Plastic Surgery Archives

Bovie J-Plasma Handpiece Greenlighted in U.S.

by Gene Ostrovsky on Feb 7, 2012 •

bovie j plasma1 Bovie J Plasma Handpiece Greenlighted in U.S.
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.

J-Plasmaâ„¢ is formed by passing an inert gas, such as helium, over a sharp conductive point which is held at high voltage and high frequency, producing a luminous discharge beam. The sharp conductive point can also be in the form of a retractable surgical blade, providing multiple modes of operation in a single instrument. The extended surgical blade can be used for incisions and other cutting procedures, and when retracted, the blade is used to form the J-Plasma beam for coagulation. The extended blade can also be used in combination with the J-Plasma beam, providing an enhanced cutting capability with minimal impact on surrounding tissue.

The Company, assisted by leading surgeons, will introduce J-Plasmaâ„¢ at selected hospital beta sites including several university teaching facilities, in preparation for a market launch later this year by its independent sales distribution network.

bovie icon gs Bovie J Plasma Handpiece Greenlighted in U.S.

Press release: BOVIE MEDICAL CORPORATION RECEIVES 510 K CLEARANCES TO MARKET PATENTED J-PLASMAâ„¢ TECHNOLOGY

Military Medicine / Plastic Surgery

Biomask Improves Facial Burn Treatment Results For Soldiers

by Scott Jung on Feb 6, 2012
Biomask Improves Facial Burn Treatment Results For Soldiers

It’s estimated that 85 percent of injuries to our armed forces in the field cause damage to the extremities or the face. Innovations in regenerative medicine are moving along at an amazing pace, but the common current facial burns treatment typically involves removing damaged areas, followed by skin grafting, which usually leads to disfigurement and the possibility of speech impediments and scarring.

A new project called Biomask, a collaboration between engineers at the University of Texas, Arlington, Northwestern University regenerative medicine specialists, leaders in burn treatment at Brooke Army Medical Center and consultants Army Institute of Surgical Research, seeks to improve burn treatment outcomes with the latest in medical electronics and regenerative medicine.

Read More

Anesthesiology / Cardiac Surgery / Emergency Medicine / Medicine / Neurological Surgery / Ob/Gyn / Orthopedic Surgery / Plastic Surgery / Surgery / Thoracic Surgery / Urology

Cardinal Health Releases Smart-Seal Surgical Mask

by Gene Ostrovsky on Feb 2, 2012
Cardinal Health Releases Smart-Seal Surgical Mask

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:

Read More

Plastic Surgery / Surgery / Vascular Surgery

FDA Clears Smith & Nephew’s Single-Use Negative Pressure Wound Therapy System

by Shiv Gaglani on Jan 6, 2012
FDA Clears Smith & Nephew's Single-Use Negative Pressure Wound Therapy System

The human body’s first layer of defense – skin – can be compromised in many ways: abrasions, burns, and cuts, to name a few. Deep wounds require deep cleansing in order to prevent the development and spread of infections. Over the last two decades the wound treatment community has seen an increasing use of negative pressure (that is, vacuum) pumps in order to tightly seal wound dressings and remove edema, or fluid buildup.

The London-based medical device company Smith & Nephew announced today that the FDA cleared its newest device, PICO, which is a single-use negative pressure wound therapy (NPWT) system. According to the press release, PICO offers several advantages to heatlhcare providers, patients, and payers alike:

Read More

Net News / Plastic Surgery

New App to Simulate Your Plastic Surgery Results

by Jan Sinnige on Dec 15, 2011
New App to Simulate Your Plastic Surgery Results

Kaeria EURL, Paris, France, recently released the Plastic Surgery Simulator app which helps people envision what they might look like if they undergo a cosmetic surgery procedure. Users will be able to stretch, shrink, or move different parts of their body photos to create the well known before and after pictures. The application is able to provide plastic surgery simulations for a number of procedures, like breast augmentation, weight loss and liposuction.

Although the software seems to be just a few simple Photoshop tricks that can be used for fun, real plastic surgery results are never guaranteed and this simulation tool can help add a little balance to the decision process.

Read More

Plastic Surgery

AeroForm Breast Tissue Expanders Now Being Implanted in IDE Trial

by Gene Ostrovsky on Dec 6, 2011
AeroForm Breast Tissue Expanders Now Being Implanted in IDE Trial

Breast reconstruction following a mastectomy can be a painful and generally unpleasant experience that requires office visits for regular saline injections that pump up the implanted expander. AirXpanders out of Palo Alto, CA has announced that the first patient has been enrolled in an IDE trial of its AeroForm technology that allows women to control the expansion of the implant on their own using a remote control.

AeroForm implants contain a CO2 cartridge connected to a wireless controller that regulates how much gas is let out into the expander. Under normal circumstances the gas is let out in a slow continuous stream, but the patient can make changes to the rate of the expansion.

Read More

Plastic Surgery / Radiology

Sophisticated 3-D Computer Model to Improve Human Face Transplantation

by Stanley Darma on Nov 30, 2011
Sophisticated 3-D Computer Model to Improve Human Face Transplantation

In an effort to improve the techniques used for human face transplantation, researchers from the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center (UPMC) have combined 3-D modelling techniques from the film industry with conventional medical imaging.

The new technique makes use of the information of multiple imaging exams and creates a sophisticated 3D computer reconstructions. The computer modelling software can integrate information from several imaging modalities, like 3D CT, CT angiography, MRI and high-definition tractography to create the 3D model of the anatomy of the head and neck. This same technology is being used in movies to animate computer-generated characters.

Read More

Plastic Surgery

LipoSonix Ultrasound System Approved by FDA

by Shiv Gaglani on Sep 12, 2011
LipoSonix Ultrasound System Approved by FDA

The same fundamental technology that allows expectant mothers to see their babies may now be used to help those same mothers lose the extra layers of fat after the pregnancy.

Ultrasound basically relies on the fact that sound waves get propagated, reflected, and absorbed in different ways depending upon the medium, such as fluid (e.g. amniotic or blood; shows up as dark spots) and tissue. If you turn up the intensity and focus those sound waves – a technique appropriately known as high intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU) -  you can actually heat up the tissue and thermally ablate it.  HIFU has already been used to destroy prostate tumors, fix atrial fibrillation, attack uterine fibroids, and deliver drugs across the blood brain barrier.

Read More

Critical Care / Geriatrics / Medicine / Plastic Surgery

Bruin Biometrics’ Sub-Epidermal Moisture Scanner Might Detect Decubitus Ulcers Before They Show Up

by Gavin Corley on Sep 6, 2011
Bruin Biometrics' Sub-Epidermal Moisture Scanner Might Detect Decubitus Ulcers Before They Show Up

Bruin Biometrics, LLC,  a wireless health technology company, and researchers at UCLA have developed a device for measuring the risk of pressure ulcer formation. The Sub-Epidermal Moisture (SEM) scanner is a handheld device which measures the dielectric properties of the tissue being assessed and provides an estimation of the sub-epidermal moisture which is indicative of risk of decub ulcer formation. The SEM scanner is designed to overcome current difficulties with visual pressure ulcer assessments by detecting early pressure damage before it becomes visible on the skin surface.

The scanner is intended for use in a point of care environment and can wirelessly transmit measured data for storage and analysis on Bruin Biometrics’ proprietary back end system. The video below gives a nice overview of the early clinical work on SEM that led to the development of the system. It also has some nice technical info and shots of the device itself (techies scroll to 3:30). The SEM scanner was officially unveiled in April of this year and is expected to be commercially launched in the coming months.

Read More

12345678910

Follow Medgadget on Twitter