of long-term consequences of anesthesia.

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CareFusion announced the national commercial launch of the AVAmax® Vertebral Balloon, a minimally invasive device for use during kyphoplasty, a procedure for treating spinal compression fractures. The AVAmax Vertebral Balloon represents a competitive breakthrough and is expected to enhance the affordability of spinal fracture procedures. CareFusion’s vertebral balloon product and related components cost up to 40 percent less than similar kyphoplasty products on the market today, making the procedure more cost effective.

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DSM Biomedical and its Berkeley based operation, DSM PTG, announced the company has entered into six multi-year licensing agreements with global medical device manufacturers in the Orthopedic, Cardiovascular, Vascular and Urology fields in this year alone. These medical device companies will be in a position to leverage the track record of DSM Biomedical’s advanced biomedical materials, including Bionate® PCU, CarboSil® TSPCU and ComfortCoat® medical coatings in applications such as total disk replacement and spinal stabilization.

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Ortho Kinematics has announced that it has begun a multi-site clinical study of the KineGraph VMA™, and that the initial 23 patients have been enrolled. The study will help determine which types of patients are best evaluated with KineGraph VMA testing. The KineGraph VMA is designed to provide functional diagnostic information to spine surgeons to be used in conjunction with MRI and plain X-rays.

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Revised labeling for prescription and over-the-counter proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) will warn that these stomach acid–reducing medications could increase patients’ risk of hip, wrist, and spine fractures, US health authorities announced. The FDA’s decision to add new precautionary information to PPI labeling is based on data from 7 epidemiological studies published since 2006. Six of the 7 showed a relationship between PPI use and an increased risk of fractures. Most of the patients in the studies were aged 50 years or older; the increased risk of fracture was seen primarily in this group.

The FDA has warned that high dose of a class of drugs known as Proton Pump Inhibitors (PPIs), for conditions such as heartburn, acid reflux and gastric ulcers, for a long term carries an increased risk of bone fractures in the wrist, hip and spine. In their warning to consumers and health care professionals, the FDA said the product labeling will be changed to include a safety warning about the increased potential risk.

Ellipse Technologies, Inc. has announced that it has received CE Mark for its MAGECTM Technology for the treatment of spinal deformity. The first application for this technology is for the treatment of spinal scoliosis in young children and teenagers. The CE Mark allows the Company to market the MAGEC System in the European Union and other countries that recognize the CE Mark for commercial distribution purposes.