​MicroTransponder’s Vivistim Paired VNS system is a chest implant that helps chronic ischemic stroke survivors regain impaired motor function in their arms and hands by stimulating the nearby vagus nerve, the body’s “superhighway” of electrical signals. It’s the first product to do so for strokes, earning it the FDA’s breakthrough device designation. Vivistim works to boost the effects of physical therapy, facilitating the development of strength and dexterity at two to three times the degree of recovery without it. “We can implant something, and six weeks later, people are having clinically improved benefits,” MicroTransponder CEO Richard Foust says.

Read More: https://time.com/collection/best-inventions-2023/6324373/microtransponder-vivistim-paired-vns-system/

Radiaction Medical, LTD, an Israel-based medical device company focused on radiation protection for medical staff during interventional procedures, announced that it has appointed industry veteran Christopher Barys to serve as its United States President and Chief Commercial Officer. Barys will lead commercialization efforts and operations in the United States.

Radiaction is a plug-and-play addition to C-arm systems that blocks up to 97% of scatter radiation at the source, offering head-to-toe protection for everyone in the room. Radiaction has received CE Mark approval in Europe and FDA clearance in the United States and is currently being marketed in North America.

Read More: ​https://evtoday.com/news/radiaction-medical-appoints-christopher-barys-as-united-states-president-and-chief-commercial-officer

Luminopia, Inc., a commercial-stage company pioneering a new class of treatments for neuro-visual disorders, today announced that the company’s lead product, Luminopia, was named one of TIME’s Best Inventions of 2023.

Luminopia is the first FDA-approved1 digital therapeutic for a neuro-visual disorder, indicated to improve vision in children, aged 4-7, with amblyopia (lazy eye). Amblyopia is the leading cause of vision loss in children, affecting 3% of children worldwide. Traditional treatments include glasses, eye-patches, and blurring (atropine) eye drops, but these options leave a significant unmet need due to poor compliance, residual vision loss, and negative psychosocial impacts.

Read More: ​https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20231024543829/en/Luminopia-Named-to-TIME%E2%80%99s-List-of-the-Best-Inventions-of-2023

WHITMORE LAKE, Mich. – Trace Medical has signed a long-term distribution agreement with Outset Medical to rent the Tablo Hemodialysis System to HME providers to meet the growing demand of dialysis patients seeking treatment at home. “We are excited to work with Outset to fill an obvious need in dialysis treatment,” said Greg Apostolou, CEO. “Our chairman was recently diagnosed with renal disease and experienced first-hand the treatment gaps for patients. Together, we see an opportunity for Trace to utilize our national distribution platform and customer base, which serves approximately 30 million patients annually, to address these gaps.” Tablo, cleared by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, serves as a single enterprise solution that can be used across the continuum of care, allowing dialysis to be delivered anytime, anywhere and by anyone. “Home hemodialysis is the future of dialysis care,” said Steve Williamson, chief commercial officer, Outset Medical. “This new agreement will provide us an additional opportunity to reach the over half million Americans that depend on dialysis to live.” Trace has established a Dialysis Advisory Board with some of the industry’s most prominent nephrologists, GPO leaders and C-suite executives to help educate the industry about the benefits of home hemodialysis and has initiated discussions with commercial payer related to the clinical and financial benefits associated with home hemodialysis.

Read More: https://www.hmenews.com/article/trace-medical-to-distribute-home-dialysis-system

As part of this agreement, Trace Medical will leverage its national distribution network to offer HME providers exclusive access to rent Tablo and meet the growing demand of dialysis patients seeking treatment at home. Greg Apostolou, Chief Executive Officer of Trace Medical, stated, “We are excited to work with Outset to fill an obvious need in dialysis treatment. Our chairman was recently diagnosed with renal disease and experienced first-hand the treatment gaps for patients. Together, we see an opportunity for Trace to utilize our national distribution platform and customer base which serves approximately 30 million patients annually to address these gaps. After months of planning with the talented team at Outset Medical, we are confident in our collective abilities to serve all healthcare channels with Tablo and make a meaningful difference in patient experience and clinical outcomes.”

​Read More: ​https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20231004237474/en/Trace-Medical-Outset-Medical-sign-long-term-distribution-agreement-for-Tablo%C2%AE-Hemodialysis-System

Vibra Hospital of Northern California in Redding is the only long-term acute care (LTAC) hospital in the rural region of the West Coast stretching from north of Sacramento to south of Portland, OR. Care for dialysis patients at this specialty facility is particularly problematic, with only three nephrologists serving the entire area, a growing end-stage renal disease (ESRD) population and patients and their families often having to drive far distances for outpatient intermittent hemodialysis (IHD).

Recently, Vibra Healthcare’s corporate leadership decided to bring in-house IHD services, featuring Outset Medical’s first-of-its-kind Tablo® Hemodialysis System, to several of its hospitals including Vibra Hospital of Northern California. Vibra Hospital of Northern California started managing its own Tablo program in December of 2022.

Read More: ​https://www.outsetmedical.com/perspective/innovative-dialysis-care-in-a-long-term-acute-care-hospital/

To help “close the gap between knowledge and action”, the American Stroke Association (ASA) is launching a culturally relevant Spanish-language campaign named ‘Juntos Contra el Derrame Cerebral’ to raise awareness among Spanish-dominant audiences around the use and understanding of RÁPIDO—a Spanish acronym for stroke warning signs.

According to ASA stroke survey data, only 39% of Hispanic-Latino consumers said they were familiar with the English stroke warning sign acronym, FAST, and only 42% could correctly name two stroke warning signs unaided.

Hispanic-Latino adults in the USA have a higher risk of stroke due to unmanaged risk factors, limited access to healthcare, lower health literacy rates, cultural barriers and socioeconomic determinants of health. That is according to a press release from the ASA, a division of the American Heart Association (AHA). Hispanic-Latino stroke patients also have longer delay times to hospital arrival than non-Hispanic stroke patients, as well as greater stroke severity and poorer outcomes following stroke.

Read More: ​https://neuronewsinternational.com/asa-seeks-to-empower-hispanic-latino-communities-with-promotion-of-rapido-acronym/

The race against a silent killer

To amplify the stark reality of the disease burden from this "silent killer", WHO produced a Global report on hypertension. This comprehensive report features unsettling statistics underscoring the far-reaching consequences of uncontrolled hypertension – ranging from heart attacks, strokes and premature death to substantial economic loss.  Moreover, the accompanying profiles offer a country-by-country snapshot of hypertension burden and control. The report not only serves as an eye-opener but also shows the way forward for countries to protect their people, highlighting the tremendous strides made in managing the disease, and drawing insights from the implementation of the WHO HEARTS package. Additionally, it equips countries with essential tools to enhance hypertension prevention, control and surveillance, thereby offering a roadmap towards a healthier future.

Read More: https://www.who.int/teams/noncommunicable-diseases/hypertension-report

Washington, D.C., August 31, 2023 — The Society of Vascular and Interventional Neurology (SVIN) and its Mission Thrombectomy Committee (SVIN_MT) proudly announce a momentous achievement. On August 8, 2023, the esteemed United Nations Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) granted SVIN the prestigious special consultative status.

SVIN is thrilled to herald a new chapter in its journey, what it means for its members and affiliations, to advance global conversations and patient access to thrombectomy. It positions SVIN at the forefront of organizations collaborating with ECOSOC, opening doors to impactful interactions with subsidiary bodies, including the Human Rights Council. Moreover, this status facilitates participation in select General Assembly meetings and other intergovernmental gatherings, fostering collaborative exchanges with the United Nations Secretariat.

This status underscores SVIN's dedication to making a tangible difference on a global scale, opening the doors to impactful dialogues, critical collaborations, and valuable partnerships that align with SVIN's mission to advance vascular and interventional neurology for the betterment of global healthcare.

Read More: https://www.svin.org/i4a/headlines/headlinedetails.cfmcontroller=headlines&action=headlineDetails&id=86&categoryID=0&startVal=1

Mahesh Jayaraman, an interventional neuroradiologist at Rhode Island Hospital in Providence, USA—who has led national efforts to improve stroke systems of care in the USA—has been named the 2023 president of the Society of NeuroInterventional Surgery (SNIS), a scientific and educational association dedicated to advancing the specialty of neurointerventional surgery.

As president, Jayaraman will lead the SNIS in all its endeavours to enhance the field, according to a press release. SNIS members work to promote research, standard-setting, education and advocacy regarding diagnosing and treating diseases of the brain, spine, head, and neck. With more than 1,000 members worldwide, the society is committed to providing the highest quality of patient care through these minimally invasive procedures, the release adds.

Read More: https://neuronewsinternational.com/mahesh-jayaraman-becomes-28th-president-of-the-society-of-neurointerventional-surgery/