Wednesday, September 3, 2008
Ditto, a Diversionary Therapy For Pedi Patients
At Queensland University of Technology a professor of industrial design created a very involved video game device, called Ditto, that can distract a child burn victim long enough to change the bandages without too much suffering.
"It was important that the product took only seconds to engage the child and it was also important that the distraction lasted 20 minutes, about the length of time it usually takes a nurse to replace burns bandaging," Professor Bucolo said"The child holds the circular Ditto device and tilts it to navigate through the virtual world, rather than using a keyboard or separate game controller.
"The whole form of the toy is the interface. It has a touch screen and vibrating handles."Children can choose a character who accompanies them through the games, 'find and touch' stories and sing-along movies. They can also take a figurine of their character home with them."
Professor Bucolo said the virtual world could be seen from all angles simply by moving the toy.
"They can even look underneath objects by tipping it upside-down," he said.
Product page: ditto...
Press release: Burnt kids' pain lessened by distracting device
More at Diversionary Therapy Technologies...
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Friday, August 29, 2008
Microsurgery Using Microgrippers
MIT Technology Review is reporting on new metal and polymer microgrippers that can be chemically activated to grab or cut tissue deep within the body without requiring any incisions. The scientists that developed the device envision swallowing a bunch of these and then guiding the particles using magnets to specific spots in the body for microsurgeries or doing biopsies.
From MIT Tech Review:
A gripper based on the current design could respond autonomously to chemical cues in the body. For example, it might react to the biochemicals released by infected tissue by closing around the tissue, so that pieces can be removed for analysis.Gracias [David Gracias, biomolecular and chemical-engineering professor at Johns Hopkins University] and his colleagues presented the microgripper at the American Chemical Society meeting earlier this month. To demonstrate the device, they used it to grasp and maneuver tiny beads and clumps of cells in a petri dish. They have also used the device in the laboratory to perform an in vitro biopsy on a cow's bladder. "This is the first micromachine that has been shown convincingly to do very useful things," Gracias says. "And it does not require electric power for operation."
The open gripper is 500 micrometers (0.05 centimeters) in diameter, and it is made of a film of copper and chromium covered with polymer. As long as the polymer stays rigid, the gripper remains open. But introducing a chemical trigger or lowering the temperature causes the polymer to soften, actuating the gripper's fingers so that they curl inward to form a ball that is 190 micrometers wide. Another chemical signal can be used to reopen the gripper. All of the chemicals used as triggers in experiments are harmless to the body.
Check out this video showing the microgrippers grabbing a bead:
More at MIT Technology Review...
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Monday, August 25, 2008
TOGA Stomach Stapling System Goes on Trial
Doctors at NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital/Columbia University Medical Center have initiated the first US clinical trial on the TOGA device, made by Satiety, Inc. out of Palo Alto, California, designed for transoral gastroplasty using an endoscopic approach.
In the new procedure, the surgeon introduces a set of flexible stapling devices through the mouth into the stomach, and uses them to create a restrictive pouch that is intended to catch food as it enters the stomach, giving patients a feeling of fullness after a small meal."The benefits of an endoscopic approach are less pain, quicker recovery, shortened hospital stay and decreased complications, as well as a lack of scarring," says study co-investigator Dr. Davis, a surgeon at NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital/Columbia University Medical Center and assistant professor of surgery at Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons. "Eventually, TOGA may also be an option for patients who are unable or unwilling to undergo more invasive surgery."
A 2006–2007 pilot study at medical centers in Mexico and Belgium found that patients receiving the TOGA procedure lost more than a third of their excess body weight. By 12 months, their excess weight loss averaged almost 40 percent.
In the current study, two out of three patients will receive the TOGA procedure, while one out of three will receive a control procedure, which is similar to the TOGA procedure except no pouch is created. After one year, patients will be told which procedure they received, and patients who received the control procedure will be offered the TOGA procedure if they continue to meet the treatment criteria.
Patients enrolled in the clinical trial will be followed for a minimum of 12 months. All study-related medical care will be provided at no charge to the patient, and patients will receive medically supervised nutritional counseling.
Video from Satiety, the manufacturer of TOGA:
TOGA product brochure (.pdf)...
NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital/Columbia University Medical Center press release: NYC Area's First Patient Receives New Incision-Free Weight-Loss Surgery...
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Wednesday, August 20, 2008
FLARE Lights Up Tumors
Researchers from the Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center in Boston have been working on a system that makes tumors fluoresce with the help of some dyes and light emitting diodes. The new device should give surgeons the ability to more completely remove tumors and solve the problem of differentiating tumor from healthy tissue during excisions.
The system is called FLARE, or Fluorescence-Assisted Resection and Exploration. Under development for the past decade, the portable system consists of a near-infrared (NIR) imaging system, a video monitor, and a computer. “The system has no moving parts, uses LEDs instead of lasers for excitation, makes no contact with the patient, and is sterile,” Frangioni says.The unique system uses special chemical dyes, called NIR fluorophores, that are designed to target specific structures such as cancer cells when the dyes are injected into patients. When exposed to NIR light, which is invisible to the human eye, the dyes or contrast agents light up the cancer cells and are shown on a video monitor. Images of these “glowing” cancer cells are then superimposed over images of the normal surgical field, allowing surgeons to easily see the cancer cells even in a background crowded by blood and other anatomical structures, the researcher says.
Frangioni compares the system to the old color-by-number paint sets. Instead of coloring by numbers, it will provide surgeons with a means of “cutting by color,” he says. The computerized technique also gives physicians the power to control multiple viewing angles and different magnification levels through the use of a footswitch.
Video of the system in action:
Press release: "Cutting by color": New imaging technique for more precise cancer surgery...
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Silver Coating Fights Ventilator Related Pneumonia
Clinicians at the Washington University in St. Louis conducted a study on the benefits of coating endotracheal tubes with silver to prevent the spread of infection, which often leads to pneumonia in already seriously ill patients. We are guessing that it was C.R. Bard's Agento® I.C. silver-coated endotracheal tubes that were used in the study.
Studying 1,509 patients in 54 centers who were intubated for 24 hours or more, the research group found that 7.5 percent of those with uncoated tubes developed VAP. In comparison, 4.8 percent of those with silver-coated tubes developed VAP, a 36 percent reduction.Kollef indicates that about 80 percent of patients are intubated for less than 10 days. Looking at just the first 10 days of intubation, the silver-coated tubes were associated with a 48 percent reduction in VAP, and when VAP occurred in patients with silver-coated tubes, it occurred later on average than in those with uncoated tubes.
Silver kills bacteria and yeast by sticking to the organisms' enzymes, genetic material and other molecular components, preventing basic functions and interfering with reproduction. These organisms very rarely develop resistance to silver, and the metal has no known side effects in humans.
The new endotracheal tubes are coated with a silver-containing polymer, created by C.R. Bard Inc., that releases silver ions to the surface of the tubes. There, silver exerts a broad-spectrum antimicrobial effect, reduces adhesion of bacteria to the tube and blocks the formation of biofilms, communities of microorganisms that build up special protective structures on surfaces.
Press release: Silver is the key to reducing pneumonia associated with breathing tubes...
Abstract in JAMA: Silver-Coated Endotracheal Tubes and Incidence of Ventilator-Associated Pneumonia
Product page: Agento® I.C. Endotracheal Tube...
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Tuesday, August 19, 2008
Digital Lightbox Brings Minority Report to The OR (No Precognition Capabilities)
BrainLAB AG, out of Feldkirchen, Germany has recently installed its first Digital Lightbox radiology system in a Munich hospital. Designed to be installed in radiology departments, clinical floors, and operating rooms, the system behaves like a giant iPhone, simultaneously displaying volumetric images from various imaging modalities along with patient information.
Digital Lightbox replaces the conventional light box used to observe analog x-ray images. Connected to the hospital PACS, the new digital platform can be installed both in meeting rooms and in operating rooms, where clinicians can then access, manipulate, and utilize data for surgery planning. By displaying the human body in 3D, Digital Lightbox helps clinicians to more clearly demonstrate to patients what effects a disease can have and which procedures may be necessary.Digital Lightbox enables clinicians to select the most valuable images from large amounts of existing medical data. Ergonomic touchscreen technology with zoom functionality makes working with data easy and effective.
Clinicians can intuitively navigate within pictures and between settings. Image scrolling can be performed with one finger; zooming in and out of images with two. Images from different sources can also be fused easily. A measure functionality enables clinicians to set size and other dimensions.
By integrating the communication platform iPlan® Net from BrainLAB, clinicians can perform treatment planning with Digital Lightbox or any PC connected to the hospital network. This eliminates bottlenecks, as busy planning stations are rendered obsolete. iPlan Net helps to simplify the clinical workflow and save costs, as well as strengthen and simplify interdisciplinary collaboration between neurosurgery, nuclear medicine and radiology departments.
Digital Lightbox can be installed in any hospital environment and is compatible with all established image formats, such as DICOM, jpg, bmp, tif, png, avi, wmv. Planning data can be transferred directly from Digital Lightbox to surgical navigation systems designed for precise and minimally invasive procedures.
Video demonstrating the Digital Lightbox:
Press release: World Premiere at University Hospital in Munich: Digital Lightbox...
Product page: Digital Lightbox
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Wednesday, August 13, 2008
Dräger Rolls Out New Portable Wireless Monitor
Dräger 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
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Monday, August 11, 2008
In Our Book, Maggots Are Man's Best Friend
Reuters is reporting about research at the Swansea University in Wales to synthesize a compound based on excretions of maggots, that will be able to kill various strains of MRSA.
More from WSJ Health Blog..
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Tuesday, August 5, 2008
CX50 Portable Ultrasound from Philips Goes On Sale
Philips has announced the company's new portable ultrasound system, the CX50, which is the first mobile system that can be used with the company's proprietary PureWave transducers. These transducers are powered by a technology based on a new class of piezoelectric crystals, that exhibit "a quantum improvement in electromechanical coupling and strain levels. Compared to PZT ceramics, PureWave crystals are purer, more uniform, have lower losses, and are able to transfer energy with greater precision and efficiency." You can read more about PureWave here.
From the CX50 product page:
Previously available only on our premium iE33 system, PureWave on the CX50 system allows you to get the clear images you need for confident diagnoses on a wide variety of patients, including the difficult-to-image.The CX50 system was designed for your critical study requirements. In addition to PureWave, its premium imaging and Doppler performance are possible because of its digital broadband beamformer and XRES technology. Easily perform advanced echo analysis with integrated QLAB and stress echo capability.
The CX50 is designed to make portable exams easy and efficient. One-button iSCAN automatically optimizes 2D and Doppler data for new levels of clarity for your portable studies. On-board QLAB provides advanced analysis capabilities during and after exams.Portable exams are a challenge, and getting clear diagnostic data is complicated by many factors. Now you can have the image quality you need for the diagnostic confidence wherever you need it – take the CX50 to your patients.
The CX50 system can be used on a specially designed cart, hand carried to your patients, or packed in its special travel case for easy transport to remote destinations.
Press release: Philips new handheld ultrasound system offers premium image quality in a portable system
Product page: CX50 CompactXtreme Ultrasound System
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Wednesday, July 30, 2008
Single-insertion, Multi-sample Biopsy with Flash
Here's what a rep for Rubicor Medical, Inc., a Redwood City, California firm, told us about company's new innovative device called Flash, a single-insertion, multi-sample breast biopsy gadget that collects cored samples from different locations in a special chamber:
Flash is the only breast biopsy device of its kind, which allows the physician to easily take and view multiple samples with a single insertion and one-touch operation. Guided by ultrasound, Flash utilizes real-time visualization and automated sampling to obtain solid, contiguous biopsy cores. Other biopsy devices and techniques require several individual insertions into the patient's breast to retrieve adequate samples for pathology analysis.
Product page that features a video animation of the device: Flash...
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Monday, July 28, 2008
Force-feedback Offerings from Haption
Via a press release from Virtalis Ltd , a consultancy out of Manchester, UK, we learn about a French company Haption S.A. that is trying to expand the use of its haptic technologies in the medical market, such as for surgical training, rehab, etc.
According to Virtalis,
The Haption range encompasses a small, desktop device with a translational workspace within a sphere of diameter of 120 mm and rotational workspace of 35O in three directions. Top of the range is the Virtuose 6D35-45, which was designed for the 1:1 scale manipulation of virtual objects and has a massive transational workspace up to a sphere of diameter of 450 mm and can exert forces up to 35 N. All Haption products can be easily integrated into Virtalis StereoWorks installations, so that the Haption device is linked to 3D stereo projection in a fully tracked virtual environment.Aside from engineering applications, Haption is finding new customers in the kinehaptic field where patients overcome their injuries by practicing their fine motor skills. Surgeons who need to stay within a tightly controlled operating envelope represent another important market for haptics. So do nuclear engineers, whose complex operations when dealing with several robots carrying out specialized dismantling and decommissioning work, have found themselves benefiting greatly from virtual force feedback. In hazardous environments, being able to create the physics of an object, practice manipulating it, optimize the movement path and then record that path, has proved to be invaluable.
If you want to check out the brochure for the Virtuose 6D35-45 device, here it is (.pdf)...
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Thursday, July 24, 2008
PlasmaBlade System Gets FDA Go Ahead
Peak Surgical is happy to announce that the FDA has 510(k) OK'ed to market the company's plasma scalpel system for use in general surgery, a device we reviewed back in May. The system touts the precision of a standard scalpel and the cauterization abilities of the bovie, but without the accompanying burning of peripheral flesh and all the smoke.
The video below shows off the technology and demonstrates various cuts using the PlasmaBlade compared to scalpels and bovies.
Press release: PEAK Surgical Receives 510(k) Clearance to Market PEAK® Surgery System for Use in General Surgery...
Flashback: Peak PlasmaBlade Wants to Be The New Bovie
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Monday, July 14, 2008
Epocrates Rx Now on iPhone
Epocrates has announced that its free drug and formulary application, Epocrates Rx, is finally available for the iPhone through the iTunes store.
Some of the features from the product page:
Adult and pediatric dosing for FDA-approved and off-label indications Black box warnings, contraindications, and cautions Serious and common adverse reactions, and drug interactions organized by clinical category Pill pictures within the drug monograph showing you and your patients exactly what each drug looks like Safety and monitoring information, such as pregnancy risk categories, lactation safety ratings, monitoring parameters and therapeutic drug levels Manufacturer information, approximate retail pricing, and FDA/DEA status Pharmacology information, including metabolism, excretion (i.e., half-life), drug class, and mechanism of action Notes section for your personal notes
Press release: Epocrates Drug and Formulary Application on Apple App Store
Product page: Epocrates Rx for iPhone
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Thursday, July 10, 2008
Killing Cancer Cells One at a Time with Laser "Microscalpel"
Researchers at the University of Texas at Austin and Stanford University developed a "microscalpel", an experimental system based on a super fast laser and something called "two-photon fluorescence microscopy", to zap individual cells while preserving those around the target area.
To develop the miniature laser-surgery system, Ben-Yakar [Adela Ben-Yakar, mechanical engineering Assistant Professor at UT Austin --ed.] worked with co-author Olav Solgaard at Stanford University's Electrical Engineering Department to incorporate a miniaturized scanning mirror. Ben-Yakar and her graduate student Chris Hoy, another co-author, also used a novel fiber optic cable that can withstand intense light pulses traveling from an infrared, femtosecond laser. To make the intensity more manageable, they stretched the light pulses into longer, weaker pulses for traveling through the fiber. Then they used the fiber's unique properties to reconstruct the light into more intense, short light pulses before entering the tissue.For the study, Ben-Yakar directed laser light at breast cancer cells in three-dimensional biostructures that mimic the optical properties of breast tissue. She has since studied laboratory-grown, layered cell structures that mimic skin tissue and other tissues.
Ben-Yakar is also investigating the use of nanoparticles to focus the light energy on targeted cells. In research published last year, she demonstrated that gold nanoparticles can function as nano-scale magnifying lenses, increasing the laser light reaching cells by at least an order of magnitude, or 10-fold.
"If we can consistently deliver nanoparticles to cancer cells or other tissue that we want to target, we would be able to remove hundreds of unwanted cells at once using a single femtosecond laser pulse," Ben-Yakar says. "But we would still be keeping the healthy cells alive while photo-damaging just the cells we want, basically creating nanoscale holes in a tissue."
Full story: Laser Surgery Probe Targets Individual Cancer Cells...
More from MIT Technology Review...
Image: Adela Ben-Yakar (top), inventor of a new high-resolution laser microprobe, at work in her laboratory at the University of Texas at Austin. An image taken with the microprobe shows a breast-cancer cell embedded in collagen, before (middle) and after (bottom) it is destroyed by the probe.
Credit: University of Texas Engineering Public Affairs (top); Adela Ben-Yakar Group (middle and bottom)
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Monday, July 7, 2008
SenoRx Balloon Radiation Therapy Device for Breast CA Gets FDA Nod
SenoRx, Inc., an Aliso Viejo, California firm, is in the business of designing and developing so-called Multi-Lumen Radiation Balloon (MLB) catheters, devices for delivering radiation to the tissue surrounding the lumpectomy cavity following surgery for breast CA. The firm has just received a 510(k) clearance from the FDA for its second Contura™ MLB radiation balloon design.
Some patients who are potential candidates for balloon therapy are currently excluded because of the location of the lesion and their breast size. Contura’s advanced multi-lumen design may address this issue for certain patients. In addition, the Contura MLB uses vacuum to remove excess seroma and air to enhance conformance of often irregularly shaped lumpectomy cavity walls to the balloon surface in order to deliver precise radiation dosing through multiple radiation source lumens.“The novel proprietary design of our newest Contura Multi-Lumen Radiation Balloon (MLB) Catheter allows the clinician greater flexibility in appropriately fitting the lumpectomy cavity with a balloon catheter,” said Lloyd Malchow, SenoRx President and Chief Executive Officer. “The new-size Contura balloon may be appropriate for approximately 10 to15 percent of patients where a larger balloon is warranted and will allow us to compete for these cases. The product is currently being evaluated at several clinical sites and is expected to become generally available during the third quarter of 2008. The original Contura is 4 to 5 centimeters in diameter, while the new balloon can be used for larger lumpectomy cavities ranging from 5 to 6 centimeters in diameter.”
Press release: SenoRx Receives Additional 510(k) Clearance for Its Contura MLB...
Product page: Contura ...
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Thursday, July 3, 2008
Laser Opto-Acoustic Imaging Technology from Seno Medical
Here's what we know about the opto-acoustic imaging technology from Seno Medical Instruments, Inc., a San Antonio, Texas firm. A recent report on the wires says that there is a new research agreement between Seno Medical and two Canadian universities to study the company's first-ever commercially available opto-acoustic small animal imaging device. It turns out the technology, that utilizes the conversion of laser pulses into acoustic energy once the light hits tissue, can have profound consequences on development of future diagnostic imaging modalities for cancer and beyond.
The company explains its technology:
Laser opto-acoustic imaging technology combines optics and acoustics with a goal of improving the accuracy of the cancer diagnosis without the use of ionizing radiation (x-ray). The process starts by illuminating the breast with laser light of specific wavelengths. Tumors preferentially absorb the light over normal tissue and become slightly heated. A transient thermoelastic expansion causes a tumor to emit a pressure (acoustic) wave. This acoustic wave is then detected by an array of sensors positioned around the periphery of the breast held within the probe.Signals from the sensors are analyzed and assembled into high contrast, high-resolution images that present the lesion in striking color. Because image contrast is related to both blood volume and oxygenation status, lesions may be correlated with benign or malignant histopathology. This is because malignant tumors possess increased microvasculature, but deplete oxygen from the blood at a higher rate than benign growths. Deoxygenated blood results in brighter images in the presence of a shorter wavelength than it does in the presence of a longer wavelength.
This technology has the merit of both the high contrast and spectral specificity of optical imaging and the sensitivity and resolution of ultrasonic imaging. It is more than just a combination of the two methods. The goal is to incorporate laser illumination and ultrasonic detection to achieve very high detection sensitivity.
Laser opto-acoustic imaging may permit the identification of tumors as small as 2 mm and has demonstrated the ability to see submillimeter structures. Early detection is important because biologically advanced tumors are more capable of metastasis.
Technology page @ Seno Medical: Laser Opto-Acoustic Imaging...
Press release: Seno Medical Instruments Launches First-Ever Commercially Available Opto-Acoustic Small Animal Imaging Research System...
Flashbacks: Optoacoustic Technology for Early Cancer Detection
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Tuesday, July 1, 2008
Bandages Electrocute Infections Away
Silverleaf Medical Products Inc., out of Tempe, Arizona, manufactures electrically activated wound dressings. The firm's proprietary material allows electric current to flow through the wet parts of the fabric.
From the product page:
CMB™ Antimicrobial Wound Dressing with PROSIT™ is a single layer dressing consisting of a polyester fabric layer containing biocompatible, proprietary formulas which are held in position on the polyester with a biocompatible binder. The polyester fabric is single ply and is made from multi-filament spun threads woven together.PROSIT™ activates and generates a voltage at the surface when moistened. When active, PROSIT™ prevents microbial penetration. Present device can be left on for 3 days. Other indications are currently being applied for.
Product page: CMB™ Antimicrobial Wound Dressing with PROSIT™ ...
Phoenix Business Journal report about the company's recent news of extending FDA indications for the product at ...
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Monday, June 30, 2008
G-Wire: Visually Positioned Guidewire for Faster, Safer Procedures
Israel's MediGuide and Japans' Asahi Intecc have announced that the two companies are teaming up to develop a new surgical guide wire that can be visually monitored and controlled in real time using MediGuide's Medical Positioning System (gMPS), a technology previously reported by us as "intrabody positioning system for medical devices, guide-wires, coronary catheterization devices, and such."
From the announcement press release:
This innovative G-Wire™ will enable physicians to visually track the actual orientation as well as the 3D spatial tip position of the wire while manipulating it in real time. In addition, it will enable marking and 3D visualization capabilities also offered by the MediGuide technology. These capabilities are achieved using MediGuide's Medical Positioning System (gMPS™) technology, incorporated within various Cath Labs which has been recently approved for use in Europe. This new functionality is expected to be extremely useful during procedures such as chronic total occlusion (CTO) as well as other complex operations which require accurate wire manipulation in the field of interventional cardiology.Martin B. Leon, M.D., Professor of Medicine at Columbia University Medical Center and Founder of the Cardiovascular Research Foundation in New York City, said: “This collaboration brings together the most advanced guidewires and sophisticated imaging and guidance technology, providing an exciting opportunity to improve CTO therapy in the future.”
Dr. Osamu Katoh, Director of Research Center at the Toyohashi Heart Center, said
"No matter how you look at it, Asahi's guide wire technology produces one to one torque performance. The integration of Asahi's one to one torque performance technology and MediGuide's gMPS navigation technology, will create a tremendous synergy effect that could dramatically improve the treatment options for complex lesions, including CTO's"
Press release: Asahi Intecc and MediGuide announced collaboration in development and sales of innovative gMPS™ Enabled Guide Wire (G-Wire™) ...
More from Globes...
ASAHI INTECC torque technology page...
Flashbacks: Medical Position System (MPS) from MediGuide: GPS for Cath
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Wednesday, June 18, 2008
Electric Muscle Stimulation with NeuRx Diaphragm Pacer: More Natural Breathing Without a Ventilator
The FDA has given clearance to Synapse Biomedical, Inc. (Cleveland, Ohio) to market their NeuRx Diaphragm Pacing Stimulation system for people with spinal cord injury. The device, that is typically implanted through minimally invasive laparoscopic surgery, is indicated for patients with diaphragm dysfunction.
The new device, already approved in Europe last year, uses electrodes attached directly to the diaphragm to electrically stimulate its movement. The result is more natural breathing, and, hopefully, reduced potential to develop pulmonary complications.
From the press release:
In the clinical trial, NeuRx DPS™ provided 98% of SCI patients who had been dependent on mechanical ventilation via a tracheostomy with an alternative that allowed them to breathe normally and live more active lives. To date, over 50% were able to be completely eliminate their need for mechanical ventilation. Patients may be able to transfer from ventilator wards to home or assisted living, and even travel. Speech patterns, often laborious and strained in ventilatordependent patients, return to normal. The senses of taste and smell, severely diminished in ventilatordependent patients, return.Controlled through a fourchannel battery powered external pulse generator, the NeuRx DPS™ eliminates the need for a source of electricity and the concern for power outages. Patients and caregivers are easily trained in the use of the NeuRx DPS™ reducing the need for external medical supervision. Elimination and reduction of the use of a mechanical ventilator also greatly reduces the patient’s risk of a serious complication: Ventilator Acquired Pneumonia (VAP). In a peer review 2007 report in Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation Clinical of North America by Stephen P. Burns MD, the incidence of SCI pneumonia for initial admitted patients was reported to be as high as 50 percent. The associated mortality from pneumonia was reported as 28% in the first year.
Company video explaining the workings of the system...
Press release: Synapse Biomedical Receives FDA Approval of NeuRx Diaphragm Pacing System (DPS)™ For Spinal Cord Injury Breathing Applications
Product page: NeuRx Diaphragm Pacing Stimulation (DPS)™ System ...
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» Artificial Mesh for Prevention of Post Operative Abdominal Wall Defects (June 17, 2008)
» Mechanical Hand With an Extra Sense of Touch (June 12, 2008)
» DermaStream Chronic Wound Treatment Technology (June 3, 2008)
» Scientists Tout Wound Dressing Based on Silica Gel Fibers (May 28, 2008)
» Polyheal's Microsphere-Based Wound Healing Technology (May 23, 2008)