Recently added articles from Medical Device Technology:

MDT's five-minute interview: Medical Device Technology's (MDT) series of short interviews offers a variety of personal perspectives on the diverse and dynamic medical device technology industry. Here, we talk to Markus Weder.(the interview)(Interview)

Mar 01, 2008 ... Q If I wasn't talking to you right now, what would you be doing? A My working day involves searching for new ideas for projects related to textiles that are in contact with the skin, for example, textile sensors. I write projects, determine time scales and how to make the first ...

Drug-eluting stent guidance.(this issue: Developments across the industry)

Mar 01, 2008 ... The UK's National Institute for National Health and Clinical Excellence has published its final draft guidance on the use of drug-eluting stents (DESs) for the treatment of coronary artery disease. It recommends DESs for patients who would be at higher risk ...

Increasing commercial opportunities.(this issue: Developments across the industry)

Mar 01, 2008 ... The demand for pain delivery products that allow patients to play an active role in the timing and dosing of their medication is growing. According to a report by Applied Data, current pain management philosophy is based on treating pain early and aggressively. It is now ...

Light and sound detection.(this issue: Developments across the industry)

Mar 01, 2008 ... An imaging system that uses light and sound could im prove the detection and treatment of tumours, diseased blood vessels and other soft tissue conditions. The system uses short pulses of low-energy laser light to stimulate the emission of ultrasonic acoustic waves from the tissue area ...

Slow growth in medtech prices.(this issue: Developments across the industry)

Mar 01, 2008 ... "Medical devices prices, on average, have grown at less than half the rate of the overall Consumer Price Index and less than one quarter the rate of other medical goods and services," according to Stephen J. Ubl, President and Chief Executive Officer of AdvaMed, the advanced medical ...

Online sterilisation standards.(this issue: Developments across the industry)

Mar 01, 2008 ... A new compilation of standards on steritisation of health care products is available from ASTM International, the standards development organisation. The online collection ...

Mixed projections for France.(this issue: Developments across the industry)

Mar 01, 2008 ... The French medical device market will grow at an average annual growth rate of 5.3 % over the next five years, estimates Espicom, and be worth US$9.75 billion by 2012. Some sectors remain underdeveloped. The country still lags behind in the diagnostic imaging sector with only approximately ...

Technologies of heart transplantation: it is now 40 years since the world's first heart transplant was performed at the Groote Schuur Hospital in Cape Town, South Africa. It is interesting to assess just how far heart transplantation has come since then.(material matters column)

Mar 01, 2008; Williams, David ... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] The rise and fall of heart transplantation I am writing this column just after taking a tour around the new Heart of Cape Town Museum in Groote Schuur Hospital. This is where, just over 40 years ago, Professor Christiaan Barnard performed the ...

X-ray sterilization.(manufacturing)

Mar 01, 2008; Meissner, Jorn ... Radiation sterilisation of medical products has traditionally been done with gamma rays from radioactive sources or with electron beams produced by accelerators. Both methods sterilise by destroying microorganisms with ionising radiation. High energy X-rays sterilise in the same way. X-ray ...

Identifying packaging errors: common medical device packaging problems are identified here together with their cause and the remedy. The discussion examines the causes of poor heat seal, misleading results from the measurement of seal strength, blister flange curl, damage to sterile barrier system and failure of the ethylene oxide sterilisation process.(manufacturing)

Mar 01, 2008; Hall, Rolande E. ... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] When packaging fails Few colleges in Europe and Australasia offer degrees in packaging. Courses are available in pharmaceutical packaging, but training in medical device packaging is a neglected area. As a result, medical device packaging ...

Interpack Processes and Packaging.(meeting)

Mar 01, 2008 ... interpack Processes and Packaging 24-30 April 2008, Dusseldorf, Germany www.interpack.com This seven day event is designed to showcase ...

A microfluidics platform for in vitro testing: a microfluidics system, together with a novel biosensor based on magnetic actuation of colloidal particles, enables the production of handheld diagnostic testing devices. Using this technology, a disposable diagnostic tester with short bioassay times for drugs of abuse has been developed as well as a platform to produce disposable devices for several other applications.(design)

Mar 01, 2008; Viegers, Thijs ... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Speed and convenience The in vitro identification of biologically active molecules in fluid samples has important applications in medicine, agriculture and environmental control. With improvements in the ability to detect ever smaller ...

Who owns the 510(k)? Unfortunately, some medical device manufacturers, particularly those based outside the United States (US) are unaware of the business implications of submitting a 510(k) premarket notification to the US Food and Drug Administration. This article discusses information regarding the ownership and other business related aspects of filing a 510(k).(regulation and standards column)

Mar 01, 2008; Donawa, Marla ... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Mistaken beliefs Recently, a medical device manufacturer located outside the United States (US) mistakenly believed that only someone in the US was able to submit a premarket notification, otherwise known as a 510(k), on his behalf. As a ...

In vitro biocompatibility testing of biomaterials and medical devices.(materials)

Mar 01, 2008; Muller, Ute ... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Biomaterials used for medical devices must be thoroughly tested according to ISO 10993 (1) before their introduction so that any negative effects on the body are known about and prevented. By using in vitro laboratory tests, dangers for patients and ...

Developments in radiation sterilisation: this article outlines significant recent developments in radiation sterilisation and some of the initiatives currently underway. These include work on a method for sterilising combination products and revisions to several sterilisation guidelines, including those for selecting appropriate sterility assurance levels.(manufacturing)

Mar 01, 2008; Brinston, Ruth ... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Rising horizons The International Meeting on Radiation processing (IMRP) takes place every two years. It is a unique forum that features contributions from basic research and technical developments through to the business of operating ...

System-on-chip solutions for portable medical devices.(design)

Mar 01, 2008; Manic, Dragan ... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] A dedicated system-on-chip (SoC) integrates as much functionality as possible in a single chip and thereby allows miniaturisation of portable medical systems, while optimising performance and power consumption. Today's feature-rich semiconductor process ...

The interface of medical devices and pharmaceuticals: Part I: this two-part article considers the complexities of developing and commercializing combination products using examples from experience with drug-eluting stents and drug-eluting beads. Part I discusses the technical challenges of developing these products.(design)

Mar 01, 2008; Willis, Sean L. ... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Combination products The concept of a combination product is not new. Traditionally, devices have been used in conjunction with pharmaceutical actives primarily as a means of modulating delivery. From simple syringes to more complex nebuliser ...

How to establish and sustain a joint venture in China.(markets)

Mar 01, 2008; Lee, Paul ... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Joint ventures with Chinese companies provide one of the most effective ways for international companies to establish a foothold in the booming Chinese economy. The benefits, opportunities and challenges of establishing a joint venture are explored here ....

Nanomedicine: visionary dreaming or less of the same: some suggest that there is no such thing as nanotechnology and that it is only what scientists have been doing for a long time. This argument and some of the fact and fiction surrounding nanotechnology are assessed.(design)

Mar 01, 2008; Moore, Richard ... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Exploring the hype A common argument, particularly from some scientists, is that there is really no such thing as nanotechnology and that it is only " ... what we have been doing for ages," whether it is in physics, chemistry or biology. If this ...

Motion systems.(motors and motion control products: in focus: A roundup of motors and motion control technologies available from supplier companies.)

Mar 01, 2008 ... Aerotech designs and manufactures motion subsystems for high-throughput manufacture and test applications. Its Vasculathe is an integrated motion and machining platform with direct drive linear and rotary axes for laser machining stents. Another system, LaserTurn, reportedly builds upon ...