3 min reading time

With the end of the calendar year upon us, you’ll be seeing top 10 lists for the year.

And while I have two links to share with you, I’m more interested to learn which innovations and medtech startups made the most impact for you this year?

Perhaps it’s something your company launched or improved. Maybe it’s something you worked on with a client or read about.

This discussion is your opportunity to let our medical device community learn more about it.

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At http://bit.ly/11-inno, Medical Design & Outsourcing lists the nominees for the best medical technology of 2017.

They include:
1. Abbott’s CardioMEMS system, the only FDA-cleared heart failure monitoring system.

2. Allergan’s Juvederm Vorbella XC, a lip filler.

3. Boston Scientific’s SpyGlass DS direct visualization system, used to examine bile ducts.

4. Boston Scientific’s Watchman left atrial appendage closure device, intended to help reduce stroke risk in some AFib patients.

5. The BrainScope One, an FDA-cleared head injury assessment device.

6. Insightec’s Exablate Neuro, an ultrasound device to treat medication refractory essential tremor patients using thalamotomy.

7. Integra LifeSciences’ Omnigraft dermal regeneration matrix for treating diabetic foot ulcers.

8. JNJ / DePuy Synthes’ Attune knee reconstruction system.

9. JNJ / Ethicon’s Evarrest fibrin sealant patch for general hemostasis.

10. Koning’s Breast CT 1000, which takes 3D images with spatial resolution; without compression.

11. Biosense Webster’s Thermocool SmartTouch SF catheter, designed to cool at half the flow rate of other irrigated catheters.

Also see http://bit.ly/10-starts, MDO’s choices for the most interesting medical device startups of the year.

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Happy Holidays to you,.

Joe Hage
Medical Devices Group Leader

P.S. The 10x price in 2018 is half the 2017 rate. If you have use-or-lose dollars, go ahead and register before year-end at https://medgroup.biz/10x.

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Joe Hage
🔥 Find me at MedicalDevicesGroup.net 🔥
Thanks for these comments, folks. Candidly, surprised more group members didn’t jump at the chance for a little free publicity.

Julie Omohundro
Principal Consultant at Class Three, LLC
I think I would hold off on naming the best medical technology of 2017 until at least 2022.

The main impact these things have for me these days is on my efforts to figure out what is going on with this industry. The startups that have had the most impact on me in recent years are those that have been touted as successful in the media by one measure or another, when I knew that the underlying reality was rather different. I will be interested to see how these devices look in another 5-10 years.

Aaron R. Peterson
VP, R&D at HeartSciences, Inc.
HeartSciences (www.heartsciences.com) just launched outside of the USA its initial product (MyoVista), which is a high-sensitivity ECG device with advanced signal processing that extends traditional ECG functionality by adding the ability to detect repolarization abnormalities related to early-stage Heart Disease. This is significant as there are no low-cost/non-invasive tools for detecting heart disease (which is why Heart Disease is the #1 killer in the world). Early clinical trial data is very compelling – and more studies are being proposed to the company almost every day. Technology is worth watching going into 2018.

Tom KraMer
President & CEO, Speaker
Craniovation’s cure for brain tumors!!!

Paul M. Stein
Chief Scientist, Inventor, and Entrepreneur – Dedicated to the Treatment of Critical Unmet Medical Needs
I personally look for those startups looking to tackle unmet medical needs. The obesity crisis rolls on unabated. This year, ReShape Lifesciences has put together an interesting portfolio of obesity medical devices from a dual-balloon to a neurostmulator to a gastric vest. Because the last one, the one most remarkable, is such a long way off, as Julie O. says quite correctly, this is all a TBD regarding ultimate impact.

Danielle Boyd
Bachelor of Science (B.S.) at Purdue University
MD Anderson did a study with Alpha-Stim that was pre-released by the Journal of Pain and Symptom Management. It found that advanced cancer patients who were treated with cranial electrotherapy stimulation (CES) for just four weeks saw significant improvement of pain, anxiety, depression and sleep. Read more here: http://www.alpha-stim.com/2017/10/md-anderson-study-alpha-stim-advanced-cancer-patients/

Kirk Zeller, DBA
Market Access and Commercial Development Executive, Board Member
I look forward to the 2018 meeting!

Hui Kuun Teoh
R&D Manager (Innovation/Idea Management – CoE IVA) at B. Braun Medical
great opportunity and learning for those who have the opportunity to attend!!

Andy Pilling
Group Manager Knee Development
Having worked on the ATTUNE Development for a number of years I believe the biggest innovative around the platform is the INTUITION SOLO Single Use Instruments. Delivering the accuracy of the reusable instruments with the advantages of a single use product. Offers a real opportunity to increase the efficiency within the OR and the theatre supply chain.

Alex Hatebur
President of the Board at Medical Insights
For Orthopaedic surgeons I would assume Insights Orthopedics is the innovation of 2018. Grown to 100’000 orthopaedic surgeons it focus on the medical advances that really matter and directly impacts best patient care.

François Lellouche
Médecin-Chercheur-Entrepreneur (FreeO2: oxygénothérapie automatisée)
Best Innovation = FreeO2 (automated oxygen therapy) will replace the centenarian ball flowmeter (first publication 1910 to my knowledge).