Medgadget Exclusive / Orthopedic Surgery

Device Manufacturing 101: Orthopedic Implants and Instruments

by Scott Jung on May 16, 2012
Device Manufacturing 101: Orthopedic Implants and Instruments

We’re constantly giving you the scoop on the latest in orthopedic devices from our clinical and design perspective, but have you ever wondered about the steps that go into manufacturing these devices? There’s a lot of work in the process that turns an idea into an actual physical product, and often times it’s something we don’t think about.

During our recent trip to Northeast Indiana, we had the opportunity to visit a number of manufacturing sites and learn the high-tech processes and technology that go into producing orthopedic implants and instruments. Here’s how it works!

Read More

Ophthalmology / Rehab

Infra-Red Retinal Prosthesis Restores Sight From an Ultra-Thin Package

by Gavin Corley on May 16, 2012
Infra-Red Retinal Prosthesis Restores Sight From an Ultra-Thin Package

Scientists at the Stanford University School of Medicine are developing a new type of retinal prosthesis which aims to simplify the complex surgery associated with existing, bulkier implants. The prosthetic comprises a pair of goggles and an implanted retinal sensor made up of an array of light-sensitive photodiodes.

The goggles incorporate a miniature camera, a pocket computer for processing the camera data, and an LCD screen embedded into the goggles for displaying the data. The LCD screen beams images using laser pulses of near-infrared light to a photovoltaic ultra thin silicon chip implanted beneath the retina. The chip, in turn, translates the infra-red pulses to neural pulses in the retina which can be processed as images in the brain. The key selling point for the new implant is the elimination of wires and cables and the relative simplicity of implantation.

Read More

Medgadget Exclusive

EchoBlog Joins EchoJournal

by Gene Ostrovsky on May 16, 2012 •

logo EchoBlog Joins EchoJournalA community of physicians who are actively involved with our video sharing site EchoJournal now has a collaborative blog where they’re discussing the latest echocardiography videos, clinical concepts and ideas. EchoBlog can be accessed from the EchoJournal website, or directly by going to EchoBlog.com.

If you are a cardiologist, anesthesiologist, radiologist, medical student, or just a person interested in cardiac ultrasounds, EchoJournal is where you can develop your knowledge and consult with others. To learn and discuss, you can watch new cardiac videos that are added almost every day, or you can browse through our video archives. To store or share, you can upload your own clips. The site has a growing membership base, and solid traffic stats. EchoJournal is curated by David E. Winchester, MD, a cardiologist at the University of Florida.

EchoJournal is offering its users many choices: keep videos private for storage or post them for discussions, embed videos on your own page, organize groups, channels, and more.

Check it out and join us!

EchoJournal …

Critical Care / Medicine

Angel Catheter Combines Central Venous Catheter with IVC Filter for Pulmonary Embolism Prevention (video)

by Wouter Stomp on May 16, 2012
Angel Catheter Combines Central Venous Catheter with IVC Filter for Pulmonary Embolism Prevention (video)

BiO2 Medical has received CE Mark approval for the Angel Catheter, a nitinol inferior vena cava (IVC) filter permanently attached to a central venous catheter, for the use of preventing pulmonary embolism in critically ill patients. The multi-lumen catheter can be used like a normal central venous system for administering medications, fluids or blood products, blood sampling and monitoring of central venous pressure. At the same time it provides pulmonary embolism prophylaxis by means of the attached IVC filter.

The primary patient population is critical care patients in whom anticoagulation therapy poses a high risk of complications, including major bleeding and death, and in which patients are at highest risk of venous thromboembolism (VTE). The filter can be easily removed when the central line is removed, once the danger of VTE has been resolved.

Read More

etc. / Medgadget Exclusive / Pathology / Public Health

An Update on Altapure’s Ultrasonic Clinical Environment Sterilization System

by Scott Jung on May 16, 2012
An Update on Altapure's Ultrasonic Clinical Environment Sterilization System

Back in February, we wrote about Altapure‘s adaptation of military sonar technology to sterilize clinical environments. During our recent trip to northeast Indiana, we had the opportunity to visit Altapure’s home on the campus of the University of Notre Dame.

Since our last mention, Altapure has been able to not only get their product on the market, but is already working on a newer version of the device that clocks in at 1/3 the size of the current model but has the same power.

Read More

Ophthalmology

Nidek AFC-330 Automated Fundus Camera Cleared in U.S.

by Gene Ostrovsky on May 16, 2012
Nidek AFC-330 Automated Fundus Camera Cleared in U.S.

NIDEK (Gamagori, Japan) has received FDA clearance to market its AFC-330 fundus camera in the U.S. The unit is an all-in-one system that contains both the camera and the processing computer, negating the need for another machine to remain nearby.

The device is the company’s most automated model, and features automatic alignment along the three axis, uses a lower brightness flash, and has dampened mechanical components, among other advances.

Read More

Medicine / Radiology / Vascular Surgery

St Jude Medical Launches EnligHTN Renal Denervation System

by Wouter Stomp on May 15, 2012
St Jude Medical Launches EnligHTN Renal Denervation System

It seems that renal denervation systems are popping up like daisies these days. Today at the EuroPCR meeting in Paris, France, St. Jude Medical announced CE Mark Approval and the launch of its EnligHTN renal denervation system. Like other renal ablative systems, this one is approved to reduce blood pressure in patients with hypertension resistant to medical therapy.

Similar to the Vessix Vascular V2 system, the EnligHTN has multiple electrodes which potentially saves time during the ablation procedure, as four ablations can be performed without catheter repositioning.

Read More

in the news...

Flexure-FET Biosensor Promises High Sensitivity for Medical Diagnostics

by Gene Ostrovsky on May 15, 2012
Flexure-FET Biosensor Promises High Sensitivity for Medical Diagnostics

Researchers from Purdue University are reporting in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences the development of a novel new biosensor that combines mechanical and electrical components that together make the device more sensitive than either alone.

The device, known as Flexure-FET biosensor, measures a sample’s mass, size, and electrical charge. If the sample is not charged, the mechanical measurements are still effective, making the sensor applicable in a variety of situations. The device is able to detect DNA fragments and proteins in a sample, making it potentially a highly useful tool in detecting cancer and generally for the growing field of personalized medicine.

Read More

in the news... / Nuclear Medicine

U of Wisconsin to Build Reactorless Mo-99 Medical Isotope Generation Facility

by Gene Ostrovsky on May 15, 2012
U of Wisconsin to Build Reactorless Mo-99 Medical Isotope Generation Facility

The radioisotope molybdenum-99 (Mo-99) is a source for the commonly used radiomarker technetium-99m applicable in cancer diagnostics and life science research, but it’s in short supply and there are no American manufacturers of the material. Producing Mo-99 involves bombarding highly enriched uranium (U-235) with an intense beam of neutrons, which normally means you’ll need a nuclear reactor and have to answer to authorities that deter nuclear weapon proliferation to make the stuff. Last year the Canadian government gave $15 million to the Canadian Light Source, a 2.9 GeV synchrotron facility, to develop a method of using X-rays to manufacture molybdenum-99.

Following up on their own $4.6 million investment last year in NorthStar Medical Radioisotopes to do the same, America’s National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) has partnered with the Morgridge Institute for Research at the University of Wisconsin to build an $85 million facility that will use an accelerator to generate Mo-99.

Read More

12345678910

Follow Medgadget on Twitter