With an annual growth of almost 5%, the market for vascular access site repair products is attracting companies with innovative new products. Wider acceptance of new approaches to wound closure by interventionalists and the under-penetration in emerging Asian markets in particular are resulting in an uptake in the use of higher-tech devices and the emergence of local manufacturers.

Kensey Nash and St. Jude Medical settle royalties spat. More news briefs.

Brief summaries of recent medtech market and industry developments. This month we cover HemCon's next-generation wound dressing, the proposed national medical device registry and DOJ's probe of cardiac ablation device makers.

Despite the best intentions and brightest innovation, start-ups haven't been able to tap into the huge potential presented by the vascular closure market. Ten years after the first generation devices made it to market, the original two leaders still dominate despite the limitations of their devices, while many start-ups have come and gone. A long list of new hopefuls believe they have the solution physicians have desired. Now all they have to do is convince the physicians, who, when it comes to vascular closure devices, are slow to recognize clinical data but quick to embrace a device that feels right to them.