Rimkus Consulting, a firm that provides forensic consultants and expert witnesses for litigants in need of engineering expertise, has opened a new practice to focus on cases involving medical devices. The launch represents an expansion of the companys forensic healthcare division and includes the addition of a clinical engineering group.

Sodexo, the food-and-facilities multinational headquartered in Paris, has acquired 100 percent of Puras do Brasil for an enterprise value of approximately 525 million ($737.7 million).

Tension exists in the medical community over whether high-protocol environments provide adequate educational opportunities for junior clinicians, because they often require nurses to perform duties that would otherwise be taken on by trainees. However, the findings of a recent study may add strength to the arguments of those favoring strong protocols.

Infusion pump maker B. Braun Medical has filed a multi-count lawsuit against a competitor, the San Diego-based CareFusion, for patent infringement. B. Braun is crying foul over CareFusions Alaris infusion pumps and its line of smart medication systems.

Despite growing interest in global health, addressing the inaccessibility of health technologies will require a multidisciplinary needs assessment, as well as innovation, in countries where device delays and capacity restraints linger, according to the authors of a New England Journal of Medicine (NEJM) perspective published Sept. 1.

The Nivo Nebulizing System, designed for use in patients receiving noninvasive ventilation, was recently released under collaboration between Royal Philips Electronics and Galway, Ireland-based Aerogen. 

The FDA has given Spine Wave the approval to sell its StaXx XDL, an implant that uses the companys expandable-device technology to aid surgeons correcting spinal disorders.

Heating, ventilation and air conditioning setback strategies offer opportunities for substantial reductions in operating room expenses, according to a new report from the American Society for Healthcare Engineering (ASHE) of the American Hospital Association.