A myriad of different therapeutic, diagnostic, and research-oriented nano-scale devices and molecules have been developed to work inside living cells. While many of these particles are very effective at what they do, it is often the difficulty of delivering them that is the real challenge in using them for practical purposes. Typically, either some (Read more...)
Tag: Medicine
Respirix for Non-Invasive Cardiopulmonary Monitoring: Interview with CEO Eric Kriegstein
For patients with cardiopulmonary illnesses such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD or congestive heart failure (CHF), few technologies exist to effectively monitor and manage their conditions in a convenient way. Pulmonary artery catheters and implants, that can help with monitoring, have successfully reduced heart failure hospitalizat (Read more...)
4D Printer to Create Synthetic Biological Surfaces
Researchers at the City University of New York and Northwestern University have developed a printer capable of creating highly detailed surfaces precisely loaded with a variety of organic and biological molecules. The technology allows the researchers to create objects that resemble the surfaces of living cells, something that may prove extremely u (Read more...)
Biobeat Receives EU Clearance for Vital Sign Monitoring with Wristwatch and Patch
Biobeat announced recently that it has received CE Mark approval for its patch and wristwatch that non-invasively measure blood pressure, cardiac output, stroke volume, blood oxygenation, and heart rate. The Israel-based company’s platform monitors vital signs in real-time using wireless, non-invasive, medical-grade technology, and uploa (Read more...)
Masimo Receives FDA Approval for Continuous RRp Monitoring
Masimo announced that it received FDA clearance for continuous RRp (respiration rate from the photoplethysmograph) monitoring with its with Rad-97, Radical-7, and Radius-7 Pulse Co-Oximeters. Usually, monitoring respiration rate involves manually counting breaths with a timer or using chest straps that need to be fitted. The newly-approved Mas (Read more...)
ClotChip Receives FDA Breakthrough Device Designation for Real-Time Coagulation Testing
Cleveland-based XaTek Inc. announced receiving FDA Breakthrough Device designation for ClotChip, a handheld device that can measure a patient’s bleeding risk profile from a single drop of blood. The main advantage of ClotChip is that it produces results in 15 minutes, versus the many hours that traditional lab work currently takes. The dramat (Read more...)
Table-Top Robot Uses AI to Make Blood Draws, Insert Catheters
Researchers at Rutgers University have developed a robot that utilizes artificial intelligence, along with near-infrared and ultrasound imaging, to automatically make blood draws and insert catheters in small blood vessels. The device could take the guesswork out of blood draws, which are frequently challenging when performed manually, and reduce t (Read more...)
RESPMETER Opioid Overdose Detector Wins FDA Breakthrough Device Status
Altair Medical recently announced that it received FDA Breakthrough Device status for its RESPMETER wearable biosensor. The biosensor is a chest-worn wireless sensor that can detect Opioid Indused Respiratory Depression (OIRD), a common and often fatal side effect of using opioid drugs. The biosensor monitors respiratory patterns and analyses them (Read more...)
New HydroPICC Prevents Clogged Central Line Catheters
Access Vascular, based in Bedford, Massachusetts, won FDA clearance for the latest version of its HydroPICC anti-thrombogenic central line catheter. As with the original, which was cleared two years ago, the new device features Access’s unique “bulk-hydrophilic” material that prevents clogging by being rich in water while carrying (Read more...)
FDA Clears First Pulse Oximeter to Measure Breathing Rate
Masimo just received the first FDA clearance for a fingertip pulse oximeter that can measure respiration rate. The MightySat Rx spot-check pulse oximeter includes a technology known as Respiration Rate from the Pleth (RRP) that makes it unnecessary to perform manual counts or use chest electrodes to measure respiration rate. The device can be used (Read more...)
Companion Medical Receives FDA Clearance for InPen Insulin Bolus Calculator
Companion Medical announced that it received FDA clearance for its InPen bolus calculator for fixed dosing and meal estimation. Only 42% of people living with Type 1 diabetes count carbohydrates to determine their mealtime insulin dose, according to the company. Incorrect carb counting and insulin dosages often result in hypo- and hyperglycemia. Th (Read more...)
Device Prints Scaffolds Inside Wounds to Replace Lost Tissue
3D printing of artificial scaffolds intended to replace injured tissues has become a ballyhooed technology that’s yet to prove itself in clinical practice. One issue that complicates things is that the scaffolds have to match the volume that they’ll be replacing, in both shape and the direction in which cells will have to grow. To [&hel (Read more...)
Point-of-Care HIV Diagnostics for Low Resource Regions: Interview with Jesse Lehga, VP at Diagnostics for the Real World
DRW (Diagnostics for the Real World), a company with headquarters in San Jose, California, and Cambridge, United Kingdom, has developed the SAMBA II, a point-of-care diagnostic device for the detection of infectious diseases, including HIV and HCV, for use in low-resource and/or remote regions. The system employs nucleic acid amplification to detec (Read more...)
Fist Assist Helps Prep Vein for Dialysis Surgery, Lead to Healthy Fistula
Fist Assist Devices, a small Silicon Valley firm, won the European CE Mark for its eponymous wearable device. The Fist Assist works to widen the vein diameter in preparation for fistula placement and to help with fistula vein dilation in patients requiring hemodialysis. It is worn on the arm twice a day starting at about […]
(Read more...)Tactile Enhancement to Compensate for Loss of Sensation
A variety of medical conditions, including diabetic neuropathy, infections, and injuries, can lead to a reduced ability to feel touch with one’s skin. This can be frustrating and uncomfortable, but it can also result in an inability to walk in comfort, notice wounds and injuries, and deal with everyday tasks. Now researchers in China are [&he (Read more...)
Pill-Sized Chemical Heater for Point-of-Care Diagnostic Tests
Researchers at the University of Toronto have developed a miniaturized chemical heater that can precisely heat biological samples during diagnostic tests, but does not require electricity or any specialized equipment to work. The low-cost technology is based on the exothermic reaction that occurs when lithium encounters water, and the precise shape (Read more...)
VitalConnect Introduces Remote Arrhythmia Detection Using VitalPatch
In a world where cardiovascular diseases are the leading cause of death (with an estimated 17.9 million annual deaths globally, according to the WHO), the need to accurately and reliably monitor patients following cardiac procedures is ever-growing. This need is highlighted by the frequency of complications that occur following such procedures. For (Read more...)
VOCSN 5-in-1 Portable Ventilator: Interview with Chris Kiple, CEO of Ventec
Ventilators are used by patients who lose lung function due to complications from a variety of diseases such as spinal cord injuries, COPD, stroke, pneumonia, and ALS. In addition to dealing with a debilitating situation, patients tend to be hooked to several machines that perform mechanical ventilation, oxygen delivery, cough assist, suction, and (Read more...)
Beddr SleepTuner: Medgadget’s Review of The Novel Sleep Tracker
Sleep trackers are no stranger to Medgadget. Over the years, we’ve looked at various gadgets that monitor your “ZZZ’s” from your wrist, on your mattress, and even within your pajamas. With a growing interest in methods of maximizing work and life productivity (particularly among millennials), an ever-increasing number of fin (Read more...)
Surfacer FDA Cleared for Unusual Dialysis Central Venous Access
The right internal jugular vein is typically the ideal access point for performing hemodialysis via a central venous catheter. Yet, in close to half of patients there’s an obstruction that makes this either a serious challenge or an impossibility. Now, a device called the Surfacer Inside-Out Access Catheter System has been cleared via the FDA (Read more...)