2019 saw fewer revenues-boosting major acquisitions by top-tier medtechs. Companies that reported after the calendar year-end were the first to see the consequences of the pandemic on their annual figures.

Roughly 18.5% of patients who received reinterventions to fix mesh implants for pelvic organ prolapse (POP) repair experienced complications they will likely endure for the rest of their lives, and they also face a 2.5% higher rate of further surgeries than non-mesh patients, says a recent 54,194-woman study detailed in Obstetrics & Gynecology. The study authors lay out a case that the US FDA should have forced removal of mesh from the market sooner.

Transvaginal mesh products made by Boston Scientific and Coloplast were ordered pulled from US shelves by the agency on Aug. 16. Under the rare FDA order, the two firms must immediately stop selling the mesh and have 10 days to submit plans to the agency outlining how they will recall their unimplanted devices.

Acelity has agreed to acquire Crawford Healthcare for an undisclosed price to expand its wound care portfolio. Crawford's wound-dressing portfolio includes the KerraMax Care, KerraFoam, and KerraCel brands, complementing Acelity's advanced wound dressing line-up, which includes the Promogran Prisma Matrix collagen dressing, the Tielle dressings, and Adaptic dressings. The deal also includes Crawford's research and development and manufacturing facilities in Chesire, UK.