4:00 p.m. ArthroCare launched the Opus® AutoCuff® Magnum M Suture Anchor, part of its AutoCuff System family. The device is designed to provide a simpler, faster and replicable process for performing arthroscopic rotator cuff repairs. (Source: ArthroCare Corp.)

2:40 p.m. Study results suggest that using curasan's Curavisc® as soon as possible following knee arthroscopy may achieve a significant reduction in pain, earlier mobility and load-bearing capacity. The continual improvement of symptoms with regard to all parameters was documented over an examination period of 7 days following the operation. (Source: curasan AG)

12:00 p.m. SpineGuard raised US $4MM, completing a 1st round of funding for a total of $15MM. SpineGuard's primary objective is to establish its FDA-cleared and CE Marked PediGuard device as the standard of care for safer pedicle screw placement in spine surgery. (Source: SpineGuard)

07/01/2009
4:00 p.m. Applied Spine Technologies (AST) received permission from FDA to proceed with enrollment in their Investigational Device Exemption trial of the Stabilimax NZ® Dynamic Spine Stabilization System. The trial resumes after AST voluntarily suspended enrollment in 8/08 following three reports of screw fracture. (Source: Business Wire)

BioSyntech noted that its ability to continue as a going concern depends on obtaining additional financing. The company, which is developing hydrogels to treat damaged cartilage and bone, also said it doesn't have enough funds to support current research and development plans and operations for the next 12 months. (Source: Canadian Press)

9:10 a.m. The University of California granted Fate Therapeutics exclusive intellectual property rights covering small molecule compositions and methods for inducing bone formation. (Source: Fate Therapeutic)

8:00 a.m. New treatments using cells grown in a lab may eliminate risks of traditional procedures in treating injuries to the talus. (Source: American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons)

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7/2 - 1sourcesupplies introduces AIM, a proprietary, web-based inventory management program for industrial manufacturing facilities that manages inventory utilizing barcode scanner technology. 1sourcesupplies offers their inventory management system (AIM) to manufacturers whose goals are to increase productivity, decrease costs and improve inventory control.

6/18 - Millstone Medical Outsourcing added both a washer/disinfector and an autoclave sterilizer to enhance capacity, reduce kit turn time and provide for system redundancy. When used with Millstone's current equipment, these additions may dramatically increase production volume and speed. Millstone provides advanced inspection, clean room packaging, loaner kit processing and distribution services to medical device manufacturers worldwide.

6/17 - Westlake Plastics is pleased to announce the addition of Mr. Harvey Stein, as a Medical and Life Sciences consultant.  Mr. Stein comes to Westlake Plastics with an impressive background and is a recognized industry technical expert on Ultrahigh Molecular Weight Polyethylene (UHMW-PE).  He holds a B.S. in Chemical Engineering from Drexel University, an M.B.A. from the University of Houston and is a Professional Engineer in the State of Texas.

6/16 - STEUTE introduced their range of “medical-grade” foot controls for medical device OEMs.  STEUTE’s units are expressly designed to address the complete functional, ergonomic and aesthetic needs of the medical OEM’s application. Typical applications include x-ray equipment, laser surgery devices, ultrasonic systems, surgical microscopes, positioning tables, bone saws, high-frequency surgical equipment, dental systems, and arthroscopic surgical systems.

6/16 - Boston Centerless has worked collaboratively with its supply base to reduce costs for many of the materials it supplies in light of the current market conditions. Boston Centerless will pass along these savings to its customers.

Shirley Engelhardt in BONEZONE Orthopaedics—An Industry for All of Time. When I began my “career” in orthopaedics in the late 1980s, global sales of hip and knee replacement products had just reached $1 billion. (They topped $11 billion last year.) Back then, spinal products generated barely $100 million. (Last year they brought in more than $6 billion.) We didn’t pay much attention to the nascent markets for arthroscopy, iologics and fracture repair – we had enough business on the joint replacement side, with the market enjoying growth in excess of ... read more

Ron Clark, M.D. in OPN From Dream to Reality: The Re-emergence of the Arthroscopically-placed Unicompartment Knee Replacement. It was in January 1991 when I watched with great fascination as Dick Caspari demonstrated his arthroscopic technique for unicompartment knee (UKA) replacement at the Metcalf Arthroscopy course. Knee arthroscopy was in its growth phase in which each year, improvements in implants and instrumentation meant that new procedures could be successfully completed with the ... read more

Julie Vetalice in ORTHOKNOW 1Q09: Hard Times Ain’t Quit, and We Ain’t Quit. A fast glance at the first batch of 1Q09 earnings shows spine companies doing quite well (Alphatec, NuVasive and TranS1) and even some nice results from a biologics company or two. Others admit that slowdowns are finally affecting revenue. A few report that hospital hesitancy to invest in new capital equipment remains, but can’t last. Nearly every device company with a knee admitted a touch of the procedure volume ... read more