Medical Design Technology articles from November 2006

Medical Design Technology archives from November 2006

An interview with Peter Desloge, CEO of Watlow: a heating solution can be a tricky, yet necessary, component in a variety of medical devices. As such, manufacturers want to ensure they can rely on the experience and expertise of a leader in this area. This month's 'View From The Top' discusses this technology area with a leader in the marketplace.(View From The Top)(Interview)
November 1, 2006... As manufacturers are well aware, healthcare professionals and their patients alike demand that the medical devices they are using be made smaller, convenient, and discrete, while retaining complete efficiency and effectiveness. For most areas...

Silicone-free thermal interface material.(Innovations)
November 1, 2006... Gore Polarchip SF3000 silicone-free thermal interface material is a truly soft silicone-free thermal gap pad. The absence of silicone eliminates the problems of silicone outgassing and silicone oil migration ("bleeding"), making SF3000 an ideal...

High performance seals.(Innovations)
November 1, 2006... This series of seals includes more than 50 seals developed for high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) equipment. The company worked closely with HPLC manufacturers to get their input in addition to applying its own research, engineering,...

Antimicrobial fabric.(Innovations)
November 1, 2006... Test results for the "Dimensions" line of Nanocide Antimicrobial coated fabrics have shown that 99.9% of resistant Staphylococcus germs that come in contact with it, are killed within 30 minutes. When compared to arsenic and cyanide-based...

Nitinol/zirconium fabrication.(Innovations)
November 1, 2006... Company offers the manufacturing of custom nitinol and zirconium components to its list of fabrication capabilities. Both medical-friendly metals are imperative to the medical market because of their superior strength and biocompatibility...

Thrombosis risk in Taxus and Cypher is real, TCT data shows; now what?(Regulatory Report)
November 1, 2006... With a growing consensus coming out of last week's Transcatheter Cardiovascular Therapeutics meeting that first-generation drug-eluting stents (DES) are associated with an increased long-term risk of blood clots, cardiologists are grappling...

J&J/Cordis' Cypher DES threatened by supplier dispute.(Noted ...)
November 1, 2006... Wyeth sues Johnson & Johnson Oct. 26 in Delaware federal court, seeking to break an agreement to supply J&J's Cordis unit with sirolimus--the drug used on the Cypher drug-eluting stent. The suit alleges material breach of contract and seeks...

Senators question breast implant data.(Noted ...)
November 1, 2006... Sens. Dianne Feinstein (D-CA) and Olympia Snowe (R-ME) urged FDA in an Oct. 20 letter to consider "all data collected" by silicone gel breast implant developer Mentor, "whether or not it was originally required" for approval, based on...

Infrared therapy noncovered.(Noted ...)
November 1, 2006... More than 4,000 comments from patients and clinicians supporting market-leading Anodyne infrared therapy could not sway CMS to reverse its proposed noncoverage decision for its use to treat peripheral sensory neuropathy, wounds, skin ulcers,...

CMS to make 100% of claims data public.(Noted ...)
November 1, 2006... Researchers will soon get a gift from Medicare--they'll be able to order selections of data from up to 100% of claims. Steve Phurrough, CMS Coverage & Analysis Group director, told an audience at the Transcatheter Cardiovascular Therapeutics...

Percutaneous heart valves may demand novel regulatory approach.(Regulatory Report)
November 1, 2006... Leading innovators hope to blaze a trail through what some see as formidable regulatory barriers to technological advances allowing diseased aortic valves to be replaced percutaneously. The topic generated considerable buzz at the...

Injecting design into the molding process: there are a number of factors medical device manufacturers need to consider when using injection molded parts in their device. If they don't, they may be caught by surprise when they think they are ready to move into full production on a part. This article reviews the potential concerns that must be addressed early in the design process.(Emphasis On Injection Molding)
November 1, 2006... Medical device companies are always under pressure in two key areas: time and cost. Time delays in the production cycle can substantially affect product introduction timetables, and consequently, revenue. One area where medical device companies...

FDA seeks injunction.(Industry Watch)
November 1, 2006... The U.S. FDA is seeking a permanent injunction against Endotec Inc. of Orlando, FL, and Michael J. Pappas, Ph.D., president; Frederick F. Buechel, M.D., medical director; and Jared Pappas, director of regulatory affairs, to stop the illegal...

Reprocessed single-use devices may pose health/safety risk.(Industry Watch)
November 1, 2006... Smith & Nephew's Endoscopy division announced that an independent, evidence-based study by a team of surgeons and doctors from the Department of Orthopaedic Surgery from Loma Linda University, Loma Linda, CA, showed that detectable levels of...

Closing of sale.(Industry Watch)
November 1, 2006... Medegen LLC, a leading provider of medical devices and components to the healthcare industry announced that it has closed the sale of its Medical Products division to Medical Action Industries Inc., a publicly-held supplier of medical and...

Helix Medical acquired.(Industry Watch)
November 1, 2006... Freudenberg-NOK General Partnership has acquired the assets of Helix Medical Inc. of Carpinteria, CA in order to expand the business of elastomeric seals and custom molded products for the healthcare and medical markets. Terms of the agreement...

Reports on trial of a fully bioabsorbable stent.(Industry Watch)
November 1, 2006... Early clinical results from Abbott's ongoing Absorb clinical trial, the world's first study to evaluate the safety and performance of a fully bioabsorbable drug-eluting stent platform for the treatment of coronary artery disease in humans, were...

ISO certification.(Industry Watch)
November 1, 2006... Ximedica, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Item Group specializing in the design, development, and supply of innovative new medical devices, has achieved ISO 13485:2003 certification by auditor BSI Management Systems. The ISO 13485:2003 certificate...

Calendar of events.(Industry Watch)(Calendar)
November 1, 2006... Click on the "Calendar" icon at www.mdtmag.com for information about any of the following events. November 29-30 Software Design for Medical Devices, San Diego Marriott Del Mar, San Diego, CA. November 29-December 1 3rd Annual FDA...

Guidewire tubing.(Notables: Tubing)
November 1, 2006... A unique two-layer extruded medical grade tubing allows guidewires used in vascular procedures to be inserted into the tubing faster and more efficiently, thereby reducing labor cost. Called PEXglide, the tubing consists of an outer layer made...

Heat-shrinkable tubing.(Notables: Tubing)
November 1, 2006... The near-zero halogen content of Zerohal ZH2 and ZH4 heat-shrinkable tubing makes them especially suitable for applications that require low toxicity materials. The products boast high flame retardance properties as well as a low recovery (or...

Peristaltic pump tubing.(Notables: Tubing)
November 1, 2006... Chem-Durance is an exclusive tubing formulation for the Masterflex peristaltic pump series. This co-extruded material has an inner liner that protects against chemically aggressive fluids, and a soft, flexible outer layer that allows it to be...

PVC suction hose.(Notables: Tubing)
November 1, 2006... Kink- and crush-resistant Vardex hose is intended for both pressure and vacuum applications. Made of clear PVC with steel wire reinforcement, it is suitable for either fluid or air transfer. Vardex combines the desirable properties of...

Innovation series presents: scoping new technologies: minimally invasive procedures offer tremendous advantages over more traditional techniques. As a result, medical device manufacturers have continually improved endoscopic instruments and tools to enable these types of procedures. This article explores the latest advances that are available in endoscopic technologies and examines the benefits they provide.(Cover story)
November 1, 2006... What began as a tube with a simple vision apparatus now covers a huge range of devices: endoscopes, arthroscopes, neuroendoscopes, laparoscopes, and thoracoscopes. A recent Frost & Sullivan U.S. Endoscopes Market report states that this...

Protect your product; preserve your brand: while the counterfeiting of medical devices has not been a leading concern of manufacturers, it is a problem that is steadily growing. As such, companies need to explore technology options that will enable them to protect their product, brand, and customers. This article reviews several available offerings.(Emphasis On Anti-Counterfeiting)
November 1, 2006... With reports of fraudulence increasing, counterfeiting of medical devices poses a significant threat to patients. Unfortunately, little is being done to address this growing problem. In fact, while there are a number of effective technologies...

Etching a thermal solution.(Case In Point)
November 1, 2006... The Project: Replace a wire heating system that was creating multiple problems, including system failure, in a hybridization oven. The Solution: Utilize etched foil elements to enable an efficient and effective heating solution. ...

Swivel casters.(New Products)
November 1, 2006... With a load capacity of 220 lbs., 25% greater than its standard PlasTech models, this swivel caster is available in three twin-wheel models, each with a wheel diameter of 4 in. PlasTech casters are designed for hospital and medical equipment,...

Multipin connectors.(New Products)
November 1, 2006... The versatile VEAM CIR Series connectors can function as electrical, optical, or pneumatic connectors, providing design engineers with the ability to simplify receptacle design processes and inventory. It is also available in high voltage, twin...

Midspan.(New Products)
November 1, 2006... This 30W one-port midspan is being implemented into high power applications that implement IEEE's 802.11N standard. Designated the POE30U Series, the midspan is designed to power wireless and WiMAX access points that require up to 24 watts of...

Dispensing valve.(New Products)
November 1, 2006... The VD510 is a diaphragm valve designed for precise flow control of low to medium viscosity materials (under 10,000 cps). Using the stroke adjustment knob, shot sizes can be fine tuned. The valve is small in size, making it ideal for...

Air filter.(New Products)
November 1, 2006... Non-conductive air filters are needed when space is limited and the filter frame may contact electrically charged surfaces or backplanes. This can occur in a variety of applications such as ATCA and MicroTCA chassis, 19" rack mount units, and...

Custom micro molding.(New Products)
November 1, 2006... Miniaturization of components in a broad range of polymers gives the medical designer greater flexibility in designing devices such as fluid delivery systems, diagnostic equipment, and endoscopic devices for minimally invasive cardiovascular...

Switching power supplies.(New Products)
November 1, 2006... The PAM250/ PAS250 Series of single output 250 watt switching power supplies offers an ultracompact package that measures only 4.0 x 7.0 x 1.5 in. with designs for both medical and industrial applications requiring high quality and low cost...

Glass balls.(New Products)
November 1, 2006... Precision glass balls are offered with superior corrosion and chemical absorption resistance. Precision balls made from glass are approximately one third the weight of those made from stainless steel and can usually be purchased at a lower...

Poly silicon display.(New Products)
November 1, 2006... This 7 in. WVGA 800 x RGB X 480 transflective TFT with white LED backlighting is fabricated with low temperature poly silicon and is fully RoHS compliant. The OSD070WGEAI offers a high 500:1 contrast ratio, high color saturation, and wide...

Ultraviolet blocking filters.(New Products)
November 1, 2006... UltraBlock filters are designed to block more than 99% of the harmful ultraviolet wavelengths between 200 nm and 380 nm and transmit greater than 90% (average) of the visible wavelengths between 425 nm and 700 nm. The coatings efficiently...

Code reader.(New Products)
November 1, 2006... The compact 2D code reader, PD60/65, can read 2D codes from a full 360[degrees] direction on metal even if it is stained, chipped, tilted, or reversed in approximately 30 ms. This IP67g unit is easily configurable with a simple 3-step software,...

Microtest offers a free white paper, titled: "Sterility Testing: Essential Things You Must Know.".(Online Tools)
November 1, 2006... Microtest offers a free white paper, titled: "Sterility Testing: Essential Things You Must Know." Sterility testing of medical devices is required during the sterilization validation process as well as for routine quality control. Understanding...

A free white paper entitled "The Role of Web-based Health and Safety Training in Laboratory Facilities," is available to help companies, institutions, and universities evaluate the efficacy of using web-based environmental health and safety (EH&S) training to meet their compliance requirements.(Online Tools)
November 1, 2006... A free white paper entitled "The Role of Web-based Health and Safety Training in Laboratory Facilities," is available to help companies, institutions, and universities evaluate the efficacy of using web-based environmental health and safety...

When researching and specifying gaskets, visitors to the Tech-Etch web site may download interactive PDFs of sales drawings for all standard EMI/RFI shielding finger stock products.(Online Tools)
November 1, 2006... When researching and specifying gaskets, visitors to the Tech-Etch web site may download interactive PDFs of sales drawings for all standard EMI/RFI shielding finger stock products. With just one click, all part dimensions and tolerances...

W. L. Gore & Associates has extended its online capabilities, building on the success of last year's high flex flat and trackless cable configurator launch.(Online Tools)
November 1, 2006... W. L. Gore & Associates has extended its online capabilities, building on the success of last year's high flex flat and trackless cable configurator launch. The Gore Microwave/RF Assembly Builder is an online interactive design guide that...

Microchip Technology Inc., a leading provider of microcontroller and analog semiconductors, offers a service to provide customers with easy and convenient access to the latest updates on Microchip's news and technical product and design documentation--Really Simple Syndication (RSS) feeds.(Online Tools)
November 1, 2006... Microchip Technology Inc., a leading provider of microcontroller and analog semiconductors, offers a service to provide customers with easy and convenient access to the latest updates on Microchip's news and technical product and design...

Plastics enable 'safety conscious' device.(Design Notes)
November 1, 2006... GE Plastics' Noryl and Ultem resin grades were chosen for the 12-use E-Z Pen electro-surgical pencil from Megadyne Medical Products. Lightweight and ergonomically designed with both 10- and 15-foot, kink-resistant cords for easier, more...