@FierceMedDev: Why the medical device drought in Kansas City? According to some: venture capital. Report | Follow @FierceMedDev
> Boston Scientific is enrolling patients in a trial for a new kind of drug-eluding coronary stent it calls Synergy. Story
> A top Senate Republican has asked the chief executive of Zimmer Holdings for details on how the orthopedic devicemaker responds to reports of product problems raised by surgeons who are company consultants. Item
> Medical device maker Becton Dickinson said Monday it completed the sale of its ophthalmic systems unit and surgical blades product platform to RoundTable Health Partners. Story
> A Braintree company that trains college graduates for careers in the medical device industry just honored its first graduating class. PrepMD's program offers career placement as well as specialized training in cardiac rhythm management, helping participants to find jobs working for companies that produce pacemakers and other heart devices. Story
> Drug delivery patches always include more of the drug than the patient actually needs, which helps make sure the proper amount is delivered. But that also means there is always some amount of residual drug left over, and that can become a serious problem. Report
> Pathwork Diagnostics has formed a research collaboration with Novartis to study cancer molecular diagnostics. No financial terms were disclosed. News
> Medtronic has launched the Defeat-HF (Determining the Feasibility of Spinal Cord Neuromodulation for the Treatment of Chronic Heart Failure) clinical trial. It is the industry's first prospective, randomized study evaluating the clinical feasibility of spinal cord stimulation (SCS), or neurostimulation, to improve clinical signs and symptoms of heart failure. Medtronic release
> Cleveland Medical Devices Inc. has been awarded $60,000 from the Cuyahoga County New Product Development and Entrepreneurship Loan Fund to step up commercialization of its SleepView device for sleep apnea screening at home. Article
> Cytori Therapeutics (NASDAQ: CYTX) has received European (CE Mark) approval for the PureGraft 250/PURE System for autologous fat grafting procedures, allowing Cytori to immediately commercialize the PureGraftproduct line to physicians in Europe. PureGraft will be sold as both a standalone product and as a complement to Cytori's Celution 800/CRS System in Europe. Cytori release
> BD (Becton, Dickinson and Company) (NYSE: BDX), a leading global medical technology company, has promoted Vincent Forlenza, president, who assumes the title of COO in addition to his current title. Forlenza will continue to report to Edward Ludwig, chairman and CEO. BD release
> Boston Scientific's recent failure to secure a new state tax credit will not affect the company's plans to make $65 million worth of improvements to its North Quincy facility, the mayor said. Report
> A study shows promise for less-invasive heart valve replacement procedures. The study, founded by HHS' Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality found replacing the valve through a catheter could be an effective short-term solution instead of open heart surgery. Story
> Steven Kane, CEO of Patient Safety Technologies, has resigned. The company, which creates technology that ensures all medical sponges have been removed following surgery, announced Brian Stewart will be its new CEO. Article
And Finally... When Raven, a 3-year-old poodle, began fainting after every walk she took with her owner, she became a candidate for a pacemaker--a medical device common among humans but seen sparingly in dogs. And this month, Bright implanted Raven with a pacemaker. The device--about the size of a half dollar--gives Raven's heart the electrical boost needed for her to live a normal life. News