Biotechnology for regenerative surgery
Tissue engineering caused a stir at the 34th Annual Meeting of the Germany Society for Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery.
Vascular
First implants of absorbable metal stents
Germany - Following positive results in numerous animal studies and the first human implantations of the Biontronik Absorbable Metal Stent (AMS) in below-the-knee arteries that confirmed device safety, at the end of July the first patients (worldwide) received AMS implants.
Taxus
France - Four studies of three TAXUS paclitaxel-eluting stents have demonstrated their safety and efficacy, according to the maker, Boston Scientific Corporation of Natick, Maryland, USA.