Medgadget

Myoguide EMG Amplifier/Stimulator from Intronix Tech

Tue, 17 Nov 2009 00:11:56 -0800

This week at Medica 2009 in Düsseldorf, a Canadian firm Intronix Technologies Corp is unveiling a new electrophysiological amplifier designed to identify where to place neuromodulator injections for muscle disorders, pain management, and cosmetic applications. The Myoguide is essentially a single-channel EMG amplifier with stimulator that sports a signal display with analysis and EMG audio, so a clinician can locate areas of hyperactive muscle fibers for treatment.

Published features of the product:

Ability to see and hear EMG signals, display real time analyzed EMG, and stimulation location capability. There are numerous advantages to embracing Myoguide for EMG guidance:
Conveniently integrated into one handheld package

Helps identify involved muscles i.e. pre-injection physiopathological evaluation, or pre-intervention evaluation. (Either by EMG or stimulation location)

pre-injection evaluation in cases where the site may be surrounded by essential nerves and blood vessels

pre-injection evaluation can lead to reduced drug dose and volume, thereby reducing the incidence of drug resistance, and limiting drug diffusion into adjacent areas.

Provides confirmation of treatment effects

Press release: ESTABLISHED CANADIAN COMPANY INTRODUCES HANDHELD NEEDLE-EMG GUIDED INJECTION SYSTEM... (.pdf)

Product page: Intronix Model 8008 Myoguide System ...

IdentEvent Seizure Detection Software Gets US OK

Fri, 06 Nov 2009 00:00:02 -0800

Optima Neuroscience (Alachua, FL) has announced that FDA has approved the company's software package that detect seizures from long-term EEG recordings. The development of the IdentEvent™ algorithm began at the University of Florida, and the software has now shown an exceptional sensitivity and specificity to detect seizure activity.

From the press release:

Optima’s IdentEvent 510(k) submission was supported by the pivotal clinical trial of its groundbreaking seizure detection technology... In a side by side comparison with the current market-leading product, Optima’s clinical performance drastically surpassed the competition by generating 85% less false detections (2 per day v. 13+ per day), while offering comparable sensitivity.
“IdentEvent’s ability to accurately identify seizures will make it the most clinically-useful EEG review software on the market.” reports Dr. J. Chris Sackellares, Chief Scientific Officer. “Our technology’s drastic reduction in false detections will allow the neurologist to focus only on the areas of a recording that are of clinical interest. Given the limited number of subspecialists trained to interpret EEGs, IdentEvent will allow for more efficient and cost-effective diagnosis and management of patients suffering from seizure disorders.”

Product page: IdentEvent ...

Press release: IdentEvent Receives FDA Marketing Clearance...

Interview with Philip Low About Roche and NeuroVigil Partnership

Thu, 29 Oct 2009 12:22:16 -0800

Yesterday Philip Low of NeuroVigil spoke at TEDMED and demonstrated the amazing iBrain technology his firm developed to monitor and interpret EEG signals. Today NeuroVigil announced a partnership with Roche that would provide the iBrain for use in outpatient clinical trials. We were lucky to be able to grab a few minutes of Philip's time immediately after the announcement to explain what this news means to our audience:

Press release: NeuroVigil and Roche Launch Personalized Neurodiagnostics Initiative for Enabling Preventive Treatment of CNS Disorders ...

GaitAid Augmented Reality System Might Help with Walking, Gait

Thu, 22 Oct 2009 00:22:58 -0800

Walking can be difficult for patients who have conditions that interrupt or diminish feedback from the somatosensory system. Timing of movement can, therefore, be severely impaired in people with Parkinson's, cerebral palsy, and multiple sclerosis. An Israeli scientist used his knowledge from the research in helicopter navigation software to develop a system that provides audio and visual feedback cues that seem to help in improving gait and walking.

Here's Professor Yoram Baram from Technion University talking about the GaitAid:

Product page: GaitAid...

Press release: New Device for Parkinson's Disease Improves Walking and Quality of Life...

(hat tip: Technology Review)

Image Recognition Technology to Expand Abilities of Microsoft's Digital Camera Device

Wed, 21 Oct 2009 00:55:48 -0800

Microsoft has partnered with Oxford Metrics Group (Oxford, UK), a company specializing in computer vision applications, to further develop Microsoft's ViconRevue (formerly SenseCam) digital camera-like gadget. The device continuously snaps a picture every 30 seconds, hence it might be worn around the neck by patients with memory problems (i.e. Alzheimer's, s/p hypoxic/ischemic encephalopathy). The device is thought to help people refresh themselves on the activities of the past day. With Oxford Metrics Group's software built-in, the ViconRevue should be able to perform some pretty nifty tricks by recognizing objects and faces in its field of view.

Press release: IP LICENSE AGREEMENT WITH MICROSOFT...

Flashback: Digital Cameras for Dementia Patients

Neuropace Implantable Epilepsy Device Showing Positive Signs in Initial Clinical Study

Thu, 24 Sep 2009 00:30:24 -0800

A clinical trial is underway for a neurostimulator implant that monitors brain activity and then sends an electrical jolt designed to prevent an epileptic seizure. Neuropace has developed the RNS system in Silicon Valley, and is undergoing clinical trials with more than 200 patients across the US. It is being reported preliminarily that RNS implant is effective in treating seizures through the mechanism of responsive stimulation. In this protocol regions of the brain demonstrate erratic electrical signals before a seizure. Through counter electrical stimulation, the seizure can be prevented or minimized.

The RNS is placed under the skull and the electrodes are connected to relevant regions in the brain in order to provide stimulation. The device is controlled wirelessly through an adapter on a laptop which allows a clinician to view the patient's electrocorticographic (ECoG) activity in real-time and the ability to upload the patient's ECoGs that have been stored in the RNS neurostimulator.

The purported design advantage with the RNS system versus other anti-epileptic systems currently employed is that the RNS system does not constantly electrically stimulate the brain, but rather monitors specific regions in the brain for an uptick in electrical activity and only shocks when there is indication of an upcoming seizure. This means the RNS is monitoring more and shocking less.

Singularity Hub : Implant that Shocks Brain to Treat Epilepsy in Clinical Trials...

Company Profile : NeuroPace...

Flashbacks : NeuroPace: Maybe First Since Jesus to Prevent and Treat Epilepsy; Neural Modeling Aims to Explain Seizures

Brio DBS System Wins EU OK for Parkinson's; First Person Implanted with the Device

Wed, 09 Sep 2009 09:18:41 -0800

St. Jude Medical has received European approval to market the world's smallest implantable deep brain stimulator to help control the symptoms of Parkinson's disease. The Brio device weighs 29 grams (~1 ounce) and has a 10 millimeter profile. The battery is rated to last for up to 10 years with recharges, so the first patient, a 67 year old German man, recently implanted with the device won't need a replacement for up to a decade, maybe until 2019.

From the announcement:

The Brio DBS system delivers mild electrical pulses to specific targets in the brain, stimulating the structures that are involved in motor control. The system consists of a neurostimulator – a surgically implanted battery-operated device that generates the electrical pulses – and leads which carry the pulses to the brain to influence the irregular nerve signals responsible for the symptoms of Parkinson’s disease.

In addition to its small size, the Brio neurostimulator has the longest battery life of any rechargeable DBS device currently on the market with a 10-year battery longevity approval. For patients this means the device should provide sustainable therapy and maintain a reasonable recharge interval for at least 10 years of use at high settings. The device’s battery longevity may also maximize the time between device replacement procedures.

The Brio neurostimulator also features:

Constant current circuitry that automatically adjusts to deliver consistent therapy over time.

A dual header that accommodates two leads, allowing for bilateral stimulation from one device.

High power capability, making it an appropriate choice for patients who require high energy settings to control their symptoms.

A rechargeable battery that can be easily charged through a portable, wireless charging system, allowing patients the freedom to recharge comfortably while doing other activities.

Additionally, St. Jude Medical has recently received CE Mark approval for the Guardian™ Burr Hole Cover System, a DBS system component that allows physicians to efficiently secure the electrical leads. The Guardian System is compatible with all St. Jude Medical DBS leads.

Press release: St. Jude Medical Receives CE Mark Approval for World's Smallest, Longest-Lasting Rechargeable Deep Brain Stimulator for Parkinson's Disease...

Sleep Monitoring System to Take Home

Wed, 09 Sep 2009 00:00:02 -0800

European research center IMEC has developed a sleep staging system that can record EEG signals in the comfort of one's home. The prototype device has already been successfully tested at the University Hospital Center (CHU) in Charleroi, André Vésale Hospital (Belgium).

The system consists of a head band with three sensor nodes measuring 2 EEG-channels (electroencephalogram) to monitor the brain activity, 2 EOG-channels (electro-oculogram) to monitor the eye activity and 1 EMG-channel (electromyogram) to monitor the chin muscle activity. These 5 signals provide the required information for sleep staging according to the Rechtschaffen and Kales standard. The sensor nodes integrate IMEC's proprietary ultra-low power biopotential read-out ASIC (application-specific integrated circuit) to amplify and filter the 5 different ExG signals. The measured ExG signals are wirelessly transmitted to the recording computer. No additional wires from the head to the body or from the head to the recording device are needed, making the system comfortable to wear. The system is optimized for low power resulting in 12 hours autonomy.
The system has been validated in a controlled clinical environment and benchmarked with state-of-the-art ambulatory monitoring equipment. 12 healthy volunteers were enrolled in the study, and were monitored for a complete night using the wireless and the reference systems set-up in parallel. At the end of the study, the signals were given to a sleep expert for blind scoring, leading to two hypnograms for each subject. From the hypnograms, sleep statistics such as percentage of sleep time in each stage were deducted, and compared for the two systems. Hypnograms were also compared directly for similarity. The analysis proved the potential of wireless sleep staging systems to replace the current monitoring systems.

Press release: Wireless sensor systems enable a better sleep...

System Helps Parkinson's Patients Adjust Talking Volume

Thu, 27 Aug 2009 00:00:08 -0800

A large percentage of patients with Parkinson's speak quieter and less clearly as the disease cycle progresses. Typically, speech therapy has been used to overcome this change by teaching people to remember to speak louder. Now researchers at Purdue University have created a device that uses our natural reflex to bring up the speaking volume in noisy environments in an attempt to help Parkinson's sufferers to adjust to everyday settings. Essentially, the system consists of an accelerometer, placed on the neck, that detects when the person is talking and an unobtrusive ear piece that then plays a sound similar to a restaurant full of people (minus the sound of forks, knives, and plates). Since this technology uses the unconscious response to a loud environment, it does not require an active involvement by the patient.

Six patients wore the portable system for eight weeks. Data collected showed the system effectively prompts Parkinson's patients to speak louder and more clearly.
"Their speech changes significantly," said Huber, who is working with Meghan Darling, a doctoral student in Speech, Language and Hearing Sciences. "There have been times where I have called patients and they've had the device on and I didn't really recognize them. And these are patients I've known for a long time. This is beneficial also because it trains them in their everyday environment - in their homes, with their spouses, in their churches, in their social groups."

Huber determined the system works by measuring how much louder patients talked while on the device and without the device after eight weeks of training.

The researchers also are interested in examining the physiological changes elicited by the device. Patients wear a mask and sensors in elastic bands placed around the rib cage to precisely recording respiratory, laryngeal and articulatory data.

"We know the lung volume, and we know the pressure and the airflow they generate during speech, which tells us not only whether they are talking louder but how they are talking louder," Huber said. "For example, maybe they are using solely the respiratory system to get louder, or maybe it's all about the larynx."

The researchers also will test how well the system works by having people who are not speech pathologists listen to the patients pronouncing words that could be easily confused with other words.

Press release: New technology helps Parkinson's patients speak louder ...

Zelrix, A Migraine Patch, Is Moving Forward

Fri, 14 Aug 2009 12:30:17 -0800

Pharmaceutical company NuPathe Inc. out of Conshohocken, PA has just announced positive results from Phase III clinical trial of Zelrix™, a novel transdermal patch in clinical development for the treatment of acute migraines. Zelrix relies on the company's proprietary iontophoretic transdermal technology, called SmartRelief™, to continuously deliver sumatriptan. The big idea behind Zelrix, "a thin, disposable, single-use device in a self-contained system," is to give migraine sufferers a new therapeutic option with a proven medication, so they can stick on a patch and get medication fast and consistently, regardless of nausea, vomiting, or other gastric symptoms associated with migraine.

To learn more about the technology and the product, follow these links:

Press release: NuPathe Reports Positive Phase III Results for Zelrix, a Novel Transdermal Patch For Acute Migraine...

Product page: Zelrix...

Technology page: NuPathe Drug Delivery Platforms...

White paper: NP101: A Novel Formulation of Sumatriptan Succinate Utilizing SmartRelief™ Transdermal Technology (.pdf)

(hat tip: The Medical Quack)