Tag: Cardiology

Microfluidics and AI Microscopy for Hemoglobin Measurements

Researchers at the Indian Institute of Science and SigTuple Technologies, a company based in Bengaluru, India, have developed a method to inexpensively measure hemoglobin levels in small-volume blood samples. The technique combines a microfluidic chip and an AI-powered microscope. The researchers hope that the technology will help streamline hemogl (Read more...)

Intraoral Stimulation for Obstructive Sleep Apnea: Interview with Akhil Tripathi, CEO of Signifier Medical

Signifier Medical Technologies, a company with headquarters in London, UK and Massachusetts, has created a new treatment for obstructive sleep apnea, and it is the first to be used during waking hours. Unlike conventional sleep apnea devices, the eXciteOSA is designed to be used for short periods during the day and employs electrical stimulation to (Read more...)

Fully Implantable LVAD for End-Stage Heart Failure: Interview with Greg S. Aber, CEO of Corvion

Patients with advanced heart failure often need a cardiac transplant due to the severe injuries sustained by the heart muscle. Left Ventricular Assist Devices (LVADs) are frequently used in such patients to help the heart pump blood through the body while they are waiting for a transplant. These devices are also used in the short-term […]

Neuromuscular Tongue Stimulator for Snoring Authorized by FDA

Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) impacts millions of people with wide-ranging effects that can have a serious impact on overall health. There are a number of technologies to help manage and sometimes treat the condition, including continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) devices. Most patients end up receiving therapies that don’t treat the un (Read more...)

Tiny Ventway Sparrow Ventilators FDA Cleared

Inovytec, an Israeli firm, has won clearance from the FDA to introduce its Ventway Sparrow ventilators in the United States. Weighing only 2.2 pounds (1 Kg), including the built-in battery, and with a small footprint, these can be used just about anywhere that ventilator support is required. The Sparrows support both invasive and non-invasive venti (Read more...)

DiamondTemp Ablation System FDA Approved for AFib

Cardiac ablation is the current go-to method for treating most cases of atrial fibrillation (AFib) that are not responsive to medications. While radiofrequency ablation, the most common kind, can be highly effective, the technique often results in damage to cardiac tissue beyond what is intended. This can be a result of poor heat dispersal, overly (Read more...)

Catheter Stimulates Lymphatic Drainage for Heart Failure Treatment: Interview with Eamon Brady, CEO of WhiteSwell

WhiteSwell, a medtech company based in Galway, Ireland, has developed a catheter system to treat acute decompensated heart failure (ADHF). ADHF is often treated using diuretics to remove excess fluid, but this doesn’t work for every patient and can have side-effects. This latest technology consists of a catheter with an impeller pump that is (Read more...)

HARPOON System for Mitral Valve Repair: Interview with Daveen Chopra, Edwards Lifesciences

Degenerative mitral regurgitation occurs when the mitral valve prolapses, causing blood to leak back into the atrium every time the heart beats. The condition can be asymptomatic for many people, but for some it can cause a variety of issues, including fainting, pain, and shortness of breath. Currently, open-heart surgery is considered to be the [& (Read more...)

CES 2020: OMRON VitalSight Remote Patient Monitoring

Remote patient monitoring has gone from novelty to necessity in a matter of months thanks to the COVID-19 pandemic. In reality, allowing clinicians to keep an eye on their patients provides a number of important benefits even during “normal” times. At this year’s CES, which is a virtual event this year, Omron presented its VitalSi (Read more...)

Nanodroplets and Ultrasound to Drill Through Blood Clots

Penetrating compacted and extensive blood clots has been one of the main challenges of vascular surgery. Various catheter-based devices have been invented and are in use today, but many patients present with plaques that are just too difficult even for the finest existing devices. Now, researchers at North Carolina State University and University o (Read more...)

Strados RESP Monitors Lung Sounds, Now FDA Cleared

Strados Labs, a company based in Philadelphia, PA, but with R&D offices in Atlanta, GA, won FDA clearance to introduce its RESP system for monitoring lung sounds. The RESP device has already been employed in clinical trials to help monitor how various therapies, patient reports, and other vital signs correlate with changes in lung sounds. [&hel (Read more...)

Real-time ELISA for Continuous Blood Testing

Though blood tests are a routine part of clinical care and hospital labs are able to quantify a myriad biomarkers, the results only indicate measurements at certain points in time. Continuous monitoring is available for only a few analytes such as glucose and oxygen. Now researchers at Stanford University have created a device that can […]