Archives: 8/2008

Cardiology / Emergency Medicine / Space Medicine

LIFEPAK 1000 AED Goes to Space

by Gene Ostrovsky on Aug 13, 2008 • 12:48 pm

87569med2 LIFEPAK 1000 AED Goes to SpaceIf it’s good for NASA, it must be good for your dirty hospital. Medtronic is excited that its portable LIFEPAK® 1000 automated external defibrillator has won some hearts at NASA, after the agency tested 18 other AEDs, and selected this particular model to be the first ever defibrillator in space, to be deployed on the International Space Station (ISS) along with some Russians and Georgians. If the current conflict escalates into outer space, this might come in handy.
From Medtronic:

The ISS has utilized manual defibrillators in the past, but NASA decided to now deploy an AED because it requires less training and maintenance, better enabling astronauts to respond to a medical emergency. The small size and light weight of the 1000 also helped minimize hardware mass and volume onboard the Space Station.
NASA conducted extensive evaluations of 18 AEDs available worldwide before selecting the LIFEPAK 1000 defibrillator to protect the crew members of the ISS. The AED evaluations focused on user interface, ease of use, durability and detailed technical specifications related to the unique conditions encountered in space, including electromagnetic interference, pressure susceptibility, temperature, vibration, acceleration and other environmental factors. Additionally, Medical Operations personnel evaluated the use of LIFEPAK 1000 in zero gravity conditions aboard a NASA DC-9 test aircraft as part of developing their advanced life support use protocols.
With the exception of a customized battery developed and provided by Micro Power Electronics, a leading manufacturer of custom batteries and power systems, and a NASA-created cover for the device that is specifically designed for space use to help protect it from electromagnetic interference, the LIFEPAK 1000 was deployed on board the Space Station in the same device configuration used by professional emergency responders.

Product page: LIFEPAK 1000…
Product brochure…
NASA Selects LIFEPAK® 1000 Defibrillator from Physio-Control as First Automated External Defibrillator in Space…

Cardiac Surgery / Thoracic Surgery

The Sternal Talon: Is It a Chest Zipper or Is It Body Armor?

by Gene Ostrovsky on Aug 13, 2008 • 11:27 am

432513ior1 The Sternal Talon: Is It a Chest Zipper or Is It Body Armor?
Some of us around here been doing open heart cases for many years now, but we’ve never seen The Sternal Talon® device, a product of KLS Martin LP of Jacksonville, FL. The device, 510(k)’ed by the FDA as a Class II device, is now enrolled in clinical trials “to establish if the Rapid Sternal Closure System improves early postoperative recovery as manifested by decreased pain and improved pulmonary function,” according to the NIH study summary.
432513ior2 The Sternal Talon: Is It a Chest Zipper or Is It Body Armor?Here’s what the company has just announced:

KLS Martin LP, a medical device company specializing in craniomaxillofacial and sternal fixation, announced today the implantation of the Sternal Talon(R) in the 500th patient.
The Sternal Talon(R) is an alternative method of closure for midline sternotomies used in many heart procedures and utilizes rigid orthopedic-style fixation. Originally developed in conjunction with surgeons at Duke University and surgeons in Tulsa, OK, as a reconstructive alternative for patients with sternal instability and non-unions, the Sternal Talon(R) has been used successfully in primary closure for patients undergoing midline sternotomy for CABG (coronary artery bypass graft) and valvular surgery. Many of these 500 patients had multiple comorbidities, which often lead to significant infections that can be fatal. These patients represent a truly difficult population for sternal closure and until recently the cardiothoracic surgeon had very few treatment options.

432513ior3 The Sternal Talon: Is It a Chest Zipper or Is It Body Armor?

"The most common method of sternal closure remains sternal wire, but this is not without problems, especially in the larger patients," says Dr. Arch Miller, one of the inventors from Tulsa, OK. "The patients often exert forces on the wires that can cause the wires to break, pull through the bone or loosen which can lead to sternal instability, infection and increased pain." Using the Sternal Talon(R) on patients with higher BMI (body mass index) improves the chances for better fixation, potentially reducing the risk of sternal complications and resulting in lower patient pain scores allowing them faster recovery.
"One of the most surprising outcomes of the use of the Sternal Talon(R) was the reaction of the post-operative nursing staff who commented that you could tell which patients had the Sternal Talon(R) as they were up and moving around quicker with less pain," said Dr. Miller.

Product page: Rapid Sternal Closure…
Press release…

Neurological Surgery / Orthopedic Surgery

Long Lasting Spinal Cord Neurostimulator from St. Jude Gains Approvals

by Gene Ostrovsky on Aug 13, 2008 • 10:55 am

EonC hp Long Lasting Spinal Cord Neurostimulator from St. Jude Gains ApprovalsSt. Jude Medical‘s ANS Division has received FDA and EU approvals for the EonC™, the longest lasting non-rechargeable neurostimulator of its kind.
The following product features are listed in St. Jude’s press release:

The EonC neurostimulator provides a convenient option for chronic pain patients who prefer or require the simplicity of a non-rechargeable medical device. Featuring the greatest battery capacity of any primary cell neurostimulator, the EonC may maximize the time between device replacement procedures…

  • Proprietary technology (called NeuroDynamix(TM)) which helps deliver stimulation with greater efficiency
  • Advanced programming capability which allows patients to adjust therapy strength in up to eight pain areas simultaneously and independently
  • Constant current circuitry which automatically adjusts power output to deliver consistent therapy over time
  • High power and high pulse frequencies which enable clinicians to adjust the therapy to accommodate individual patient needs

    • EonC is the only 16-contact, constant current, non-rechargeable system for SCS therapy

    Press release: St. Jude Medical Receives U.S. and European Approvals of EonC, the First Extended-Life Primary Cell Neurostimulator for the Treatment of Chronic Pain
    Product page: Primary Cell IPG Systems

    GI / Medicine

    Single Chip Stereo Endoscopy from Visionsense

    by Gene Ostrovsky on Aug 13, 2008 • 10:23 am

    Visionsense Single Chip Stereo Endoscopy from Visionsense
    Visionsense out of Orangeburg, New York has developed a single chip stereo endoscope that allows for 3-D visualization within the body. The FDA approved the device back in March of this year.
    45234opr Single Chip Stereo Endoscopy from VisionsenseHere’s how the company explains its 3-D visualization technology:

    The human eyes provide the brain with two independent, slightly different images of an object.
    These are then processed into a stereo image that relays how close or far away the object is. Today’s Minimally Invasive Surgery (“MIS”) video cameras are monocular based, therefore they provide only 2-Dimension visualization. The lack of depth perception, inherent in the current technology, significantly reduces a surgeon’s ability to determine the size and precise location of anatomical structures and the surgeon’s maneuvers, thus impairing their ability to diagnose and operate efficiently.
    The Company’s R&D team has developed a proprietary and patented technology, which provides the MIS surgeon with real-time, high-resolution, natural stereoscopic vision. The design of the proprietary single sensor (a few millimeters in size) is based on multidisciplinary technologies combined with sophisticated image processing algorithms.

    system111 Single Chip Stereo Endoscopy from VisionsenseFeatures from the product page:

    10mm rigid laparoscope chip in the stick
    (Direction of view – 0° and 30° )
    Image Processing Unit
    Illumination source
    System operates with single on/off button
    Digital recording/playing, in both mono and stereo
    Operates according to surgeon’s customized preferences
    Auto stereoscopic display
    User friendly
    Self diagnostic capabilities
    Surgeons have successfully performed a wide range of general surgery laparoscopic procedures with the company’s device, including Colorectal surgery, Nissen Fundoplication, Bariatric surgeries, Adrenalectomy, Hernia repair, Lap Chole, Ob/Gyn interventions, etc.
    Visionsense offer a field-tested stereo vision system (VSI).
    The company’s product can be integrated into most modern operating rooms.
    The system is fully upgradeable and includes preoperative storage of customized image parameter control based on surgeon’s preference, digital stereoscopic and monocular recording, and site-specific customization.

    Product page: Visionsense’s Vision System
    (hat tip: New York Sun)

    Critical Care / Medicine / Surgery / Telemedicine

    Dräger Rolls Out New Portable Wireless Monitor

    by Gene Ostrovsky on Aug 13, 2008 • 12:51 am

    draeger device Dräger Rolls Out New Portable Wireless MonitorDräger Medical is introducing a new mobile telemetry device for adult and pediatric patients. The device, designed for on the floor monitoring, is touted to support hospitals “in their initiatives to mobilize patients as early as possible in order to accelerate the healing process.”

    In addition to monitoring ECG and SpO2, the device has built-in algorithms to enhance ECG processing and reduce false alarms – such as pacer detection software and ACE® (Arrhythmia Classification Expert), an arrhythmia analysis tool.
    Infinity M300 can run on a hospital’s existing 802.11 b/g network – saving the expense of requiring a separate wireless network for the telemetry system.
    Infinity M300 addresses the three major challenges of telemetry monitoring. The first is viewing patient information at the patient’s side. Unlike traditional telemetry devices which have no screen, Infinity M300 has a color display that shows the patient’s ECG for all monitored leads, heart rate, SpO2, and electrode status – enabling the clinical staff to access monitored data and react promptly without having to go to the central monitoring station. The display also shows patient demographics to help confirm the patient’s identification before giving medication, taking blood samples, or performing treatments.
    The second telemetry challenge is hearing and responding to alarms. InfinityM300 has built-in alarming and alarm controls, which provide alarm alerts both at the patient’s side and the Infinity CentralStation, Dräger’s central monitoring workstation. The built-in display helps the clinician assess alarms and respond accordingly.
    The third challenge of telemetry monitoring is the cost and effort associated with disposable batteries. Infinity M300 has a built-in battery, which can be recharged via a bedside charger while the patient is wearing the device, or at a multi-device charger at the central monitoring station.

    Press release: Dräger announces first implementation of new wireless Infinity® M300 patient-worn monitor (.pdf)…
    Product page: Infinity® M300

    Public Health

    Meth Cooks Getting Big Brother Treatment

    by Gene Ostrovsky on Aug 13, 2008 • 12:43 am

    methshieldlarge Meth Cooks Getting Big Brother Treatment
    Today pharmacists in the state of Kansas will get access to a new pseudoephedrine tracking system that first saw its use in Australia. Seeing how methamphetamine is “cooked” from OTC pharmaceuticals, law enforcement agencies are trying their best to limit traffic in the substance by having pharmacies link together purchases and being on alert when one individual tries to hoard the stuff.
    methshield Meth Cooks Getting Big Brother TreatmentMore about the system:

    MethShield™ can work on two different levels. First, it works as a simple electronic logbook allowing you to effortlessly comply with requirements of State and Federal laws. Photo ID information is simply typed or scanned into the system. The product requested is then selected from a live database of pseudoephedrine based products. The database tracks the amount of pseudoephedrine in each product sold to an individual and ensures compliance with daily and monthly limits.
    The second and optional feature of MethShield™ is that it can alert you to suspicious purchase behavior. MethShield™ can tell you if the person at your counter is making their first visit to the pharmacy today or their fifteenth. The real power of MethShield™ comes with aggregation of the data. By taking the information you have entered and combining that with data from pharmacies across a state or nation, law enforcement can be provided with a real-time snapshot of any suspicious behavior. MethShield™ then provides law enforcement with a sophisticated set of intelligence tools to assist in the tracking and apprehension of potential pseudoephedrine runners.

    MethShield homepage…
    KWCH TV: MethShield Kicks off in Kansas…

    etc.

    Exam Rooms A la Mode

    by Gene Ostrovsky on Aug 13, 2008 • 12:25 am

    pod rooms Exam Rooms A la Mode
    Chameleon Architecture, a Melbourne design firm, converted a 19th century Victorian interior into a surreal 2001 Space Odyssey style medical clinic. We like the pods, but the interior paneling is a little gloomy.
    Chameleon Architecture…
    (hat tip: The Cool Hunter)

    Uncategorized

    A Note

    by Gene Ostrovsky on Aug 12, 2008 • 9:56 am

    There will be no posts today. Please consider checking out the latest posts on Medpolitics, our sister site, a political network of and by US doctors. Also, if you are a physician concerned about the future of our profession, join us now. More about Medpolitics here.
    See you tomorrow!

    OTC

    Vito W1 Heart Rate Sensing Mouse

    by Gene Ostrovsky on Aug 11, 2008 • 2:41 pm

    heart beat mouse Vito W1 Heart Rate Sensing Mouse
    ASUSTeK, a Taiwanese computer manufacturer, now has a mouse that supposedly detects the user’s heart rate and shows the info in a little widget on the screen. Let’s see if you can make it blink faster than the hard drive access light on your laptop.
    Product page in Chinese..
    (hat tip: Dr. Wes)

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