TVA Medical of Austin, Texas, a newly acquired subsidiary of Becton Dickinson, won de novo marketing clearance from the FDA for its innovative everlinQ endoAVF system for creating arteriovenous fistulas for hemodialysis without relying on open surgery. The system relies on catheters inserted into adjoining arteries and veins. When in proximity, built-in magnets within the catheters attract each […]
Author: Medgadged
New Smart Bandage Monitors Health of Wounds, Dispenses Drugs as Needed
When wounds are bandaged, they’re only being assessed when the bandage is replaced every so often. This is starting to feel like something from the olden times, as so many things in our modern world are constantly monitored and evaluated. Engineers from Harvard, Tufts, MIT, and other institutions have now banded together to create a […]
Nano-Patterned Bone Implants Vascularize and Generate Bone Better Than Smooth Ones
A University of Toronto team from the Institute of Biomaterials and Biomedical Engineering (IBBME) discovered that nano-scale surface topology matters when it comes to vascularization of bone implants. They compared two titanium implants of the same chemical composition and varied only their surfaces at the nano scale. One was smooth and the other was rough […]
Humanoid Robot Teaches Autistic Kids to Recognize Emotions
Children with autism often seem to want to socialize with robots more than humans, something that researchers at MIT want to harness as a pathway for therapy. The team, partnering with others at Chubu University in Japan and Imperial College London, have given a popular humanoid robot, called NAO, the ability to see what the kids […]
Virtual Reality Interactive Molecular Dynamics System to Help Researchers Design New Drugs
Drug discovery is a long and expensive process, and any technologies that can speed up how drugs are created has great potential to improve medicine overall. Scientists at Bristol University in the UK, Interactive Scientific, a spinoff of the university, and Oracle Corporation, have worked together to develop a virtual reality simulator that can be […]
Novaerus Defend 1050 Uses Ultra-Low Energy Plasma to Disinfect Large Clinical Spaces
Novaerus, based in Ireland, is releasing a new hospital air filtration system that’s designed to be used in large rooms and where there’s a high chance for airborne transmission of pathogens. The Novaerus Defend 1050 uses “ultra-low energy plasma technology” and three separate filters, including HEPA and carbon/molecular filters, to remove nearly all infectious bugs […]
Predictive Health Company Potrero Medical Closes $26.6 Million in Oversubscribed Series C Financing
GT Healthcare and Sonder Capital Led the Round SAN FRANCISCO — July 9, 2018 — Potrero Medical, Inc., a predictive health company focused on using smart sensors and analytics for early detection of critical illnesses, announced today the closing of a $26.6 million Series C financing. The financing was led by China-focused healthcare investment firm […]
ExplORer Surgical Uses Workflows to Make Surgeries More Efficient
Surgeries are complex undertakings, with moving parts that include team members having multiple roles, specific protocols that must be followed, and dozens of tools and instruments that must be accounted for. ExplORer Surgical is a Chicago-based company that hopes to help better organize and manage these moving parts. ExplORer Surgical works by creating step-by-step “workflows” […]
Embolx Announces FDA Clearance for Next Generation Sniper Balloon Occlusion Microcatheter
Embolx, a new medical device company out of Silicon Valley, develops microcatheters for arterial endoembolization procedures, and now their next-generation Sniper Balloon Occlusion Microcatheter will be available in the US. The new family of microcatheters shows significant improvement over previous devices, and offers physicians enhanced performance features to make it easier to navigate through small […]
Electronic Whiskers For Improved Prosthetic Touch
More than two million people are living with limb loss in the USA, and that number is expected to rise. For the majority of these individuals, prosthetic limbs are an invaluable tool to help regain some quality of life. One challenge that has been difficult to overcome in the design of prostheses, however, is enabling […]
Opportunity for Innovation or Potential Data Breach Nightmare? Project SPARK Announced in Ontario
Project SPARK, an initiative recently announced by the government of Ontario, Canada, is seeking to make healthcare data more accessible. As part of Canada’s nationwide single payer healthcare system, the government of Ontario has access to a significant number of patient health records, all located within a single database. This is in contrast to places like […]
Liquid Biopsy Separates Tumor Cells from Blood Faster Than Ever Before
Biopsies are a sure way to find out if a patient really has a neoplastic tissue in the body. While highly accurate, biopsies are only useful if one has a lesion to sample. Many tumors are well hidden and difficult to reach, making traditional biopsies effectively impossible. But, tumors tend to shed cells that end […]
Scientists Identify Individuals from Brain Scans While Doing Tasks
All humans are unique individuals, some of it due to the differences between our brains. Being able to identify the differences in the structure and activity of our brains may have enormous consequences for neurology and neurosurgery. While CT and MRI scans can’t yet provide a level of detail to diagnose many neurological conditions, researchers at […]
New Method for Monitoring Biomarkers at Ultra Low Concentrations
Many chemical biomarkers within our bodies, such as proteins and DNA fragments, are found in extremely low concentrations, making it difficult to monitor their behavior. At the Eindhoven University of Technology, researchers have now developed an exciting new method for continuous, live monitoring of individual molecules within blood. The researchers were able to use it […]
3D-Printed Casts and Splints. Interview with Diana Hall, COO of ActivArmor
ActivArmor, based in Colorado, offers a range of 3D-printed casts and splints. The customized casts are breathable and water-proof, and can be made to either be fixed in place, or removable, as required. The company reports that patients wearing the new casts can complete a greater range of activities during their recovery, including swimming. The […]
Wipe Cloth FDA Approved to Treat Excessive Sweating
Dermira, a Silicon Valley firm, won FDA approval for a wipe to treat excessive under-arm sweating, clinically known as primary axillary hyperhidrosis. The cloth contains glycopyrronium, an anticholinergic. “For years, dermatologists have been telling us of the need for new treatment options that address primary axillary hyperhidrosis given the stigma and burden associated with this […]
Artificial Intelligence and Radar Technologies to Measure Blood Glucose
Diabetes management is slowly moving away from needles, finger sticks, and insulin pumps that intrude on a person’s life. Now, researchers from the University of Waterloo have developed a novel combination of radar and artificial intelligence (AI) technologies to help people manage diabetes more effectively and detect changes in glucose levels without having to traumatically […]
FDA Approves Zephyr Endobronchial Valve, a Minimally Invasive Implant for Severe Emphysema
The FDA approved a new medical device for patients suffering from severe emphysema. The Pulmonx Zephyr Endobronchial Valve is a one-way valve system to be implanted through the airways using a traditional bronchoscope. The valve is integrated into a stent that expands against a bronchiole to block off air flowing in and only allow it […]
The World’s First Wireless, App-Based Ultrasound: Interview with Dr. Ryu, CEO of Healcerion
Healcerion, based in South Korea, was the first company to receive FDA clearance for a wireless, app-based ultrasound system back in 2015. The groundbreaking work done by South Korean engineers and scientists laid the foundation for the development of an ultrasound transducer that works with most smartphones or tablets. Since introducing the SONON 300C convex transducer, […]
A Brief Look at FOCI: The Wearable That Helps You Stay Calm and Focused
At the ITF Conference in Belgium in May, imec director Chris Van Hoof shared with us how mental health is an area of medicine that is underserved and ripe for innovation with medical technology. While they might be more for general wellness, we’re slowly starting to see a new wave of technologies in the form […]