Researchers at New York University have developed an innovative way to look at the development of osteoarthritis in the knee joint – one that relies on the examination of sodium ions in cartilage. Their work, which appears in the Journal of Magnetic Resonance, may provide a non-invasive method to diagnose osteoarthritis in its very early stages. The concentration of sodium ions, which are distributed in the body, is known to reveal the location of glycosaminogycans (GAGs) in cartilage tissues.

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CareFusion announced the national commercial launch of the AVAmax® Vertebral Balloon, a minimally invasive device for use during kyphoplasty, a procedure for treating spinal compression fractures. The AVAmax Vertebral Balloon represents a competitive breakthrough and is expected to enhance the affordability of spinal fracture procedures. CareFusion’s vertebral balloon product and related components cost up to 40 percent less than similar kyphoplasty products on the market today, making the procedure more cost effective.

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DSM Biomedical and its Berkeley based operation, DSM PTG, announced the company has entered into six multi-year licensing agreements with global medical device manufacturers in the Orthopedic, Cardiovascular, Vascular and Urology fields in this year alone. These medical device companies will be in a position to leverage the track record of DSM Biomedical’s advanced biomedical materials, including Bionate® PCU, CarboSil® TSPCU and ComfortCoat® medical coatings in applications such as total disk replacement and spinal stabilization.

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OXIS INTERNATIONAL, INC. is proud to announce that it will introduce the benefits of Ergothioneine to the consumer market in September 2010 via breakthrough products for joint health and healthy aging. The first products, ErgoFlex® and ErgoPlex®, will initially be marketed via a direct mail offering being developed in partnership with Creative Direct Marketing Group, the leading service provider in the direct mail sector of the direct to consumer channel.

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SAGE is to launch Foot & Ankle Specialist – European Edition from February 2011. The journal will be an international edition of Foot & Ankle Specialist  (FAS), a bimonthly controlled circulation journal launched in 2008 publishing peer-reviewed clinical information for foot and ankle caregivers. Written and edited by podiatrists and orthopaedic surgeons, FAS offers the latest techniques and advancements in foot and ankle treatment through research reports and reviews, case studies, and other evidence-based articles.

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Researchers from MD Anderson Cancer Center determined patients with osteoarthritis (OA) of the knee who are treated with traditional Chinese acupuncture (TCA) do not experience any more benefit than those receiving sham acupuncture (placebo). The team did find that the communication style of the acupuncturist could have a significant effect on pain reduction and satisfaction in patients. Full findings are now online and will publish in the September print issue of Arthritis Care & Research.

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Zimmer Holdings, Inc. has announced the first implantation of the Zimmer® NCB (Non-Contact Bridging) Periprosthetic Plating System. Scheduled for full release in the Fall of 2010, the Zimmer NCB Periprosthetic Plating System is the first comprehensive solution available to address complex femoral fractures which can occur around a hip or knee implant. Hip and knee replacements have been shown to be extremely effective procedures but may be complicated by periprosthetic fractures.

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Ascension Orthopedics, Inc. has announced the implantation of an additional PyroTITAN™ Humeral Resurfacing Implant in Brisbane, Australia. The PyroTITAN was implanted last month at the Brisbane Private Hospital. PyroTITAN Humeral Resurfacing implant offers a conservative, bone-sparing option for patients in need of shoulder joint replacement. The PyroTITAN is available in 12 sizes, which are based on published anthropomorphic data of over 300 human humeri to provide an improved anatomic fit.

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Unigene Laboratories, Inc. announced that Novartis and its license partner Nordic Bioscience have decided to continue the companies’ two-year, Phase III Study 2302 assessing safety of oral calcitonin in patients with osteoarthritis of the knee. Novartis has a worldwide license to produce recombinant calcitonin under Unigene’s patented SecraPep® E. coli manufacturing technology. An independent Data Monitoring Committee (DMC) reviewed and conducted a “futility” analysis of one-year data for all patients enrolled in Study 2302.

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Postmenopausal women with diabetes taking thiazolidinediones (TZDS), including rosiglitazone and pioglitazone, may be at increased risk for fractures according to a new study accepted for publication in The Endocrine Society’s Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism (JCEM). Men with diabetes taking both loop diuretics and TZDs may also be at increased risk of fractures. From the study, researchers identified 786 cases of fractures and 2,657 matched controls.

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