Archives: 11/2010

Medicine / Pediatrics

Solar Powered BP Meter Proves Itself in Rural Africa

by Gene Ostrovsky on Nov 9, 2010 • 2:55 pm

g234ggg Solar Powered BP Meter Proves Itself in Rural Africa
The Wall Street Journal Health Blog is reporting on a study evaluating Omron‘s solar powered blood pressure monitoring device in remote parts of Uganda and Zambia. Apparently 15 minutes of training of local healthcare staff resulted in 94% accurate BP readings.
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From WSJ Health Blog:
PIC HEM 4500 product details 02 Solar Powered BP Meter Proves Itself in Rural Africa

Some 85% of health-care professionals rated the solar device as good or very good, with 97% recommending its use. The device can run on batteries as well as solar power.
The study authors write that the device will allow non-physician health workers to “participate in the diagnosis and management of hypertension” and will hopefully help to better control blood pressure in low- and middle-income countries. Next up: a program to use the device to diagnose hypertension in pregnancy, which is a contributor to maternal mortality.

More from WSJ Health Blog…
Abstract in Hypertension: A New Solar-Powered Blood Pressure Measuring Device for Low-Resource Settings
More from Hypertension: Reduction of Cardiovascular Morbidity and Mortality in the Third World. The Importance of Accurate Blood Pressure Measurement

Radiology

DIRECTVIEW CR for Digital Upgrade to Your Mammography System

by Gene Ostrovsky on Nov 9, 2010 • 11:28 am

s9dekj DIRECTVIEW CR for Digital Upgrade to Your Mammography System
Carestream of Rochester, NY received FDA regulatory approval for its DIRECTVIEW CR computed radiography mammography option that can upgrade an already existing X-ray installation.

This optional mammography feature is available when purchasing a new CARESTREAM DIRECTVIEW Elite, Classic or CR 975 System, or as a retrofit to installed Elite, Classic or CR 850/950/975 systems.
With this feature, Carestream Health’s CR systems can be used for both general radiography and mammography exams. In addition, the optional CARESTREAM DIRECTVIEW CR Mammography Total Quality Tool is available to streamline objective mammography image testing and QC measurements.
Carestream Health’s CR mammography feature has been selling successfully in Europe, Greater Asia, Japan and Latin America since 2005.

Press release: Carestream Health Receives Approval Letter From FDA For CR Mammography System …
Product page: DIRECTVIEW CR …

Radiology

Toshiba Announces New MR Coils for its Vantage Titan Systems

by Smit Shah on Nov 9, 2010 • 8:22 am

to323nn Toshiba Announces New MR Coils for its Vantage Titan SystemsToshiba has announced new 32 element coils which allow the company’s Vantage Titan magnetic resonance systems to produce better images of the head and heart. In addition to improving resolution, Toshiba claims the new coils will reduce the time required to obtain the images.
From the press release:

Particularly suited for cardiac imaging, the 32 element cardiac coil allows higher signal-to-noise ratio and improves image quality to enable more accurate cardiac diagnoses. The new coil also significantly reduces exam time by allowing higher SPEEDER factors, which can increase imaging department throughput as well as limit the time patients spend in the system. In addition to faster exams, patients also benefit during cardiac procedures because the breath hold times required are shorter. These benefits improve image quality and patient compliance, and reduce the anxiety often associated with MR imaging.

Press release: Toshiba Introduces 32 Element Coils for Its Vantage Titan MR Systems…
Product page: Vantage Titan…
Flashback: Toshiba’s New Smaller, Quieter 3T MRI System

Net News

An Early Trip Through the Windows Phone 7 App Store

by Dan Buckland on Nov 9, 2010 • 6:50 am

8gjqerjj An Early Trip Through the Windows Phone 7 App StoreUntil the iPhone, most medical professionals worked entirely in the Microsoft ecosystem, maybe with Blackberry hooked into Exchange support. Windows Mobile had a substantial market presence in the healthcare industry, with great (for its time) software from Epocrates and Skyscape before they were called Apps. Now, with the Windows Phone 7 debut we thought it was a good idea to look through their early app offerings and see if any of the old standbys made it over, and what new players were on the scene.
In short: nada. Again, this is an early look into the Windows Phone 7 offerings, but the phone is for sale in the US. To look through the Windows Phone 7 marketplace requires a download of the hefty Zune software (comparable to a full iTunes install in size), there is no web interface. Once inside, and after telling the software to leave your music alone, there are very sparse offerings for the medical professional. Just a few BMI calculators and several personal health trackers. No Epocrates, no Skyscape, no UnboundMedicine, all of which have Windows Mobile 6 versions. It is unclear if these developers are working on Windows Phone 7 versions, or waiting to see if demand is there. We have emailed in to Microsoft asking. Also, we didn’t see any indications that there would be support for Microsoft HealthVault, or hospital EMRs.
Microsoft seems to be doing a soft rollout to the healthcare industry and is working on bumping up consumer demand rather than industry specific marketing. We hope to hear from them and individual developers in the coming weeks.
Link: Windows Phone…

Uncategorized

Ins and Outs

by Gene Ostrovsky on Nov 9, 2010 • 12:51 am

For your consideration, here are the latest hand-picked links that didn’t make to our posts:

  • Beaurocracy.gov: Acne Cream? Tax-Sheltered. Breast Pump? No. [nytimes.com]
  • Boston Scientific Agrees to Sell Neurovascular Business to Stryker … [Boston Scientific]
  • FDA clears Cymbalta to treat chronic musculoskeletal pain … [FDA]
  • Novel virus may have jumped from monkeys to humans … [Nature blogs]
  • Periwinkle plant to produce compounds that could become more effective cancer drugs … [MIT]
  • Portable breast scanner allows cancer detection in the blink of an eye … [The University of Manchester]
  • Researchers Reshape Basic Understanding of Cell Division… [Johns Hopkins]
  • PET Scans Reveal Estrogen-Producing Hotspots in Human Brain … [Brookhaven National Laboratory]
  • Cholesterol-lowering drug shrinks enlarged prostates in hamster model … [Children's Hospital Boston]
  • Genetic Analysis Shows What it Takes to Control HIV Naturally … [HHMI]
  • Cancer Stem Cells Can’t Stand the Heat … [HHMI]
  • Revising the Timeline for Deadly Pancreatic Cancer … [HHMI]
  • Severe sepsis associated with later cognitive, physical decline … [NIH]
  • First Direct Evidence that Response to Alcohol Depends on Genes … [Brookhaven National Laboratory]
  • Why complex life probably evolved only once … [New Scientist]
  • Blood group ‘affects fertility’ … [BBC]
  • The Baby Boomer’s Dilemma: Medical Marijuana Raises Tough Questions for Nursing Homes … [nytimes.com]
  • A piece of their mind … [Macleans]
    • Public Health

    Drug Resistance Index Proposed for Bacteria

    by Dan Buckland on Nov 9, 2010 • 12:51 am

    43435fre Drug Resistance Index Proposed for BacteriaAt a meeting of the American Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene in Atlanta last week, Health Economist Ramanan Laxminarayan proposed a simpler system than what is used currently for tracking antimicrobial resistance in different countries.

    [The index] uses a "basket" of resistance data for different drugs, comparable to the basket of groceries and other expenses that makes up the cost-of-living index. These numbers are weighted according to the amount of each that is used. For instance, if doctors use cephalosporin twice as often as they do penicillin to treat a certain infection, cephalospirin’s resistance percentage carries twice as much weight. This way, the index reflects how serious the resistance problem really is, says Laxminarayan. If a microbe develops resistance to a drug that is hardly ever used anyway—because better or cheaper ones exist—than the index will go up only slightly. But if resistance occurs against a drug prescribed to almost every patient, the index will skyrocket.

    This would allow comparisons between different geographic regions and an easier way to track changes over time. Laxminarayan and others think the current method of tracking resistance (reporting individual microbe’s resistance to individual drugs) is too complicated to accurately describe to policy makers and the public.
    ScienceNow: A Dow Jones for Drug Resistance
    Image credit:: Wellcome Images: Testing bacteria for antibiotic sensitivity. …

    Critical Care / Medicine / Neurological Surgery / Ob/Gyn / Orthopedic Surgery / Plastic Surgery / Surgery / Thoracic Surgery / Urology / Vascular Surgery

    Covidien’s Kendall SCD Compression System Approved in U.S.

    by Gene Ostrovsky on Nov 9, 2010 • 12:00 am

    gq4gg Covidiens Kendall SCD Compression System Approved in U.S.
    Covidien has obtained 510(k) clearance from the FDA for its new Kendall SCD Compression Comfort Sleeve and Kendall SCD 700 Series Controller. The compression system is used on legs of patients as a prevention for DVTs and PEs.
    fgh3rrf Covidiens Kendall SCD Compression System Approved in U.S.

    The system utilizes the clinically proven Kendall SCD technology, which delivers sequential, gradient, circumferential compression to reduce the incidence of Deep Vein Thrombosis (DVT) and Pulmonary Embolism (PE) without the bleeding risk associated with anticoagulant prophylaxis.
    The system incorporates a number of physician and patient-focused enhancements. With its unique DCS Technology, the Comfort Sleeve addresses the factors contributing to patient discomfort, including sweat, heat, itchiness, pressure and skin irritation. The all-in-one controller improves functionality and convenience with a new graphical user interface with animated icons, allowing for a more intuitive operation.
    In a multicenter, prospective clinical study involving 148 hospitalized patients, the Kendall SCD Comfort Sleeve was preferred by 84% of participants over the Kendall SCD Express Sleeve. In addition, the Comfort Sleeve was also identified as being less sweaty, cooler in temperature and more flexible for patients.

    Press release: Covidien Receives FDA 510(k) Clearance for Kendall SCD(TM) Compression Comfort Sleeve and Kendall SCD(TM) 700 Series Controller …

    in the news...

    Google Celebrates Discovery of X-rays With Special Doodle

    by Wouter Stomp on Nov 8, 2010 • 8:07 am

    woq1vy8d Google Celebrates Discovery of X rays With Special DoodleNovember 8, 1895 is the date when Wilhelm Röntgen discovered the effects of X-rays, and today Google is celebrating the 115th anniversary of this day with a special Doodle.
    The logo is composed of an X-ray of several bones and some other objects forming the letters. It contains a nod to one of Google’s own April fools jokes: the small g is made up of bones of a pigeon, referring to PigeonRank, a parody on the PageRank system in which domesticated pigeons determine the order of search results. Google’s vice-president of search products, Marissa Mayer, confirms the reference on her Twitter account.
    Röntgen dedicated much of his further life to investigating the mysterious phenomenon he discovered, which he appropriately named X-rays (still called Röntgens in many parts of the world), and in 1901 was awarded the first Nobel Prize in Physics.
    For more information on Wilhelm Röntgen and his discovery of X-rays, see the Wikipedia article linked below.
    Link: Google
    More information from Wikipedia: Wilhelm Röntgen

    Space Medicine

    How Space Medicine Helped On (or Below) Earth

    by Dan Buckland on Nov 8, 2010 • 5:43 am

    e93jdjj How Space Medicine Helped On (or Below) EarthThe Chilean mine rescue was a great example of international cooperation and effort, much like the International Space Station. Another similarity between the two was some of the physicians involved. JD Polk and other Flight Surgeons at NASA had, years ago, made a contingency plan for how to make the limited Space Station food stores last for months if there was a problem with re-supply. So, when the Chilean government asked if NASA had any advice for how to care for the miners trapped in a similar resource limited setting, Dr. Polk and a team went down to help and MedPage Today wrote up a great summary of their efforts.

    “We had worked through the data, the decreased calories, the refeeding plan, and many of the things involved in this particular mine rescue” for the Hubble mission, Polk explained.
    Reintroducing food after having gone into a state of starvation is a complicated issue, he noted.
    Too much carbohydrates too fast in a body that has used up its store of electrolytes like phosphorus needed to metabolize glucose can result in fluid overload, cardiac failure, cardiac dysrhythmias, and even death.
    Refeeding has to occur over five to seven days with a fairly protein laden meal, high in thiamine, high in phosphate, high in magnesium, before normalizing carbohydrate intake, Polk said.

    Dr. Polk says all of the adulation should go to the Chilean authorities and that they were part of a large team. However, the story illustrates the utility of the work NASA does with Space Medicine (something we particularly enjoy here at MedGadget) beyond work in space.
    MedPage Today: Houston, They Had a Problem: How NASA Doctors Helped in Chile
    Image: NASA doctors Michael Duncan and J.D. Polk discuss with Chilean naval doctor Andrés Llarena, a specialist in submersion medicine (US Embassy, Chile)

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