3D printing technology was originally touted to provide consumers the ability to print customized mugs, plates, and other household items. The reality turned out to be a lot more exciting, at least for us in the medical space, since 3D printing is already being used daily by thousands of doctors to help perform procedures that […]
Tag: Orthopedic Surgery
CurveBeam’s Tiny InReach CT Scanner Cleared by FDA
CurveBeam‘s InReach point-of-care extremity CT system garnered FDA clearance for use in scanning the arms, hands, wrists, and elbows, as well as the feet and legs. This is one of the smallest CT scanners out there, giving a detailed 3D view of the extremities that digital X-rays can’t provide. The device doesn’t need any additional […]
Wearable MRI Detector Allows Imaging of Moving Joints
Researchers at NYU Langone Health have developed a wearable detector glove that allows them to image a moving hand in an MRI scanner. The glove allows for high-quality images of moving joints, whereby tendons and ligaments can be seen moving in relation to bones and muscle, and could be useful in helping to guide surgery. […]
Wearable Non-Invasively Assesses Tendon Tension During Physical Activity
Researchers at the University of Wisconsin-Madison have developed a wearable device that can non-invasively measure tendon tension when wearers are engaged in physical activity. The technology could help researchers to measure and understand the forces that act on muscles during movement. These data are useful for scientists designing treatments and prostheses for patients with gait […]
Silk-Based Polymer to Help Repair Damaged Bones
University of Connecticut researchers have created a new orthopedic material for fixing bones that’s made out of spider silk, itself one of the world’s strongest natural materials. While silk fibroin, the protein in silk that gives it strength, is already in use in sutures and other medical devices, this is the first time it was […]
CurveBeam’s Compact In-Office Extremity CT Scanners Cleared in EU
CurveBeam, based in Warrington, Pennsylvania, won the European CE Mark for its LineUP and InReach extremity CT systems. Unlike conventional CTs, the devices can be placed in smaller spaces, don’t require special shielding, and can be plugged into a regular power socket. Moreover, the amount of radiation absorbed by the patient is significantly reduced. The […]
Robotic Brace Characterizes Spine Deformities, Dynamically Adjusts Therapy
Engineers at Columbia University have developed a dynamic spine brace, called the Robotic Spine Exoskeleton (RoSE), that can measure the stiffness of the human torso in three dimensions and apply corrective pressure in patients with spine deformities, such as idiopathic scoliosis. Children with spinal deformities typically wear braces to help correct their abnormal spinal curvature. […]
Disease-Responsive Hydrogel Can Release Drug During Arthritis Flares
Researchers at the Harvard-affiliated Brigham and Women’s Hospital have developed a disease-responsive hydrogel for anti-inflammatory drug delivery. The hydrogel could be injected into joints in patients with inflammatory arthritis for long-term local treatment. The gel breaks down in response to enzymes that are increased in an inflamed joint during an arthritis flare, meaning that it […]
Neurostimulation Enhanced by Digital Health: Interview with CEO of NeuroMetrix
Neurostimulation has the capacity to stop pain signals from traveling up to the brain, but to mask the pain effectively and for long periods of time clinicians have turned to implants. That is because conventional TENS (Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation) devices don’t have the strength and focus to comfortably quell pain in long intervals. NeuroMetrix, […]
Stretchable Stick-On Ultrasound Patches Image Even on Curved Surfaces
Conventional ultrasound transducers are rigid devices that have to be held against the skin when imaging inside the body. The best results are achieved on smooth surfaces where contact between the transducer and the skin is the greatest. On curvy, moving surfaces, such as the knees, ultrasound visualizations are difficult. A team at the University […]
mi-eye 2 Portable In-Office Arthroscopy System Cleared in EU, Canada
Trice Medical, a firm based in Malvern, Pennsylvania, won the European CE Mark of approval and received Canada’s regulatory green light for its mi-eye 2 portable arthroscopy system. The whole package consists of a tablet computer and an arthroscope that has both a camera and light source built the needle. The arthroscopic component is single-use and […]
Diamond-coated 3D Printed Materials for Improved Medical Implants
Scientists at RMIT University in Australia have developed a new technique that allows them to coat 3D printed titanium objects with a layer of diamonds. The coating results in improved properties for medical implants, such as reduced bacterial attachment, enhanced proliferation of mammalian cells, and increased integration with living bone tissue. 3D printing is hugely […]
Orthofix Physio-Stim with Smartphone App Cleared in USA, Europe
Orthofix, a company out of Lewisville, Texas, won FDA clearance and CE Mark approval for the latest PhysioStim bone growth stimulators. PhysioStim devices deliver pulsed electromagnetic fields that are used to repair nonunion fractures within the arms and legs that have not exhibited healing on their own. The resulting electric field that is established at the […]
New and Improved Planmed Verity CBCT Scanner Unveiled
Planmed, based in Helsinki, Finland, is releasing an upgraded new version of its popular Planmed Verity CBCT (Cone Beam Computed Tomography) extremity scanner. The system is intended for ortho, as well as head and neck imaging, and even advanced dental applications. It is CE marked in Europe and is now available wherever the mark applies. […]
Put on Two Surgical Gloves as Fast as One With GAMMEX PI Glove-in-Glove System
Putting on two pairs of gloves is a common occurrence in medicine, particularly among surgeons that work with sharp instruments. It’s frustrating and feels like a waste of time, but that’s reality. Now there are gloves that come already doubled, while being easy to snap on. The GAMMEX PI Glove-in-Glove system from Ansell, a company […]
Hologic’s New Fluoroscan InSight FD Mini C-Arm for Extremity Scans
Hologic just launched its new Fluoroscan InSight FD Mini C-Arm, an extremities imaging system intended for specialists such as orthopedists and podiatrists. The user can select between high resolution or low dosage modes, varying between patients as needed. The low-dose mode can produce images with up to half the radiation compared the machine’s automatic setting. The […]
Boston Sci’s WaveWriter Spinal Cord Stimulator Delivers Paresthesia-Based and Sub-Perception Pain Therapy
Boston Scientific just won FDA approval for the first spinal cord neurostimulator system to provide both paresthesia-based and sub-perception therapy at the same time. The WaveWriter system delivers electrical stimulation that the patient can feel (paresthesia) or a type that is not directly felt, but experienced through reduced pain. The patient can choose either or combine the […]
Stratasys Releases Line of Custom Built 3D Printed Anatomy Models
Stratasys, one of the big 3D printing companies, has announced the release of its new BioMimics line of 3D printed human anatomy models. The products are designed to be used in clinical training and to help design and test new medical devices. The company is first releasing bone and heart models, with vascular structures expected […]
High-Strength Artificial Cartilage Made from Kevlar
Researchers at the University of Michigan and Jiangnan University in China have developed a type of artificial cartilage using Kevlar, a synthetic fiber better-known for its use in bullet-proof vests, and polyvinyl alcohol (PVA), a material used in hydrogel cartilage replacements. The new hybrid material combines the strength and water content of natural cartilage, and […]
Claris Reflex Brings Monitored Rehab Following Total Knee Replacement to The Home
Claris Healthcare, a company with offices in Vancouver, Canada and Ferndale, Washington, is releasing its novel Claris Reflex knee rehab monitoring system. The product consists of a sensor attached to the leg, above and below the knee, that constantly measures the flexion and extension of a knee that underwent a surgical procedure, and a software […]