Medgadget

Environmentally Friendly Syringe Minimizes Packaging to Save Resources

Thu, 11 Mar 2010 09:07:15 -0800

Cambridge Consultants, a product design and development firm, has created a new prefilled syringe that uses fewer resources to manufacture than many current models. Unsurprisingly, the green syringe was named Syreen, but its environmental credentials are only part of the features of the new device.

Instead of glass, Syreen syringes are made with COP (cyclic olefin polymer) plastic, which has enabled Cambridge Consultants to shed the need for secondary packaging altogether, a first in this medical device arena. The makeup of the Syreen allows syringes to clip together, nesting in a pack while the COP design doubles as the outer shell of the packaging itself. The Syreen therefore eliminates the need for wasteful fillers such as cardboard and styrofoam, reducing the packaging weight by 30 percent and volume by 50 percent from today's standard packaging.

To use Syreen, simply unclip the prefilled syringe and put it against the desired area on the skin. After delivery, with a simple snap, the user ejects the needle into the sharps bin and allowing the user to potentially recycle the plastic capsule. Patient and healthcare provider safety is also increased due to two further features of the design. Firstly, the COP plastic syringe features a curved surface over the needle that, while keeping the syringe from rolling and reducing needle-stick accidents, also ensures overall stability and depth control during injection. Secondly, the design insures that, with separated plunger and stopper, it is impossible to take in blood or other contaminants, reducing the risk of cross infection.

Press release: Novel syringe demonstrates cost benefits of sustainable product design...

MEDUMAT Easy CPR, an Emergency Ventilator with a Guiding Voice

Thu, 04 Mar 2010 12:49:43 -0800

German manufacturer Weinmann Geräte für Medizin GmbH + Co. KG, colloquially known as Weinmann, has created a portable voice-guided ventilator optimized for EMR and military personnel performing cardiopulmonary resuscitations in the field.

When you are carrying out life-saving measures, MEDUMAT Easy CPR operating in CPR mode supplies you with unmistakable spoken instructions and gives you the right timing of chest compressions with the help of its metronome. The ventilator also lets you manually generate a ventilated breath by activating MEDUtrigger on the mask. With the timing of the ventilated breath under your control, MEDUMAT Easy CPR can be integrated perfectly in the CPR process.

Top features of MEDUMAT Easy CPR:

voice prompts and metronome function for support of Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation

spoken instructions help with detection and resolution of problems

simple and safe selection of settings for controlled ventilation:
-- rotary dial for setting of tidal volume and respiratory frequency
-- switch for setting of ventilation pressure limits (20 mbar/45 mbar)

visual and acoustic alarms (LED, alarm signals and voice prompts)

illuminated ventilation pressure display is ideal for use in the dark

small and light and therefore suitable for use at scene of emergency

Product page: MEDUMAT Easy CPR...

Press release: MEDUMAT Easy CPR, an emergency ventilator with voice response for Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation, gives First Responders ideal support...

(hat tip: German Healthcare Export Group)

S-CUT Slices Through Clothes, Belts, Zippers for Quick Access to Patient

Mon, 01 Mar 2010 00:00:01 -0800

Ivor Kovic, our former editor and an ER doc in Croatia, has been very fond of a new clothes removal tool his ambulance service has been using in the last few months. Ivor says that the S-CUT is faster than any scissors and it can slice just about any normal clothing people wear on a daily basis.

From the product page:

S-CUT replaces scissors, knifes and similar tools. Ordinary fabrics as well as leather belts, zippers and heavy outerwear can be easily cut. All you need is a free edge of the clothes where you can start the cut.

S-CUT is designed for optimal ergonomics and provides an excellent grip. Using scissors in heavy materials will most often require a lot of effort. The S-CUT is used with a pulling action requiring minimal effort.

The circular cutting blade is recessed in order to protect the patient and user from injury. The cutting blade can be easily replaced without the need for any additional tools.

Model S-CUT 06-601 also has a slitting function. This extra feature eliminates the need for a free edge
to start the cut. Simply cut a slit into the material wherever you need it.

Product page: S-CUT ...

GE's Vscan, World's Smallest Portable Ultrasound, Now Available Worldwide

Tue, 16 Feb 2010 00:56:00 -0800

GE Healthcare is finally releasing the much awaited Vscan pocket sized ultrasound. Many in the industry hope that this device offers a chance for physicians to make a move from stethoscopes to portable imaging devices, bringing advanced visualization to any examination room. The unit weighs one pound and is only 3 inches (7.6 cm) wide and 5.3 inches (13.5 cm) long, offering both standard black and white imaging, as well as colored blood flow doppler. GE is touting Vscan's size and capabilities for cardiologists to transthoracically view myocardium, pericardium, and heart valves, and for primary care physicians, as well as OB, ER, and others, to scan the liver, kidney, aorta and peripheral vessels, babies in the womb, and anything else the transducer can penetrate.

Features from the product FAQ:

An online portal provides Vscan users with training tools for the product and basic clinical
applications with sections about imaging technique, anatomy and trouble shooting

Intuitive user interface that can be controlled using the thumb

Intelligent workflow enhancements

Battery charger station and battery life of one hour scanning - good for up to 30 patients based on
average of 2 minutes per scan

Voice annotation

USB docking station

Link to a PC for organization and export of data

Gateway software with services tools and remote diagnostics

Here's our video from a GE event introducing the Vscan:

Press release: GE Healthcare Introduces Vscan™ Pocket-sized Visualization Tool for Point-of-care Imaging

Product page: Vscan ...

Flashbacks: A Closer Look at GE's Vscan Pocket Ultrasound ; More Details About The New GE Vscan Ultrasound System; GE's New Ultra Small Ultrasound May Become as Ubiquitous as Stethoscope

In Emergency, S-SCORT S3 Delivers Scoop, Suction, Sump

Fri, 12 Feb 2010 13:36:24 -0800

When emergency strikes and patient's airway fills up with a massive amount of gastric content, the regular Yankauer suction tip just can't handle the job. So to overcome the limitations, veteran firefighter and paramedic Jeff Rehman developed S-SCORT S3, a new oropharyngeal evacuation tool. Marketed by SSCOR, Inc., Sun Valley, CA firm, the device is described as a "rigid yet flexible large bore suction tip with a concave 'scooping' surface which allows for removal of solids and other material that will not travel through a large bore suction tube."

To learn about the device check out the following video released by SSCOR:

Product page: S3...

Product brochure (.pdf)...

(hat tip: The Denver Post)

Toshiba's Viamo Ultrasound Now Available in US

Thu, 04 Feb 2010 09:57:45 -0800

Toshiba won FDA approval to market the Viamo portable ultrasound, a convertible touchscreen device that the company promises provides the same image quality as premium cart systems. The package comes with a wheeled pole that can carry the Viamo and additional transducers for easy exchange.

From the product page:

Sharing its core imaging engine and transducer technology with Aplio XG, Viamo offers high-end image quality also in situations where unlimited portability is required.

Its full range of high-performance imaging functions lets you visualize minute tissue details and vascular structures with precision for a faster, more accurate diagnosis. Advanced imaging functions such as Pulse Subtraction THI come standard with Viamo.

Viamo’s built-in touch screen allows for seamless workflow and an outstandingly comfortable and intuitive operation of the system. Viamo’s monitor can be rotated to enable free positioning of the screen. When fully turned and folded flat, Viamo can be operated in tablet mode solely via its touch screen. Individual key functions on Viamo’s console and touch screen are user programmable to suit your specific diagnostic requirements or personal preferences.

A whole range of workflow automation functions is available on Viamo. One-touch QuickScan for instance helps you achieve better imaging results in less time by automatically optimizing your imaging parameters. And Viamo’s innovative SonoSet™ function alows you to carry out examinations conveniently by simply executing freely programmable protocols step by step.

The battery-powered system is operational within just a few seconds when opened, making it instantaneously available also in critical situations.

Press release: TOSHIBA RECEIVES FDA CLEARANCE FOR VIAMO ULTRASOUND SYSTEM...

Product page: Viamo...

Product brochure...

UniTam for Intraosseous Administration of Tamiasyn

Mon, 01 Feb 2010 00:00:05 -0800

Here's an interesting new idea for an intraosseous Tamiasyn™ gun from designer Aimee Franco. VitalMedix, a Hudson, Wisconsin pharmaceutical startup has a drug candidate called Tamiasyn™, described as "biopharmaceutical that may potentially save thousands of lives annually by sustaining cellular function and protecting cells during and after hemorrhagic shock," which was initially developed at the University of Minnesota by researchers looking into biochemical pathways that animals use to survive stress (such as in deep-diving whales) and hibernation. Even though much of Tamiasyn technology is under wraps, we know the drug is probably based on biologically active ketones, such as β-hydroxybutyrate, thought to provide an organism with an energy boost at the time of hypoxemic or hypovolemic stress.

More at Yanko Design...

(Limited) Tamiasyn info from VitalMedix...

University of Minnesota: Discovery Could Save Thousands of Lives in Emergency Rooms and on Battlefield...

Duluth News Tribune: UMD scientists design blood-loss drug...

UPDATE: Over at FlightWeb forums, user "VMX", who claims to represent VitalMedix, offers more details about the drug...

Thermahelm Motorcycle Helmet Cools Head Upon Impact

Wed, 20 Jan 2010 00:04:15 -0800

A University of Edinburgh PhD student from the United Kingdom has created a motorcycle helmet that uses an endothermic chemical reaction to self-cool upon impact. The company, Termahelm, will soon offer the ability to either buy a helmet directly from them or retrofit your current helmet with the cooling technology.

The website is misleading on the benefit of this technology in that it points to a multitude of studies investigating systemic hypothermia in the treatment of traumatic brain injury (TBI) where the entire patient is cooled for an extended period of time. That's not what the helmet is doing and even if it were, whether or not this actually helps seems to still be an open question (see review). Also, the premise of the idea rests upon two assumptions: one, that prophylactic local hypothermia (icin' the noggin') leads to better severe head trauma outcomes. And two, that applying this therapy immediately, even before an ambulance arrives, has a clinical benefit.

That being said, it seems like a neat idea and leaves us with the obvious question: Can you activate it while riding on a hot summer day?

Product page: Thermahelm...

(hat tip: Gizmodo)

ZOLL Emergency Defibrillator With CO Monitoring Gets FDA OK

Tue, 05 Jan 2010 00:53:41 -0800

The FDA has granted ZOLL Medical regulatory clearance to market the firm's new E Series defib that features Masimo's carbon monoxide detection technology. The ability to diagnose CO poisoning by distinguishing oxyhemoglobin from carboxyhemoglobin, and detecting drop in oxyhemoglobin saturation, is particularly relevant for paramedics when responding to fires where victims and firefighters may have potentially become poisoned.

Now with integrated Masimo® CO-Oximetry® carbon monoxide measurement, the E Series allows rescuers to easily and accurately diagnose CO poisoning with the simple push of a button. Recognition is the key to immediate on-scene treatment. With early detection, treatment for CO poisoning can begin immediately, which significantly reduces immediate and long-term health risks for both firefighters and the civilians whom they serve.
ZOLL’s “Street Smart, Street Tough” E Series was designed by EMS professionals to meet the specific demands and extreme conditions that professional rescuers face every day. It features unique See-Thru CPR®, which filters out CPR artifact, allowing rescuers to see organized rhythms without interrupting chest compressions. Like all other ZOLL defibrillators, the E Series also provides Real CPR Help® which improves CPR quality by providing real-time feedback on the rate and depth of chest compressions. The E Series also offers wireless 12-lead transmission for improved STEMI (ST segment elevation myocardial infarction) management.

Press release: ZOLL RECEIVES FDA CLEARANCE TO MARKET E SERIES DEFIBRILLATORS WITH CARBON MONOXIDE MONITORING...

Zoll E Series Defibrillators...

Flashbacks: Easy Hemoglobin Monitoring Without Butterflies, Needles or Catheters ; Rad-57 Pulse CO-Oximetry™; ZOLL R Series Defibrillator with WiFi Given US Green Light; ZOLL R Series Defibrillator for Hospitals

Burnaid for Emergency Cooling of Burn Patients

Mon, 21 Dec 2009 00:23:48 -0800

Designer Frankie Ngan proposes an innovative new burn cooling pad that could be applied just about anywhere on the body. The Burnaid device would use electrical energy and the Peltier cooling effect to bring the unit quickly down to a temperature around 15°C.

Features of the design:

Temperature controlled cooling

Flexible – wrap around different areas of body

Autoclavable – for sterilization in high pressure steam at 134 degrees Celsius

Thin and lightweight – for greater flexibility and reduce the weight load on the wound

Re-usable – can be autoclaved and re-used

To comply with AS/ISO10993 and AS/NZS3200 standards

Materials used in this product are:

Aluminum Polyester Polythylene Foil – to act as insulators for Peltier cooler and artwork is able to be printed on the first layer

Polyamide film – a substrate with high thermal and electrical properties, used as a flexible printed circuit board which holds the Peltier cooler, Thingery MEC battery and circuitry

Polyethylene Shape retaining plastic – the ability to hold its shape after being flexed, to hold the device after being applied on the wound

Random Copolymer Polyproplene – film used in the water gel pack

Water Gel – to provide the patient with the cooling effect of water and soft cushioning

Xeroform Wound dressing – a non-aherant wound dressing to provide wound protection from physical damage and bacteria.