Dune Medical Devices, Ltd. has launched a crucial clinical trial of the MarginProbe™, the company’s intra-operative, real-time, positive margin detection system. The launch follows the investigational device exemption (IDE) approval from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration of its protocol during surgery for breast cancer. To determine how malignant the tumor margins are, the MarginProbe system uses Radio Frequency Spectroscopy to characterize breast tissue. A controlled trial concluded that application of the probe by surgeons during lumpectomy reduced the need for repeat surgeries by 56%.

Pioneer Surgical Technology, Inc. has announced that the human implantation of its nanOss(TM)- Cervical cage has been carried out successfully. Designed to work as a bone, the device was used for standard cervical fusion surgeries performed at hospitals in China. The biologic inter-body spacer was used in combination with routine rigid fixation. The nanOss technology makes it two times stronger than PEEK cages.

VertiFlex® Inc. has launched its Silverbolt™ Plus, a for posterior lumbar fixation solution. The system is designed to help surgeons in various types of approaches – open, mini-open and percutaneous, for fixation of the lumbar spine. The single instrument set, said Earl Fender, CEO, Vertiflex, will support a variety of surgical applications such as percutaneous dynamic stabilization and percutaneous delivery of vertebral levels. The company develops motion preservation technologies and minimally invasive solutions for the treatment of spine disorders.

Doctors at the Wake Forest University School of Medicine have suggested a surgical approach for the treatment of peritoneal surface disease (PSD) that gives positive results. Currently, most patients suffering from colorectal metastases receive chemotherapy as the only treatment. However, the research suggests that combining it with cytoreductive surgery will improve the condition of the patients.

Findings from recently held two studies reveal that adalimumab reduces the risk of hospitalization as well as major surgery in patients suffering from Crohn’s disease (CD). The year long phase 3 trial (named CHARM) found that adalimumab was effective in improving the condition of patients with Crohn’s disease. There was a reduction in hospitalizations by half. Moreover, majority of Crohn’s disease patients undergo surgery. The results of the trial showed surgeries related to CD were reduced by as much as 90% in patients receiving adalimumab as compared to those receiving placebo. This makes the drug a cost-effective solution to the disorder. The study received support in the form of industry grants from Abbott Laboratories.

Israeli company MCS Medical Compression Systems has come up with a non-invasive device, ActiveCare+SFT, which supports blood circulation in the limbs, thereby preventing deep vein thrombosis (DVT). Formation of blood clots deep inside the body can have dangerous consequences. Thus, it has become a major concern for the surgeons. Anticoagulants prevent clot formation, but increase bleeding risk. The mobile system has compression sleeves which can be wrapped around the foot of the patient during the surgery. Identifying the blood flow in the veins of the patient, the device synchronizes its functioning to the natural rhythm.

Researchers at Shinshu University School of Medicine have developed a technique to take out the entire mammary gland including early-stage breast cancer without damaging the skin of breast. Many patients abandon breast-conserving surgery because of multiple tumors. However, this method prevents breast deformity, facilitating such patients. The procedure assisted by endoscopy can carry out skin-sparing mastectomy, while providing desired appearance.

A report in the Archives of Surgery suggests that application of a cyanoacrylate-based microbial sealant prior to incision reduces wound contamination by skin flora and may prevent surgical site infections (SSIs). A group of 166 patients who underwent open inguinal hernia repair were studied to determine the effectiveness and safety of Kimberly-Clark Healthcare’s InteguSEAL. The non-invasive tool kept the wounds sterile.