“About Us” for www.Covidien.com, a medical supplies company

http://www.covidien.com/covidien/pages.aspx?page=AboutUs/OurStory


by Matt Jones

At Covidien, we're passionate about making doctors, nurses, pharmacists and other medical professionals as effective as they can be. From Autosuture to Valleylab, from Kendall to Mallinckrodt, our industry-leading brands are known worldwide for uncompromising quality.

Through ongoing collaboration with medical professionals and organizations, we identify clinical needs and translate them into proven products and procedures. Over the years, we've pioneered a number of medical advances including contrast media, pulse oximetry, electrosurgery, surgical stapling and laparoscopic instrumentation.

Offering an extensive product line that spans medical devices, pharmaceuticals and medical supplies, we serve healthcare needs in hospitals, long-term care and alternate care facilities, doctors’ offices and in the home.

International in every respect

Covidien is part of the local fabric of the communities where we operate. Deriving more than 40% of our sales from outside the United States, Covidien's success wouldn’t be possible without the dedication of our 42,000 employees, who live in more than 60 countries. Nearly two-thirds of our colleagues work in 58 manufacturing facilities located in 16 countries. In addition, more than 5,000 sales representatives in more than 60 countries meet our customers’ needs every day.

Strategic Initiatives, Core strengths

At Covidien, we believe that supporting the lifesaving work of medical professionals and emphasizing growth are not mutually exclusive. In fact, our financial stability enables us to hold to our vision of being an essential resource to the healthcare profession and therefore to doing our part to improve patient outcomes.

With that in mind, we have outlined the following strategic initiatives:

• Focus on Growth
• Commitment to Innovation
• Leveraging Our Global Structure
• Driving Operational Excellence
• Increased Portfolio Management

We're confident that we will succeed in these areas because of our core strengths:

• Scale, product diversity and reach. As one of the largest global manufacturers and marketers in the healthcare industry, our scale and diversity allow us to invest wisely in infrastructure and technology and to develop lower cost sources of supply and global distribution. We offer products in a number of high growth healthcare areas, including laparoscopic surgery, electrosurgery, biosurgery, sleep therapy and pain management.
• A portfolio of leading brands. Our brands are among the most well-known and respected in the healthcare field. Quality and reliability are their hallmarks.
• Strong customer relationships. Our sales force develops and maintains strong relationships with clinician decision makers. We foster these relationships by providing extensive clinical education through dedicated training centers, by sponsoring fellowships and offering other continuing education programs.
• Operational excellence. We have a history of developing and manufacturing high-quality products in a cost-effective manner. Throughout our organization, we are committed to Six Sigma, Design for Six Sigma, Lean Manufacturing and strategic sourcing initiatives to ensure product availability. We employ strict safety and quality controls to reduce disruption throughout the supply chain.

Our aim is to enhance growth by increasing research and development initiatives, pursuing targeted acquisition opportunities and enhancing our global infrastructure, including sales, marketing and distribution.

“Shoulder Surgery” for www.Stryker.com, a medical supplies company

·        The scapula (shoulder blade)

·        The humerus (upper arm bone)

The rotator cuff – 4 muscles connecting the humerus with the scapula – supplies stability and balance to the shoulder joint. Proper rotator cuff balance is essential for arm raising and rotation. When you raise your arm, the rotator cuff holds the humeral head tightly within the socket (glenoid) of the scapula.

A smooth substance called articular cartilage covers the surface of the bones where they touch each other within a joint. This articular cartilage acts as a cushion between the bones. In addition, lubricated sacs of tissue called bursae (singular: bursa) also protect muscles and tendons, allowing them to slide against each other with less friction.

In the shoulder, one of these bursae is located between the rotator cuff and the acromion – the part of the scapula that "roofs" the shoulder. As with other joints, the remainder of the shoulder joint surface is covered by a thin, smooth tissue liner called synovial membrane, which makes a small amount of fluid that acts as a lubricant so that the joint bones will not rub against each other.

One of the most common causes of shoulder pain is arthritis. The most common types of arthritis are Osteoarthritis, Rheumatoid Arthritis, and Post-Traumaic Arthritis.

Other shoulder pain causes include avascular necrosis, which can result when bone is deprived of its normal blood supply (for example, after organ transplantation or long-term cortisone treatment), and deformity or direct injury, such as a fracture, to the joint.

In some cases, joint pain is made worse by the fact that a person will avoid using a painful joint, weakening the muscles and making the joint even more difficult to move.

What's causing your shoulder joint pain? Is getting relief through joint replacement an option for you? These are just some of the answers that an orthopaedic surgeon can provide. But first, it's a good idea to be sure you have information about joint replacement that will help you understand what the surgeon tells you.

Treating shoulder pain

You don't have to live with severe joint pain and the functional limitations it causes. There are many treatment options that may help relieve your pain.

While every orthopaedic evaluation is different, there are many commonly used tests that an orthopaedic surgeon may consider in evaluating a patient's condition. In general, the orthopaedic evaluation usually consists of:

·        A thorough medical history

·        A physical examination

·        X-rays

·        Additional tests, as needed

Your medical history is taken to assist the orthopaedic surgeon in evaluating your overall health and the possible causes of your joint pain. In addition, it will help your orthopaedic surgeon determine to what degree your joint pain is interfering with your ability to perform everyday activities.

What the physician sees during the physical examination — which includes examination of standing posture, gait analysis (watching how you walk), sitting down, and lying down — helps to confirm (or to rule out) the possible diagnosis. The physical exam will also enable the orthopaedic surgeon to evaluate other important aspects of your hips and knees, including:

·        Size and length

·        Strength

·        Range of motion

·        Swelling

·        Reflexes

·        Skin condition

If you are experiencing pain in your hip joint, your back may be examined because hip pain may actually be the result of problems in the lower spine.

After the physical examination, X-ray evaluation is usually the next step in making the diagnosis. The X-rays help show how much joint damage or deformity exists. An abnormal X-ray may reveal:

·        Narrowing of the joint space

·        Cysts in the bone

·        Spurs on the edge of the bone

·        Areas of bony thickening called sclerosis

·        Deformity or incorrect alignment

Occasionally, additional tests may be needed to confirm the diagnosis. Laboratory testing of your blood, urine, or joint fluid can be helpful in identifying specific types of arthritis and in ruling out certain diseases. Specialized X-rays of the back can help confirm that hip pain isn't being caused by a back problem. Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) or a bone scan may be needed to determine the condition of the bone and soft tissues of the affected joint.

In order to assist the doctor in making a diagnosis, it may be helpful to write down your answers to the following questions before the appointment:

·        Where and when do I have pain?

·        How long have I had this pain?

·        Do I have any redness or swelling around my joints?

·        What daily tasks are hard to do now?

·        Did I ever hurt the joint or overuse it?

·        Does anyone in my family have similar problems, such as spurs on the edge of the bone?

Of course, even if your doctor determines that joint replacement is a good medical option for you, it is still up to you to make the final decision. The ultimate goal is for you to be as comfortable as possible, and that always means making the best decision for you based on your own individual needs.