Whether in front of the computer or TV, driving on long commutes, or attending a sporting event, the average person spends more than 12 hours a day sitting. This can take a serious toll on your body in a variety of ways, but muscle and joint pain can be the most immediately apparent. Sitting all […]
Tag: Orthopedic Surgery
Wireless Electronic Sensor to Monitor Bone Health
Engineers and orthopedic specialists at the University of Arizona built an ultra-thin wireless sensor that is designed to monitor bone health over long periods of time. The battery-free device is intended to measure a variety of physiological parameters, such as temperature and bone strain, and could be useful for patients with osteoporosis or to m (Read more...)
3D Blood Vessel Map Reveals Location of Stem Cells
Scientists at Johns Hopkins used a combination of molecular labeling and imaging techniques to create a three-dimensional map of the blood vessels in the mouse skull. Their approach also reveals niches where stem cell populations lurk, which could help researchers to understand how blood vessels and cells behave in various states of disease or inju (Read more...)
Washable Fabric Measures Electrical Activity of Muscles
Researchers at the University of Utah engineered a wearable fabric that can function as a biosensor, measuring electrical activity of muscles. The technology could be useful for physical rehabilitation, allowing clinicians and physical therapists to monitor patients’ progress. The fabric contains a network of silver flakes and gold nanopartic (Read more...)
Synthetic Peptides Jump Around to Repair Spinal Injuries
Researchers at Northwestern University have developed an injectable therapeutic that consists of synthetic peptide sequences intended to regenerate spinal tissue. The team designed the material so that it would allow the peptides to ‘dance,’ with such movements increasing the chance that they will find and interact with receptor protein (Read more...)
Medgadget Reviews the Sleep Number i10 360 Smart Bed
Ten years ago, Sleep Number gave Medgadget the opportunity to try out their advanced beds. As you’ve probably seen on numerous TV commercials and in retail outlets, Sleep Number beds are known for their adjustable firmness, accomplished by changing the air pressure inside their mattresses. We had enjoyed sleeping on the bed, but found that [& (Read more...)
A Handheld X-Ray System: Interview with Evan Ruff and Gregory Kolovich, Co-Founders of OXOS Medical
OXOS Medical, a medtech spin-off out of Georgia Tech, has created the Micro C, an FDA cleared handheld X-ray system that is designed to image the distal extremities, from the shoulder to the hand and from the knee to the foot. The device is intended to prevent situations in which clinicians have to handle and […]
Explorer Surgical Expands into Robotic Surgery: Exclusive with CEO Jennifer Fried
As cloud and digital platforms continue to gain traction, we’re seeing a trend toward increased investments in robotic surgery in medical technology fields. Surgical training, coordination, and collaboration in the operating room are areas where digital tools can help shorten learning curves. While robotic technology continues to transform he (Read more...)
Swoop Portable MRI: Interview with David Scott, President and CEO of Hyperfine
Hyperfine, a company based in St Guilford, Connecticut, created Swoop, a portable MRI scanner. The device received FDA approval as the first bedside MRI scanner in 2020, and a recent study has shown that it can help to accurately spot hemorrhagic stroke, detecting 85 of 88 blood-negative cases (96.6% specificity). Rapid detection is important for [ (Read more...)
Antimicrobial Coating Prevents Infections Around Ortho Implants
A group at Duke University engineered an antibiotic delivery system to make the surfaces of orthopedic implants resistant to bacterial infiltration. The technique involves spraying or painting a combination of hydrophilic and hydrophobic polymers, mixed with an antibiotic of choice, onto the surface of the implant. A UV light is then used to cure t (Read more...)
3D-Printed Implant for Personalized Knee Realignments
Researchers at the University of Bath in the UK created a framework for 3D printing personalized high-tibial osteotomy (HTO) plates, using a titanium alloy, for knee realignments in osteoarthritis patients. The plates should fit nearly perfectly when implanted thanks to the new approach. The researchers have also developed an improved surgical tech (Read more...)
Reverse 3D Printing to Make Tiny Medical Implants
Researchers at RMIT University in Australia have developed a new 3D printing technique that allows them to create incredibly small and complex biomedical implants. The approach involves printing glue molds that can then be filled with biomaterial filler. Once the mold is dissolved away, the biomaterial structure remains. Excitingly, the technique u (Read more...)
New Bioprinting Technique to Make Artificial Cartilage Implants
Researchers at the University of Alberta have developed a method to 3D print cartilage-like materials consisting of a collagen hydrogel containing human chondrocytes. The printed structures mimic human nasal cartilage in terms of its mechanical, molecular and histological characteristics. The researchers hope the technology could lead to personaliz (Read more...)
Tunable Vibrations Could be Key to Reducing Lower Back Pain
Researchers at the Nagoya Institute of Technology in Japan have developed a device that can diagnose and help to correct postural instability leading to back pain. The technique involves using vibration to stimulate sensory receptors that help the brain to perceive the position of the body in space, which is known as proprioception. The approach [& (Read more...)
Medical Robotics and The Future of Surgery: Interview with Tracy Accardi, VP of R&D at Medtronic
Medtronic has been a key player in the minimally invasive surgery space for the last few decades, and has made great strides more recently in robotic surgery with last year’s acquisition of Digital Surgery. As a quick reference point: despite the many benefits of robotic-assisted surgery (RAS), only 3% of surgeries around the world are [&hell (Read more...)
Clear Cranial Implant Allows Ultrasound Imaging of Brain: Interview with CEO of Longeviti Neuro Solutions
Longeviti Neuro Solutions, a medtech company based in Maryland, has announced that its ClearFit cranial implant has been cleared by the FDA for post-surgery ultrasound imaging. The clear implants are used for cranial reconstruction after brain surgery, and are custom-made for each patient. The company uses patient CT scans and 3D printing to produc (Read more...)
Electrical Stimulation for Improved Function Post-Spinal Cord Injury: Interview with Dave Marver, CEO, ONWARD
You may have seen an article Medgadget published recently about a minimally invasive neuromodulation technology that has shown significant promise in improving arm and hand function in patients with spinal cord injuries. The technology, called the ARC system, has been developed by ONWARD, a medtech company started by researchers at the Swiss Federa (Read more...)
Engineered Cartilage Cells Produce Anti-Inflammatory Drugs
Osteoarthritis affects millions of people worldwide, and occurs when the cartilage that protects the ends of bones starts to degrade and wear down. With the aim of ultimately developing treatments for osteoarthritis, researchers from the Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis have genetically engineered cartilage cells to release an (Read more...)
Spinal Cord Stimulators Manage Pain without Tingling
Boston Scientific is releasing in the United States its Wavewriter Alpha line of spinal cord stimulators. The four Wavewriter Alpha pain management devices provide Bluetooth connectivity, allow patients to still be scanned under MRI, given certain precautions, and offer so-called Fast Acting Sub-perception Therapy (FAST). FAST is exciting because i (Read more...)
Cios Flow Mobile C-Arm from Siemens FDA Cleared
Siemens Healthineers just announced FDA clearance to introduce its Cios Flow mobile C-arm in the United States. Developed for use in orthopedics, vascular surgery, trauma, spinal surgery, and other fields, it’s intended to be a general purpose C-arm that can be easily used in a variety of cases. The Cios Flow is a relatively compact [… (Read more...)