Medical Microinstruments (MMI), a company based outside of Pisa, Italy, won the European CE Mark of approval for its Symani robotic surgical system. The product provides 7-20X scaling of hand movements, automatically removing tremors to allow for safe microsurgical and supermicrosurgical procedures. It is hoped that this impressive new device can help to improve how […]
Tag: Orthopedic Surgery
Stretchable Fiber-Optic Sensors for Skin-Like Sensation
Researchers at Cornell University have developed stretchable sensors that can detect sensations such as strain, pressure, and bending, much like human skin. Deformation is measured through changes in optical paths within the flexible fiber optic sensors. By providing a sense of ‘touch’, the sensors could provide additional functionality for medical soft robots or prostheses and […]
FDA Clears Most Powerful Clinical MRI
GE Healthcare won FDA clearance for its SIGNA 7.0T MRI scanner, currently the most powerful device available for clinical applications. A high end scanner’s magnetic field typically tops out at 3 Tesla, but the new device goes all the way up to 7 Tesla to provide an unprecedented look at highly detailed anatomy. Certainly intended […]
Portable Surgical Robot for Minimally Invasive Procedures: Interview with John Murphy, CEO of Virtual Incision
Virtual Incision, a company based in Lincoln, Nebraska, has developed the miniaturized in vivo robotic assistant (MIRA) platform to perform minimally invasive abdominal surgeries, such as colon resections. Conceived as a small and accessible surgical robotic support device, the miniaturized system is considerably less expensive than current robotic surgical platforms. MIRA is small enough to […]
Siemens Ysio Max Digital Radiography System FDA Cleared
Siemens Healthineers won clearance from the FDA for the Ysio Max digital radiography system that features a number of so-called MAX technologies, including new detectors and usability features that improve imaging and quicken exams. Three new detectors are included, including the new MAX wi-D, the lightest 14 x 17” wireless detector with a handle, that […]
Swoop Portable MRI Cleared in U.S. for Bedside Scans
Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) has become an integral part of medical care throughout much of the world, but access to this technology remains limited. Conventional MRI scanners need dedicated rooms with entry protocols, quench venting, and safety measures, and patients have to be taken to where the machine is located, often at a distant corner […]
Canon Medical Unveils SOLTUS 500 Portable X-Ray
Canon Medical is releasing a compact new mobile digital X-ray. The SOLTUS 500, powered by a 40kW generator, has touch screens both at the main unit and at the collimator, making it easier and quicker to operate it around patients. Detectors are charged right on the device and stored within a special bin, plus special […]
MicroPort and Osso VR Partner on Hip and Knee Surgery Training
Earlier this year, Medgadget reported on how Osso VR, a virtual reality (VR) surgical training and assessment platform, has prioritized expanding its curriculum across multiple resident specialties. This was to ensure ongoing education of medical students and residents despite the current lack of in-person training due to COVID-19. This month, Osso VR announced the launch […]
A Laparoscopy Assistance Platform to Optimize Minimally Invasive Surgery: Interview with Anne Osdoit, CEO of MastOR
Minimally invasive surgery has played a huge role in improving patient outcomes, and reducing morbidity and recovery times compared with traditional surgical techniques. However, it can be a little tricky for surgeons to operate through tiny incisions and use complicated equipment, meaning that there is often a significant learning curve and training period involved. Robotics […]
Tiny 3D Printed Cubes Serve as Scaffolding for Broken Bones
A good deal of orthopedic bone repair surgeries involve injecting powders or pastes, to serve as scaffoding, into fractures. Now a collaboration between scientists at Oregon Health & Science University (OHSU), University of Oregon, New York University, and Mahidol University in Thailand has led to the development of a Lego-like 3D printed scaffolding system that […]
EVA15 Surgical Insufflator and Smoke Evacuator for Minimally Invasive Procedures FDA Cleared
Palliare, a company out of Galway, Ireland, won FDA clearance for its flagship product, the EVA15 insufflator and smoke evacuation system. The EVA15 combines two devices into a compact package that is designed for use in laparoscopic, endoscopic, endolumenal, and robotic procedures. Smoke is a common problem in all kinds of minimally invasive procedures that […]
Synthetic Melanin Protects from Radiation Damage
Researchers at Northwestern University have developed a new biomaterial, selenomelanin, that can help protect people from radiation. The new substance, chemically synthesized and produced by bacteria, helps protect cells from radiation more effectively than other forms of melanin. One day, it may be used in sunscreens, medical treatments, or for long-term spaceflight as a radioprotective […]
ReActiv8 Neurostimulator Treats Cause of Back Pain, Now FDA Approved
Mainstay Medical, an Irish firm, just won FDA approval to introduce its ReActiv8 neurostimulator that works to address the underlying causes of back pain. Most existing pain reducing implants work to simply mask the pain by delivering electrical signals to the relevant nerves. The ReActiv8 instead stimulates the multifidus muscle, that lies next to the […]
Easily Removable Surgical Tape to Seal Internal Wounds
Researchers at MIT recently developed an adhesive tape that allows surgeons to seal internal wounds and that can readily stick to slippery internal surfaces, as a potential replacement for sutures. However, the adhesive worked a little too well, and was difficult to remove or adjust without causing irritation or tissue damage. Now, the research team […]
3D Printed Liquid Crystal Elastomers for Mimicking Complex Biological Tissues
Researchers at the University of Colorado Denver have developed a method to 3D print liquid crystal elastomers so that they form complex structures with physical properties that match those of complex biological tissues, such as cartilage. The researchers hope that the technique will help with creating patient-specific implants to replace tissues that have been lost […]
Magnetic Tracking System for Flexible Surgical Robots
Researchers at the University of California San Diego have developed a magnetic tracking system for surgical robots to operate with dexterity within the body. The technology does not require patient or clinician exposure to radiation, and is much less expensive that pre-existing monitoring techniques. A magnet is embedded in the tip of the robot and […]
Nevro Receives EU Approval for Senza Omnia Spinal Cord Stimulation System
Nevro, a Silicon Valley-based company, announced that it has received CE mark approval for its Senza Omnia Spinal Cord Stimulation (SCS) system for management of chronic pain. The device was FDA approved for chronic pain in November 2019. Nevro touts its device as the first and only that is designed to deliver all frequencies from 2 […]
OssoVR Lets Surgical Training Continue Virtually Despite COVID Limitations
Over the past few months, medical student and resident training has been severely limited due to Covid-19. However, knowledge, coordination, dexterity, and experience may not have to suffer because of quarantine and social distancing restrictions. OssoVR, a leading virtual reality surgical training and assessment platform, has been able to expand its curriculum to encompass multiple […]
AiRTouch Portable X-Ray Receives FDA Clearance, Can Be Used for COVID Diagnosis
Aspenstate announced that it has received FDA clearance for the AiRTouch, a lightweight portable X-ray system that could be particularly useful for quickly obtaining chest X-rays of COVID-19 patients. The handheld device weighs in at 5.5 pounds (2.5 Kg) and resembles a large digital camera with a touchscreen. AiRTouch acquires images with the push of a […]
Electric Stimulation Gives Robot-Assistive Surgery a Sense of Touch
A team of researchers at Texas A&M have performed studies evaluating how electrical stimulation can help users control robots, for example helping surgeons steady their movements during robot-assisted procedures. They found, in 11 subjects, that small electrical stimulations to the fingertips can help users control the pinching of a hardwood block with a robotic arm. […]