Diagnostics / Telemedicine

Skylight Microscope-Smartphone Adapter Launching in March

by Gavin Corley on Feb 8, 2012
Skylight Microscope-Smartphone Adapter Launching in March

SkyLight, a technology start-up which began life as a Kickstarter project, has announced the release of its namesake microscope-to-smartphone adapter this coming March. The minimalist SkyLight adapter can optically interface any smartphone device to any microscope via a series of simple sliding and locking fixtures, which help to position the smartphone’s camera over the microscope’s eyepiece lens.The adapter is made of lightweight plastics and weighs less than an iPhone.

The project was the brainchild of Andy Miller, a designer and engineer who, as an undergraduate, developed low cost microscopes for the developing world. According to the company, the SkyLight adapter was designed as a simple way to remotely connect doctors to patients in rural locations using existing microscopes and easy to use, increasingly available smartphones.

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Anesthesiology / Cardiology / Critical Care / Emergency Medicine / Medicine / Ob/Gyn / Surgery / Urology / Vascular Surgery

Analogic Releases New BK Medical Ultrasounds

by Gene Ostrovsky on Feb 8, 2012
Analogic Releases New BK Medical Ultrasounds

Analogic has announced the worldwide launch of three new ultrasound systems from its subsidiary BK Medical, the Pro Focus UltraView 800, the Flex Focus 800, and the Flex Focus 500.

All three models sport the company’s “Quantum Technology” that provides high resolution visualization of the tissues.

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Military Medicine

BattleView Infrared Vascular Trans-illuminator Shows Off Veins When The Lights Are Out

by Gene Ostrovsky on Feb 8, 2012
BattleView Infrared Vascular Trans-illuminator Shows Off Veins When The Lights Are Out

Let’s just say that you’re a medic out there “in the field” in the middle of the night, with bad guys all over the surrounding hill tops, and they just shot one of your buddies.  You managed to move the injured soldier to a safer location, and are attempting to setup an IV, but you certainly don’t want to turn on the flashlight with enemy snipers scanning every inch of the landscape.

That’s where the BattleView Infrared Vascular Trans-illuminator may be of help, as it shines infrared light through the body part where you’re trying to set the IV, illuminating the internal anatomy for your night vision goggles to see as bright as day.

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in the news...

Optical Detection of Electric Signals May Herald Next Generation MRI Machines

by Gene Ostrovsky on Feb 7, 2012
Optical Detection of Electric Signals May Herald Next Generation MRI Machines

Researchers from Joint Quantum Institute (National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) and the University of Maryland, College Park), the Neils Bohr Institute in Copenhagen, Denmark, and Harvard University have described a theoretical system that may allow the detection of very small electrical signals by utilizing laser light.

The technology framework uses a nano scale mechanical membrane that vibrates in response to an electrical signal, with the frequency proportional to the signal strength. Shining a laser onto the membrane will let you measure the vibration frequency, identifying the nature of the original signal. Because these sensors can be very small and remain cool, it may be possible to reduce the size, energy requirements, and improve all sorts of characteristics of MRI machines when their superconducting magnets are no longer necessary.

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Cardiac Surgery / ENT / Ob/Gyn / Orthopedic Surgery / Plastic Surgery / Surgery / Thoracic Surgery / Urology / Vascular Surgery

Bovie J-Plasma Handpiece Greenlighted in U.S.

by Gene Ostrovsky on Feb 7, 2012
Bovie J-Plasma Handpiece Greenlighted in U.S.

Bovie Medical received FDA clearance for its J-Plasma handpiece with retractable cutting feature for coagulating soft tissue during surgeries. It is available for both open and laparoscopic procedures.

The device is powered by a previously approved Bovie GS electrosurgical generator.

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Medgadget Exclusive / Neurological Surgery / Orthopedic Surgery / Surgery / Thoracic Surgery / Urology

Medgadget Q&A About VISIUS Surgical Theatre With Intra-Operative Imaging

by Justin Barad on Feb 7, 2012
Medgadget Q&A About VISIUS Surgical Theatre With Intra-Operative Imaging

Intra-operative imaging has been helping surgeons work on patients with greater confidence and increased precision.

We had a chance to ask Amy Boyle, Executive Vice President, Marketing at IMRIS, about the benefits of intra-operative imaging, and specifically about the company’s VISIUS Surgical Theatre that comes with either CT or MRI scanner that can quickly slide in and out of the OR to image the patient on the table as needed.

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in the news...

World’s First Titanium Mandible Created, 205 More Bones Needed for a Complete Terminator

by Gavin Corley on Feb 7, 2012
World's First Titanium Mandible Created, 205 More Bones Needed for a Complete Terminator

A multidisciplinary team of engineers and clinicians led by The Functional Morphology Research Group at the University of Hasselt BIOMED Research Institute has created what they believe to be the very first complete 3D-printed lower jaw. The implant was manufactured by Layerwise NV, a company based in Leuven, Belgium that specializes in additive manufacturing.

Following an MRI scan of the patient’s own diseased mandible, the new mandible was created using laser printing of titanium powder to create a custom 3D implant. The implant is a little heavier than a natural lower jaw weighing in at approximately 107 grams. It was printed in a matter of hours before being sprayed with an artificial bone coating and finally being polished.

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Orthopedic Surgery

New Plate From Suspension Orthopaedics Adds New Twist To Fixing Distal Clavicle Fractures

by Justin Barad on Feb 7, 2012
New Plate From Suspension Orthopaedics Adds New Twist To Fixing Distal Clavicle Fractures

Suspension Orthopaedics just announced that their hybrid fixation plate for distal clavicle fractures has received FDA approval. Distal clavicle fractures are extremely difficult to fix surgically. Currently two methods are frequently used to approach this challenging problem. One method is to use a plate with screws to secure the fracture. However, this can be very difficult because there is usually very little to no bone to secure a plate to. Frequently a special hook plate must be used to achieve adequate fixation. Another method is to reconstruct the coracoclavicular ligaments, which are ligaments connecting the coracoid, a part of the scapula, to the clavicle. By reconstructing these ligaments the displaced clavicle is often brought into the appropriate position so the fracture can heal.

In order to better address these complicated  fractures, Suspension Othopaedics has designed a unique plating system that creates a hybrid of these two approaches. Their device allows for both fixation to the coracoid while also having the mechanical strength of plate fixation. Hopefully with these two methods joining forces we will begin to see better outcomes for these very difficult to treat fractures.

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Orthopedic Surgery / Surgery

TeDan Surgical Innovations Launches Phantom Series MIS Anterior Hip Retractor System

by Wouter Stomp on Feb 6, 2012
TeDan Surgical Innovations Launches Phantom Series MIS Anterior Hip Retractor System

TeDan Surgical Innovations has launched the Phantom Series MIS Anterior Hip Retractor System, a hip retractor that enables surgeons to perform entire anterior approach hip replacements without a fracture table or a surgical assistant.

The anterior approach for hip replacements is gaining popularity because it minimizes muscle damage, expediting patient recovery time and reduces post-operative discomfort. The Phantom MIS obviates the need for a fracture table and additional surgical assistants for this procedure as is usually necessary. It utilizes a system of adjustable surgical arms with attachable retractors that were designed for increased visibility and help decrease wound size and minimize tissue trauma.

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