GT Medical Technologies, a company based in Tempe, Arizona, won FDA clearance for its GammaTiles to be used to prevent malignant brain tumors in newly diagnosed patients. The devices, about the size of a postage stamp, contain Cesium-131, a radioactive isotope with a half life of about ten days. The collagen material within which the […]
Tag: Neurosurgery
Abbott Infinity First Brain Stimulator to Target GPi to Treat Parkinson’s
Abbott has announced that the FDA has given the company the first ever approval for a device to treat Parkinson’s by delivering deep brain stimulation (DBS) to the internal globus pallidus (GPi), an area associated with motor function. The Infinity DBS system, originally developed by St. Jude Medical that became part of Abbott, already has […]
Abbott’s Low Dose Neurostimulation for Chronic Pain: CES 2020
Abbott is a giant medical technology company, but it kept understated at CES. We had a chance to learn a bit of what the company is doing at the world’s premiere gadget conference, which is the Proclaim XR low dose neuromodulation implant. The Proclaim XR spinal cord stimulator can run for ten years using its […]
Percept PC Deep Brain Neurostimulator with BrainSense Cleared in Europe
Medtronic obtained the European CE Mark for its Percept PC neurostimulator that uses smart feedback technology to deliver deep brain stimulation to treat Parkinson’s and other neurologic diseases. The so-called BrainSense technology powering the Percept PC can record brain signals at the same time that it delivers therapy. It is compatible with full-body MRI scans […]
InterStim Micro Neurostimulator and SureScan MRI Leads Cleared in Europe for Incontinence Control
Medtronic won EU regulatory clearance to introduce its InterStim Micro neurostimulator and InterStim SureScan MRI leads. The devices are used to deliver sacral neuromodulation therapy to treat overactive bladder (OAB), fecal incontinence, and non-obstructive urinary retention. The InterStim Micro is a much tinier version of Medtronic’s InterStim II neuromodulator, as it is 80% smaller, but […]
Microsure, a Dutch Microsurgery Robotics Firm, at CES 2020
Among the myriad of consumer gadgets at CES 2020, we ran into a Dutch maker of microsurgery robotic equipment. Microsure makes the MUSA robot, which already has the CE Mark in Europe. Here’s a company rep giving us an introduction:
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Tumor Tissue Imaging and AI Bypass Path Lab for Brain Surgeries
In a major development in how tumors are excised, researchers at the University of Michigan have shown that it’s possible to accurately analyze brain tumor tissue within the operating room and assess its nature using artificial intelligence. Tumor tissues typically look just like the healthy stuff around them. When a tumor is removed, parts that […]
Bioness StimRouter Cleared in Europe to Treat Fecal Incontinence
Bioness, a Valencia, California firm, won European regulatory approval for its StimRouter neuromodulation system to treat fecal incontinence. Previously cleared in the EU as a tool for managing chronic pain and overactive bladder, the new indication significantly expands the stated capabilities of this novel neuromodulation system. For the management of fecal incontinence, the StimRouter system […]
Fully Disposable Endovascular Robot Unveiled
Microbot Medical, a company with offices in Massachusetts and Israel, is about to release the world’s first fully disposable endovascular surgical robot. The LIBERTY device is intended for use in a variety of cardiovascular, neurovascular, and peripheral vascular procedures, manipulating catheters in a fly-by-wire way. Since it can be operated remotely, clinicians can be kept […]
Medtronic Stealth Autoguide System for Cranial Procedures FDA Cleared
The Stealth Autoguide, a cranial robotic platform from Medtronic, has just been cleared by the FDA. The system provides accurate and partially automatic positioning and advancing of instruments and tool guides when operating on the brain. It consists of a StealthStation Image Guidance system and the Midas Rex high-speed drill, along with software that offers […]
Nanoparticles to Spot Vascular Calcification in Atherosclerosis
Atherosclerosis affects most of us by a certain age, and it is the underlying cause of most cardiovascular diseases. The condition results in arteries being coated with plaques and fatty deposits, as well as being chronically inflamed. While vascular constrictions aren’t good for anyone, it is the thrombi (blood clots) that detach from these formations […]
Aptar’s Nasal Unidose Device Helps Stop Epileptic Seizures
AptarGroup, a company based outside of Chicago, Illinois, has announced that the FDA recently approved a medication (NAYZILAM (midazolam)) for treatment of acute repetitive epileptic seizures and that the company’s Unidose Liquid System was chosen as the delivery mechanism for this rescue drug. The Unidose Liquid System doesn’t require priming and can be used with […]
Exclusive with CELLINK Co-Founders Erik Gatenholm and Dr. Héctor Martínez
CELLINK is a 3D bioprinting company based in Gothenburg, Sweden, and was one of the first companies in the world to offer 3D printable bioink, which is used to print human organs and tissues. In just four years of existence, the company has been able to commercialize products used in more than 700 labs and […]
Silicon Chips as Artificial Neurons
Researchers at the University of Bath in the UK have developed low-power silicon chips that mimic the electrical activity of neurons. This breakthrough could enable the small chips to function as artificial neurons in numerous implants and medical devices, and the technology has significant potential in treating a wide range of chronic diseases, including neurodegenerative […]
Microelectrode Spinal Implants to Control Paralyzed Limb Function
Researchers from the University of Alberta in Canada have used novel platinum/iridium microelectrodes to create a functional map of the lower spinal cord in monkeys, demonstrating how different segments of the spinal cord control lower limb movement. This development may one day be used for rehabilitation of patients with paralysis. The spinal cord is a […]
Siemens Unveils AI Apps for Automatic MRI Image Segmentation
Siemens Healthineers is releasing a couple of AI-driven and cloud-based software applications, one for the brain and one for the prostate, that automate a great deal of the manual tasks that radiologists have to perform. Both of the applications can be used with data coming from any MRI machine, so can be deployed by just […]
SOMATOM On.site: A Portable CT Scanner for Bedside Head Exams
At the ongoing RSNA conference in Chicago, a gathering of the world’s radiologists, Siemens Healthineers introduced its SOMATOM On.site CT scanner that can be wheeled right into patient rooms for bedside exams. Currently, patients requiring a head CT have to be taken to wherever the scanner is, but the mobility of the SOMATOM On.site allows […]
Senza Omnia Stimulator for Chronic Pain, with Widest Frequency Range, FDA Approved
Nevro, a firm based in Silicon Valley, won FDA approval for its Senza Omnia spinal cord neurostimulation system for chronic pain management. The device can deliver traditional spinal cord stimulation at frequencies below 1.5 kHz, along with Nevro’s proprietary HF10 stimulation that goes up to 10 kHz. Both low and high frequency therapies can even […]
Injectable Electrodes for Neuromodulation
Researchers at the University of Wisconsin-Madison have developed an injectable flexible electrode that can aid in neuromodulation therapy, potentially replacing more rigid electrodes that do not mesh well with soft tissues. The injectable material consists of a silicone gel and small metal particles, and it forms a flexible bolus when injected around a target nerve. […]
Magnetic Scanner Small Enough for Kids to Study Brain Development
As kids grow, their brains undergo a development process that is poorly understood. Children can have short attention spans, move around a lot, and are not easy to get into and then keep still inside a stationary scanner. Now, a collaboration of scientists from University of Nottingham, University of Oxford, and University College London has […]