University Of Pittsburgh Medical Center (UPMC) physicians used Gamma Knife® surgery to treat the center’s 10,000th patient, an 81-year-old male with a tumor deep in his brainstem, a site where traditional surgery would have been impossible. Gamma Knife surgery is performed using Elekta’s Leksell Gamma Knife system, which directs up to 201 pencil-thin beams of therapeutic radiation precisely on brain tumors and other targets in the head.

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GI Dynamics has announced that it has received European CE mark approval for the EndoBarrier(TM) a non-surgical therapy to treat type 2 diabetes and obesity. The CE marking certifies that a product has met EU requirements for marketing in Europe. Clinical trials involving more than 270 patients have demonstrated the significant weight loss and diabetes improvement achieved with the EndoBarrier Gastrointestinal Liner.

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Miami Valley Hospital is adding a third surgical robot system, the hospital said in a prepared release. The new da Vinci Si HD system will be delivered Dec. 18. The system features include enhanced, high-definition 3D vision, and a dual-console capability to support training. It costs about $2 million. Miami Valley Hospital performed the first minimally invasive procedures with a surgical robot system four years ago.

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SafeStitch Medical, Inc. has announced that it has received 510(k) clearance from the FDA to market its AMID StaplerTM in the U.S. with the intended use in general surgery procedures for fixation of mesh, in the repair of hernia defects and in other surgical specialties for the approximation of tissues, including skin. The AMID Stapler™ is the first surgical stapler designed specifically for use in inguinal hernia repairs.

According to a study published recently in the Journal of Neurosurgery, neurosurgeons at the Barrow Neurological Institute at St. Joseph’s Hospital and Medical Center in Phoenix, Ariz. found that the pen-sized microscope could help them precisely identify where tumor tissue ends and healthy tissue begins. A laser microscope that picks up fluorescently-dyed cells could result in more precise tumor extraction during brain surgery, and streamlined workflows in the operating room.