Johnson & Johnson plans to buy Abiomed for $380 per share – about $16.6bn in total – plus up to $35 per share in potential commercial and clinical milestone-contingent payments. Abiomed is the clear leader in percutaneous circulatory support technology, but would benefit from J&J's reach and resources while complementing J&J's Biosense Webster electrophysiology business.

Integra will pay up to $400m for ACell to expand its wound management and soft-tissue repair product line. The deal is part of a larger restructuring plan that includes selling its orthopedics business.

The disruptive medtech M&A of recent years was not matched in the past year for volume, but there were isolated outbreaks of major activity, as shown in our company rankings. 

In Medtech Insight's latest rankings of top 100 revenue-earners in the medical device and diagnostics sector, it was steady as she goes for most of the multinational medtechs, with some major exceptions. But there will be more M&A reflected in next year's ranking based on 2018 revenues. Also, medtech groups leading the global market tightened their grip further in 2017, as providers chose to partner more and more with fewer suppliers who can offer a wider provision of services.