Echo Therapeutics, Inc. has announced the completion of a clinical study of Prelude. This clinical study was designed to evaluate the ability of Prelude to ablate the skin prior to the application of OTC 4% lidocaine cream for faster-acting local dermal anesthesia. As a result of the clinical trial, Echo now expects the submission of a 510(k) premarket notification to the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in the near future.

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Radiometer America announced that Radiometer’s next-generation, cassette-based analyzer, the ABL90 FLEX, received 510(k) clearance from FDA. The ABL90 FLEX analyzer is the latest addition to the company’s blood gas line, offering speed and high-throughput in a compact instrument. The ABL90 FLEX delivers blood gas results in 35 seconds, a turnaround time (TAT) unmatched by other blood gas analyzers on the market. The analyzer also processes up to 44 samples per hour.

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EndoControl and ASC Korea have got KFDA (Korean Food and Drug Administration) approval for the ViKY® robot. After the success of ViKY® Endoscope Positioner in Europe and the US, EndoControl decided to open the Asian market by entering Korea, Taiwan and India for the first step. ViKY® is a very simple compact robot which takes up no floor space. The robot is voice or foot controlled by the surgeon for more comfort and accuracy.

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A new portable system may improve survival following cardiac arrest compared with standard care procedures, particularly when CPR and cooling are initiated early. Results from a recent study showed that the RhinoChill™ Intra-Nasal Cooling System enabled brain temperature to reach target several hours earlier than patients cooled in the emergency room. It is widely recognized that the sooner brain temperature can be reduced, the better the chances of minimizing long-term damage.

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Spectrum Surgical Instruments Corp. introduces Spectra-Lube®, an easy-to-use, 32-ounce spray-on lubricant designed to protect and lubricate surgical instruments. Spectra-Lube® eliminates the need for costly and messy instrument “baths” by allowing the user to put lubrication where it’s needed. Spectra-Lube® is fully-autoclavable and safe to use on your surgical instruments. Its neutral pH and rust inhibitor prolongs the life of your surgical instruments and reduces any damage and replacement costs from rust or corrosion.

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Medtronic, Inc. announced the enrollment of the first patient in the Medtronic Dissection Trial, which is evaluating the clinical performance of the Valiant Thoracic Stent Graft with the Captivia Delivery System for the treatment of acute, complicated Type B aortic dissection – a serious cardiovascular condition associated with high morbidity and mortality. The study is being conducted under an Investigational Device Exemption (IDE) in the United States.

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Nothing against bloodhounds, but finding bodies buried by someone who wanted them to stay undiscovered can be difficult. However a new technique developed by scientists at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), can reliably detect biochemical changes in a decomposing cadaver, The NIST instrument is a modification of a technique developed at the lab to sense minute levels of difficult-to-detect chemical compounds.

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A new membrane developed at the University of Rochester’s Laboratory for Laser Energetics blocks gas from flowing through it when one color of light is shined on its surface, and permits gas to flow through when another color of light is used. It is the first time that scientists have developed a membrane that can be controlled in this way by light. The membrane is a piece of hard plastic riddled with tiny holes.

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