Bothell, WA-based ultrasound company SonoSite (NASDAQ: [[ticker:SONO]]) has received FDA clearance for its LumenVu catheter guidance system, the company said yesterday. The technology, designed to aid in the placement of peripherally inserted central catheters (PICC), uses a combination of near-infrared and a fiber optic stylet, replacing a traditional guide wire, and allowing real-time tracking and visualization of a catheter tip as it advances through the vein. There were an estimated 2.5 million PICC lines placements performed in the U.S. in 2008, and although very common, a recent University of Pennsylvania Medical Center study found that only 70 percent of these lines are succesfully placed on the first attempt. The company is also working on a new ultrasound device that will allow physicians to take an up-close look at arteries, and possibly prevent cardiovascular issues.
Author: Thea Chard
Before joining Xconomy, Thea spent a year working as the editor of another startup, the hyperlocal Seattle neighborhood news site QueenAnneView.com. She holds a bachelor's degree from the University of Southern California, where she double-majored in print journalism and creative writing. While in college, Thea spent a semester studying in London and writing for the London bureau of the Los Angeles Times. Indulging in her passion for feature writing, she has covered a variety of topics ranging from the arts, to media, clean technology and breaking news. Before moving back to Seattle, Thea worked in new media development on two business radio shows, "Marketplace" and "Marketplace Money" by American Public Media. Her clips have appeared in the Los Angeles Times, the Santa Monica Daily Press, Seattle magazine and her college paper, the Daily Trojan. Thea is a native Seattleite who grew up in Magnolia, and now lives in Queen Anne.
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