> Boston Scientific's stock jumped as much as 6 percent after RBC Capital Markets boosts its rating of the medical devicemaker's stock. News
> An Irish company that helps medical device companies design their products has opened a small office near the Cleveland Clinic. Creganna-Tactx Medical employs two business development specialists at its new office in the Clinic's Global Cardiovascular Innovation Center, an incubator designed to accelerate the development of companies creating cardiovascular technologies and other medical products. News
> Mako Surgical grew revenue 66 percent in the fourth quarter, although its losses deepened moderately. Item
> A medical devices company is to provide 55 new jobs over five years in Co Offaly. Kelcourt Plastics, a California-based component supplier, has announced plans to establish a new medical tubing manufacturing operation in Tullamore with the support of IDA Ireland. Kelcourt Plastics is a division of US-based PPC Industries. Report
> RehabCare Group, the provider of acute rehabilitation services being bought by Kindred Healthcare for about $1.3 billion, was sued by an investment fund seeking more money in the deal. Item
> Local health and life sciences company GE Healthcare was pleased to welcome local resident the Earl Howe, Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Health, to its Amersham facilities. At The Grove Centre, Lord Howe visited research laboratories where scientists are working on new ways to detect cancers and neurological diseases at an early stage. In particular, the teams at the site develop imaging products used during medical scanning procedures to highlight disease in organs and tissues of the body at a molecular level. GE Healthcare release
> A $500,000 loan from the state of Ohio will help AxioMed Spine manufacture and launch the company's second product, an artificial cervical spine disc. Article
And Finally... A pooch swallowed a razor blade. Luckily for the Labrador, the veterinary facility had just received a new endoscope and helped doctors diagnose and operate. The dog became the first patient to benefit from the equipment; he wasn't the last. Another Labrador swallowed a boot. But besides locating and retrieving foreign objects that have been swallowed, the device can aid in the detection of certain types of cancer, and examining and extracting samples of tumors. Item