St. Jude Medical Inc.has received approval from U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and European CE Mark for its Strada Carotid Guiding Sheath. The equipment is a flexible tube available in 80 and 90 cm working lengths through which physicians can deliver balloon catheters, stents and other tools to open blockages in the carotid arteries.

Mazor Surgical Technologies has received CE Mark Certification for its DiscAssist guidance and positioning system for disc replacement surgery. DiscAssist helps doctors to plan the appropriate size and placement of artificial discs in interverteberal disc replacement surgery. The company aims at filing for FDA approval in the US and expected to receive the same by the end of 2008.