Transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation technology has been used for decades to noninvasively treat acute and chronic pain in the muscles, joints, back, and neck. Now, InControl Medical LLC is employing it in the form of an intravaginal probe combined with patient biofeedback and quantitative physician feedback to treat one of the largest and fastest growing female health care problems, stress and mixed urinary incontinence.

InSightec, TriVascular and NicOx are among firms with notable recent product approvals or launches.

Despite significant growth over the past several years, Encore Medical found it difficult to win over investors. So it has turned to private equity firm Blackstone Group to take it private, hoping that greater financial freedom will enable it to continue its aggressive growth.

Biowave hopes to ease the suffering of those with chronic pain with non-invasive and minimally invasive neuromodulation technology. Its devices--one designed for in-hospital use, one for home use--deliver a penetrating focused electrical field into deep tissue to block pain at its source.