Smith & Nephew acquired Tusker Medical, an ENT devicemaker, for an unspecified amount.
Tusker recently received FDA approval for Tula, a medical device that treats recurrent or persistent ear infections. Tula allows physicians to place ear tubes without the use of general anesthesia on patients 6 months or older. Physicians use an automated device with a specialized delivery system to place the tube in under half a second.
Physicians successfully placed tubes in 103 patients between the ages of 6 months and 4 years and in 91 patients between the ages of 5 and 12 years, according to a study of 222 pediatric patients.