Advances in medical technology continue apace, with sophisticated new medical devices and therapies becoming available on an ongoing basis. However, medical technology often comes at a premium, and for low-resource regions sometimes even relatively basic medical devices, such as hearing aids, are inaccessible because they are too expensive. Similarly, basic equipment, such as centrifuges, that […]
Tag: ENT
PhotoniCare Looks Behind Ear Drums to Help Diagnose Ear Infections
Middle ear infections are one of the most common reasons for visits to the pediatrician. However, because the middle ear is hidden from view by the ear drum, physicians must diagnose based on symptoms and a limited physical exam — and when patients have ambiguous or borderline symptoms, accurate diagnosis can be challenging. PhotoniCare’s TOMi […]
Brain Controlled-Hearing Aid Separates Voices in a Crowd
When we are at a party and talking to someone, our brain is able to identify a single speaker’s voice and focus our hearing on it, helping us to listen more closely and ignore the other voices nearby. For the millions of people with hearing impairment who use hearing aids, they often lose this ability, […]
Synaptive Medical to Release MRI for Head Scans in Emergency Rooms
Synaptive Medical, a company based in Toronto, Canada, will soon be releasing its Evry device, an MRI machine dedicated to performing head scans in the emergency room. The first installation of this unique device will be at the QEII Health Sciences Centre (QEII) in Halifax, Nova Scotia. At QEII it will be used as part […]
The Power of Modern Hearing Aids: Interview with Laurel Christensen, Chief Audiology Officer, GN Hearing
Modern hearing aids have to pack a great deal of technology in a tiny package. The batteries, high speed computer chips, speakers, microphones, and antennas have to all fit together and work in unison. They drive multiple sound processing algorithms that can modify how audio is boosted for the unique needs of each individual user. […]
Maquet PowerLED II Smart Surgical Lights Coming to America
Getinge has announced that its Maquet PowerLED II surgical lights are now available for purchase in the United States. The devices are applicable to general, as well as hybrid operating rooms, offering features that help illuminate all sorts of procedures. The lights are powered by high-end LEDs, which can be tuned to deliver light of […]
Surgical Electricity Used to Molecularly Reshape Tissues
Researchers at the University of California, Irvine and Occidental College have identified and are studying a new way performing surgery using electricity. Some tissues, such as the ears, cornea, and joints, have a collagen-rich extracellular matrix that can be manipulated using an electric current. The idea is that if you deform a piece of tissue, […]
Lantos 3D Scanning System Makes Digital Impressions of Ears
Lantos Technologies, a company out of Wilmington, Massachusetts, is releasing the first FDA-cleared 3D ear scanner that can image everything from the outer ear to the ear drum. The Lantos 3D Scanning system is used to alleviate the need for silicone impressions when making hearing aids and other custom-made hearing products. Each scan produces about a […]
Nyxoah’s Genio Implant for Obstructive Sleep Apnea Cleared in Europe
Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is often caused by the tongue blocking the airway during night-time breathing. Positive airway pressure (PAP) is the most common way of raising the tongue and allowing air to flow through, but it requires wearing a face mask with a connected hose through the night. Nyxoah, a company headquartered outside of Brussels, […]
Bioreactors Inside Body Grow New Bones for Transplantation
Injuries and disease often necessitate putting something in place of where natural bone is. While there are custom-made artificial orthopedic implants and native bone grafts, researchers from Rice University have now shown a new and better way. The team printed in 3D a bioreactor mold within which new bone can grow. It is made to be […]
FundamentalVR Integrates HaptX Gloves Into Virtual Reality Surgical Trainer
FundamentalVR, a company that makes virtual reality training tools for medical education, has integrated the HaptX Gloves into its Fundamental Surgery platform. Fundamental surgery can be used on different computers and with a variety of virtual reality headsets and haptic tools. Most systems that can provide a sense of touch have relied on pointer-like tools […]
Philips Envisions Use of Augmented Reality in Operating Room (Video)
The Microsoft HoloLens is an impressive augmented reality (AR) system that lets the user overlay graphics over the visual scene in front. Philips is partnering with Microsoft to bring this technology to the operating room, and it has released a “concept” that foreshadows how AR can be used for image-guided minimally invasive therapies. Physicians working […]
Custom Tuned Hearing Aids from Comfort of Home: Interview with Adam Karp and Dr. Harvey Abrams of Lively
Lively, a New York-based hearing aid provider, has recently announced their online platform for customers to take virtual hearing tests, purchase hearing aids, and receive videocall support from doctors to fine-tune their hearing aids. The platform represents a telemedicine solution for the hearing-impaired, and allows people to receive treatment for their hearing loss from the […]
Elevo Kit Snoring Intervention Device Cleared in United States
Cook Medical and Zelegent, a company out of La Jolla, California, announced that the FDA cleared the Elevo Kit Snoring Intervention Device. The Elevo is used to position special sutures so as to lift the soft palate, the rear roof of the mouth. Alexander K. Arrow, MD, the CEO of Zelegent, which developed the Elevo, […]
Sony Unveils New Microsurgery HD Video Camera
Sony is releasing a new two-piece full HD surgical video camera intended for a variety of settings, including surgical centers and exam rooms. The device is particularly effective in low-light applications, such as ophthalmic posterior surgical procedures and other situations where direct light is hard to place within the depths of a surgical scene. The […]
Crescent Vision Dual-Camera Headband for Surgeons: CES 2019
Many surgical procedures are difficult to teach in practice because few people can gather around an operating table. Particularly with highly detailed surgeries, it is difficult to work on vessels and other anatomical structures while letting others have a good view of the scene as well. Crescent Tech, a Dutch firm, is developing a special […]
Cochlear Nucleus 7 Cochlear Implant: Seen at CES 2019
Cochlear Limited attended the CES for the first time this year, showcasing a virtual reality demo and an opportunity to speak with implant recipients. They showcased their Nucleus 7 Implant and Sound Processor, which the company released last year as the world’s first made-for-iPhone cochlear implant sound processor (read our coverage here). The Nucleus 7 […]
Starkey Hearing Aids with Body Sensors Built-In: CES 2019
Starkey hearing aids are some of the more advanced devices on the market, including ones with sensors and even artificial intelligence that work together to improve the quality of sound. Some of Starkey’s devices are essentially invisible, residing completely inside the ear canal, while others are rechargeable and can interface with a smartphone, television, or […]
ARIS MD Automatic Tissue Segmentation in Virtual and Augmented Reality: Aris MD at CES 2019
Medical imaging technologies have come a long way over the decades. They offer greater visual detail, but all that data often makes it difficult to see and understand the anatomy being studied. At CES 2019 we met with ARIS MD, a company that was introducing its 3D visualization technology that can automatically identify different organs, […]
BrainCarta Maps Creates Maps for Brain Surgeries: CES 2019
Brain surgery is a complicated business, requiring utmost precision when excising tumors and other maladies. BrainCarta, a Dutch firm, is showing off its Elonav technology that uses functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) scans to create maps of lesions and provide helpful analysis about the nearby anatomy. The firm believes that Elonav can help surgeons perform […]