Brief summaries of recent product and company developments in the device industry, including: developments in continuous glucose monitoring, new liability conerns for device companies, medtech acquisitions in 2007, and the 2008 IPO market.

Noteworty news from medtech start-ups. In this issue: NOTES companies promise the least invasive surgery, with brief profiles of Apollo Endosurgery, Minos Medical and Cardiorobotics. (Adapted from "NOTES Companies Sing an Upbeat Tune," START-UP, December 2007.)

A roundup of recent medtech strategic alliances, mergers & acquisitions and financings.

The global market for spine implants and products will surpass $6 billion this year. While technological innovations continue to abound and industry proponents forecast sustained double-digit growth, the spine market is entering an unsettling phase of bureaucratic regulation and oversight from regulators and payors who appear intent on putting the breaks on this sector.