The first long term study of transcatheter aortic valve implant (TAVI) devices shows that they are durable after five years and could last as long as surgical valves.

More than 100 patients, with an average age of 83, underwent TAVI at St. Paul’s Hospital in Vancouver, Canada. According to the study, published in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology, three patients suffered moderate prosthetic transcatheter valve failure, but no patient suffered severe transvalvular regurgitation or restenosis.

Survival rates at one to five years were 83%, 74%, 53%, 42%, and 35% respectively, but Webb says those rates are not because of device failure.

“During this early feasibility study, the procedure was only offered to extremely ill patients who were anticipated to have a poor five-year survival due to advanced age and other sever comorbidities,” says the study’s senior author, Dr. John Webb, according to heartwire.

"We did not know if these valves would last five years. We now do," Webb says.
 

Medical Modeling Inc., a world leader in the production of custom surgical solutions,  has received FDA 510(k) clearance for its innovative VSP System product line.

Initial applications of the company's VSP System technology include products such as VSP Orthognathics – Applying virtual surgical planning and CAD/CAM surgical splints to the area of orthognathic surgery, and VSP Reconstruction – Applying virtual surgical planning to the reconstruction of the mandible or maxilla using vascularized grafts from other areas of the body.

"The entire team at Medical Modeling could not be more pleased with the FDA's clearance of our VSP System product line. It's exciting to see personalized technology such as this that benefits the surgeon and the patient really catching hold," states Andy Christensen, Medical Modeling's president.

The VSP product line is now fully available in the United States as well as Canada.
 

Officials for Sony Corp. and Olympus Corp. say the companies’ medical device joint venture should be launched by the end of April 1.

The two companies planned to have the venture set up by the end of December, but rising tensions between Japan and China postponed the deal, according to the Wall Street Journal.

“The companies are awaiting an antitrust sign-off from China and an eastern European company,” the Wall Street Journal reports.

 

Jointly produced by three major industry trade groups - the AMT, NTMA, and PMA - the 2013 MFG Meeting in Waikoloa, HI, looks to build on last year's record breaking event, tackling issues in the industry and offering a forum for conversation unlike anything else.

According to the event's website, the MFG Meeting has scheduled events from each trade group, including networking events, expert speakers offering advice on how to improve your business practices, and more.

More than 750 manufacturing executives attended last year's meeting in Orlando, FL, which also featured Joe Gibbs, hall-of-fame football coach for the Washington Redskins.

The event takes place from March 5 through March 8. Check out the 2013 MFG Meeting website for more information on hotel registration, speakers, events, and more.