Medgadget » Ob/Gyn

Analogic Releases New BK Medical Ultrasounds

Gene Ostrovsky — Wed, 08 Feb 2012 16:39:19 +0000

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.

Bovie J-Plasma Handpiece Greenlighted in U.S.

Gene Ostrovsky — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 20:33:32 +0000

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.

Cardinal Health Releases Smart-Seal Surgical Mask

Gene Ostrovsky — Thu, 02 Feb 2012 19:11:23 +0000

Cardinal Health has made available its Smart-Seal surgical mask that improves both its fit and reduces interior fogging while providing a high level of filtration and resistance to liquids.

From the announcement:

HealthStream and Laerdal Unveil New Clinical Simulator Management Tools

Gene Ostrovsky — Tue, 31 Jan 2012 19:11:16 +0000

HealthStream and Laerdal Medical launched a couple new products for managing and studying clinical simulations.

SimView allows for recording of simulation video, audio, data logs, and how the virtual patient responds to therapy. SimManager is a software-as-a-service (SaaS) application that helps manage simulation routines from scheduling, to progress tracking, to delivering reports while tracking room and equipment availability.

DuoFertility Ovulation Monitor Receives FDA Approval

Gavin Corley — Tue, 24 Jan 2012 16:25:52 +0000

Cambridge Temperature Concepts Ltd. received 510(k) approval for their DuoFertility ovulation Monitor. The DuoFertility monitor has been featured previously on Medgadget and comprises a wearable sensor and reader unit for measuring ovulation patterns. The sensor is worn under the armpit and measures subtle changes in basal body temperature which is indicative of ovulation. The reader wirelessly receives the sensor data and predicts when you are most likely to become pregnant up to six days in advance. A number of additional parameters can also be entered into the reader unit to improve the prediction quality. The recorded data can be visualized by connecting the reader unit to a PC, as shown in the video below.

The DuoFertility has been commercially available in Europe since 2009 and was the subject of a research paper published last year which demonstrated its efficacy in some couples eligible for IVF.

Tactile Imaging Sensor Could Facilitate Early Diagnosis of Tumors

Brian Klein — Mon, 23 Jan 2012 16:15:07 +0000

A prototype device developed at Temple University emulates human tactile sensation while providing objective feedback related to the mechanical properties of what it touches. Developed by Chang-Hee Won, an associate professor of electrical and computer engineering, the sensor could one day be used by doctors in the diagnosis of lumps, lesions, or tumors during physical exams. The device could be used to help determine the size and shape of the lesion or tumor, as well as its elasticity and mobility. The prototype device is used in conjunction with a scoring system to help determine malignancy.

“Once a doctor feels a lesion, lump or tumor, they can use this device to actually characterize the mechanical properties of the irregularity that they have felt,” Won explained in a statement.

EndoWrist One Vessel Sealer Debuts for da Vinci Si Surgical System

Brian Klein — Fri, 13 Jan 2012 19:01:30 +0000

Robotic surgery developer Intuitive Surgical Inc. (Sunnyvale, CA) has received 510(k) clearance to market its EndoWrist One Vessel Sealer. The bipolar electrosurgical sealing and cutting instrument is designed for use with the firm’s da Vinci Si Surgical and a dedicated version of the ERBE VIO 300D electrosurgical generator, sold and supported by Intuitive Surgical, that will only control the Endowrist One vessel sealer instrument. The wristed, disposable instrument is intended for bipolar coagulation and mechanical transection of vessels up to 7 mm in diameter and tissue bundles that fit in the jaws of the instrument. It is not intended for use for tubal sterilization or tubal coagulation for sterilization procedures.

The EndoWrist One Vessel Sealer enables da Vinci Si surgeons to fully control vessel sealing, according to the manufacturer, while providing high surgical precision, control, stability, and 3-D HD visualization.

Open Source Surgery, a Robot called Raven takes Flight

Gavin Corley — Fri, 13 Jan 2012 16:13:51 +0000

A multidisciplinary team of engineers from the University of Washington and the University of California, Santa Cruz have developed a surgical robot, called Raven 2, for use as an open source surgical robotics research platform. Seven units of the Raven 2 will be made available to researchers at Harvard , Johns Hopkins, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, University of California, Berkeley, and the University of California, Los Angeles, while the remaining two systems will remain at the University of California, Santa Cruz, and the University of Washington.

The Raven 2 is a surgical robot with 7 degrees of freedom, compact electronics and two wing-like arms which end in tiny gripper claws designed to perform surgery on simulated patients. The robot’s software is compatible with Robot Operating System, an open source robotics coding platform.

AirStrip Receives CE Mark for Mobile Monitoring Solutions

Wouter Stomp — Wed, 04 Jan 2012 15:59:56 +0000

AirStrip Technologies has received European CE Mark certification for its mobile patient monitoring applications. The apps provide mobile access to vital live and historical patient data including waveforms, ECGs and other information and it received FDA clearance last August. Applications currently available include AirStrip OB, AirStrip Cardiology and AirStrip Patient Monitoring. AirStrip Cardiology was recently featured as the best US medical application for the iPhone as part of Apple’s App Store Rewind 2011.

Airstrip Cardiology and Patient Monitoring are available for iOS devices only, while Airstrip OB is available for almost all current mobile platforms including iOS, Android, Blackberry and Windows Mobile. In addition to the physicians installing the apps on their mobile devices, the hospital must purchase the interface, server and individual subscriptions from AirStrip for the system to operate.

Company Claims Optical Blood Pressure Monitor Breakthrough

Gene Ostrovsky — Tue, 03 Jan 2012 19:20:54 +0000

Tarilian Laser Technologies, a Hertfordshire, UK firm claims it has developed the “greatest technological advance in blood pressure measurement for 130 years” Unlike direct pressure measurement that every other BP meter does, the company’s Sapphire device uses an optical sensor to continuously measure blood pressure at the wrist. Keeping the Sapphire stationary will provide beat-to-beat readings and Tarilian says the device can effectively be used to detect white coat hypertension (raised blood pressure due to patient being in a clinical setting).

The company believes this technology can be translated for non-contact measurement of intraocular pressure, fetal heart monitoring, and for blood pressure monitoring using small mobile devices at different spots on the body.