Medgadget.com -- Internet Journal of Emerging Medical Technologies

Wednesday, February 16, 2005

Freedom Patch(TM) Contraction Sensor

Any woman who has delivered a child in the hospital remembers wearing a belt with a big bulky monitor, with T1-size wires, that was listening to the baby's heart and measuring the strength of contractions. Well, in this turbulent new day and age, hopefully, we will forget about the belt and the bulky construction. The third product out of Vital Needs International that we would like to profile is the Freedom Patch(TM) Contraction Sensor:

Currently, during the child delivery process, contraction sensors are strapped to the mothers' abdomen using a belt. The sensor device is then wired to a base monitoring unit, severely limiting the woman's mobility. This design is uncomfortable to the mother and inconvenient to both the mother and the hospital nursing staff when the mother needs to get out of bed for any reason. Due to the inconveniences and discomfort, there exists a need for a wireless, beltless device to allow mobility for the mother and alleviate the burdens placed on the hospital nursing staff to complete these simple movements.
Wireless sensors which allow for needed mobility have already been developed, but current models still require an uncomfortable belt to hold the sensor in place. Additionally, the current available models are expensive.

By contrast, our beltless, wireless Freedom Patch is easy to wear, has a small built-in transmitter, is waterproof, adheres to the skin so it requires no belt, and fits in a disposable housing.

More at Vital Needs... (and, no, we were not paid by anybody to profile so many products from one company -- these products are too great to skip!)

Thursday, February 10, 2005

Eros Therapy

EROS Therapy device In an article at the RedNova News about female sexual health, we read about a device that neither we nor our doctors' wives knew anything about. And, yes (yes! yes! yes!), the device has been approved by the FDA.

From the company's website:

The Eros Therapy device is a small, handheld medical device that improves your sexual responses by increasing blood flow to the clitoris and external genitalia. It is lightweight, easy to use and available by a doctor's prescription only. The Eros Therapy device is used in the privacy of your home and should be used three to four times per week to achieve the maximum benefits the Eros offers. You may use the Eros Therapy device either prior to having intercourse or therapeutically without having intercourse. Think of Eros Therapy as a conditioning routine to restore blood flow to your clitoris and genitalia and to increase your overall sexual satisfaction.
Clinical studies have proven that Eros Therapy is safe and effective. There are no reported side effects when the Eros Therapy device is used as directed.

How does the Eros Therapy device work?

The soft CAREss cup is placed over the clitoris. When the Eros Therapy device is turned on a gentle vacuum is created, increasing blood flow to the genital area. This increase in blood flow results in:

-- Increased clitoral and genital sensitivity
-- Improved lubrication
-- Improved ability to achieve orgasm
-- Increased overall sexual satisfaction

More at EROS Therapy...

Wednesday, February 2, 2005

Bellybra

Bellybra
The Detroit News reports about the third-trimester helper:

Pregnant women carry lots of extra weight, putting pressure and stress on muscles and ligaments throughout the body. The BellyBra is a tank-toplike garment that gently supports the belly by pulling shoulders back and distributing weight.

Any plans for Beerbellybra? Hint, hint.

More at Bellybra website...

Monday, January 10, 2005

STAN S31: Monitoring a Fetal ST Segment

The Medical College of Georgia informs:

The same heightened electrical activity that indicates an adult taking a treadmill test isn't getting enough oxygen to his heart is now being measured during labor to see if it can better identify babies in serious distress who need immediate delivery. The Medical College of Georgia in Augusta is the lead site in the nation to help determine whether monitoring ST segment activity during labor reduces the number of babies born with hypoxic brain damage as well as unnecessary Caesarean sections. "The umbilical cord, the brain and the heart are the particular aspects of the fetus that have to be conserved almost at all costs to maintain life," says Dr. Lawrence D. Devoe, Brooks Professor and chair of the MCG Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology. "When you start seeing changes in the heart that suggest an oxygen deficit, such as elevations in the ST segment, that means your ability to handle an overall lack of oxygen has been exceeded and your defenses are beginning to crumble."

STAN S31 is manufactured by Neoventa Medical AB of Sweden. Some more details from Neoventa:

Fetal ECG is obtained via a scalp electrode. Changes in the T wave and the ST segment of the fetal ECG are automatically identified and analysed. An increase in T wave amplitude, in relation to QRS amplitude, corresponds to the utilisation of glycogen stores and thereby to myocardial anaerobic metabolism. Since anaerobic metabolism is the prime fetal defence against hypoxia, the T/QRS ratio provides direct information about the fetal situation.

Thursday, December 23, 2004

Robotic Surgery for Female Infertility

$1,400,000

CBS MarketWatch publishes "Five big medical advances of 2004". In their humble opinion, one of the biggest developments of 2004 is a robotic surgical treatment of female infertility:

Women suffering from infertility who need surgery to correct the major causes such as fibroids, endometriosis and congenital abnormalities are beginning to see the benefits of the next step in minimally invasive surgery -- robotics, said Dr. Camran Nezhat, president of the Society of Laparoendoscopic Surgeons and a clinical professor at Stanford University.
The robots "have specific characteristics that empower the surgeon to do a better job," Nezhat said. "Robots give you an excellent three-dimensional view."

They also help in suturing and controlling tremor, he said. "No matter how steady you are, you have a certain degree of tremor. Robots eliminate all the tremor from your hands."

Robotics also has the potential to enable remote surgery so patients in rural regions could benefit from medical expertise concentrated in urban areas, he said. A patient in a small town in Alaska, for example, could have an assistant put instruments in his abdomen while a trained doctor like Nezhat performed the procedure from afar. "I would look at the images and do the surgery."

Insurance companies cover the procedures, but hospitals are hard-pressed to afford too big a leap toward robotics since a machine can cost as much as $1.4 million, he said. "The cost is almost prohibitive."

It is not clear how this $1.4 million system will make its way to a small town in Alaska. Oh well. Fine print strikes again...

Details at Intuitive Surgical.

UPDATE (12/26/04):

The Kansas Star says that the "[v]erdict still out on cutting-edge robotics".

Saturday, December 11, 2004

iE33 by Philips

iE33 by Philips

A press release by Philips shows impressive credentials of the new system: Philips introduces first echocardiography system to generate 3D measurements of the heart in less than one minute.

Andover, Massachusetts, USA -- Royal Philips Electronics today announced the launch of a new generation of cardiac ultrasound equipment that uses high definition imaging to help physicians diagnose heart disease and on-cart data analysis tools that help make treatment decisions and monitor their success. The iE33 intelligent echocardiography system features extraordinary levels of 2D image quality, powerful 2D and 3D measurement of cardiac function and anatomy, Live 3D imaging of the beating heart, and user centered ergonomics. The iE33 system also offers a wide range of high-performance features including voice-activated control and automated image optimization technologies.
The iE33 is the first premium echocardiography system to feature fully integrated 2D and 3D cardiac quantification software for measurements such as left ventricle (LV) volume and ejection fraction, key indicators of heart health. Physicians can use the data acquired from these types of examinations to potentially determine treatment options and monitor the patient's progress.
Improved image quality for both 2D and Live 3D imaging is available using the iE33 system. The system's new line of transducers includes the S5-1 with PureWave crystal technology; the biggest breakthrough in transducer material in 40 years. PureWave is an entirely new class of piezoelectric material (the "crystal" that transmits and receives ultrasound) whose properties allow greater transmit efficiency than conventional transducers. The resulting 2D and color flow images display astonishingly crisp and clear anatomic and physiological details that help to enhance diagnostic confidence, even on the most technically challenging patients.
Philip's next generation xMATRIX transducer technology, the core of Live 3D Echo, is utilized in the new X3-1 transducer. Tuned for the greater adult population, this fully sampled matrix array transducer delivers true, real-time 3D volumes that allow physicians to examine the beating heart as if they were holding it in their hands. It also allows Live xPlane Imaging, which displays two simultaneous views of the heart from the same heartbeat. One image is a 2D baseline reference and the second image can be any of 180 different views within the 3D space.

iE33 home page is located here. To view videos of the new system, please go to this Philips page.

Vivid i

GE's Vivid i

GE describes its "visual stethoscope of the future":

Vivid i will enhance the efficiency and reach of physicians by offering the functionality and high performance of full-featured, larger-scale systems - but in a portable and wireless design that weighs 30 times less. The system makes it possible for patients to receive diagnostic exams anywhere, including bedside, as opposed being transported to an imaging lab in a hospital.
Vivid i's portability also makes it ideal for urgent care areas, including the operating room, critical care, and for mobile imaging services and outpatient clinics.
In addition, Vivid i features wireless capabilities, enabling physicians to transfer files instantly from the system to other physicians for consultation. As a result, physicians will be able to more quickly diagnose and treat patients and help ensure their patients are more informed and involved in their healthcare decisions.

GE has received clearance from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for Vivid i and plans to ship the 10-pound system in fall 2004.

No information about Vivid i is available at the present time on GE website.

Friday, December 10, 2004

Toshiba Aplio xV

From the press release by Toshiba America Medical Systems on the introduction of the Aplio xV:

The Aplio xV features next-generation tissue Doppler and contrast imaging technology based on Toshiba's Intelligent Component Architecture (ICA) to allow faster processing of more complex data, producing dramatically improved image quality and sensitivity.
Additionally, the Aplio xV features optional software packages for radiology and cardiology designed to meet the specific clinical requirements of each imaging market segment. The software package for radiology includes: trapezoid imaging, an extended field of view mode that produces a trapezoid image from a linear or sector transducer; a Differential THI option, Toshiba's patented technology option that provides increased resolution at depth to assess tumors, lesions, cysts and normal tissue with maximum penetration; a Quick Scan option for one-touch image optimization for greater productivity; and an ApliPure (TM) option for real-time spatial and frequency compounding. The cardiology package includes: a Tissue Doppler Imaging Quantification (TDIQ) option to perform various analyses of TDI images, including measuring myocardial viability; a Stress Echo imaging option; Quick Scan option; and Harmonic Imaging option.

I want this system at home. Period.

Thursday, December 9, 2004

Titan

Technology is continuing to move forward. A quick bedside diagnosis can now be performed using the Titan ultrasound system from SonoSite.

Some features of the Titan, as listed on the manufacturer's website:

- Full diagnostic capability. High quality imaging; color power Doppler (CPD); pulsed wave (PW) Doppler; Tissue Harmonic Imaging (THI); M-mode; SiteLink DICOM; on-board DICOM .
- Versatility of two systems in one. The TITAN system can be used in its Mobile Docking System (MDS) or as a mobile point-of-care solution using the mini-Dock.
- Rugged design. Durability that meets the demands of mobile applications including potential droppage and substantial wear and tear.
- Flexibility. Upgrade path for new capabilities, including Triple Transducer Connect (TTC) that allows for rapid application changes.
- Reliable, fast technology. State-of-the-art ASIC based system cold boots in seconds and offers highly consistent performance.
- Convenient industry standard flashcard storage. High capacity for on-board information storage.

Combine this with a 21.3-centimeter LCD screen, 3.5 kilograms of weight, 2 to 3 hours on a single battery run and 12 seconds "boot time", and you have a very powerful echo system. Also check out their clinical images page. Price tag? Just $40,000. Delivery date? June 2004.