Tuesday, June 16, 2009
PK100 PowerKnee to Help Bad Legs Walk Again
Tibion Bionic Technologies out of Moffett Field, California 
has developed a powered knee orthosis to help people with all kinds of neuromuscular or joint disorders, such as status post lower extremity surgery, chronic weakness of leg muscles, osteoarthritis, or even strokes, to get off the crutches. The device is powered by an internal battery and controlled by an algorithm that aims to make the power assist automatic and unnoticeable to the patient. The Engineer Online is reporting that UCSF is currently testing the PK100 on a select group of patients:
The so-called Tibion PK100, or PowerKnee, is a robotic boot that inserts into the user's shoe and extends up to mid-thigh. It is equipped with multiple sensors and microprocessors that can detect the user's actions - such as making a transition from sitting to standing, or climbing stairs - and adjust its support accordingly.Jean Nelson, vice-president of marketing of Tibion, the maker of the PowerKnee, based at NASA Research Park in Moffett Field, said: 'Basically, the device determines what the patient is trying to do and then assists in that action. The computer's learning algorithm allows it to adapt after the first few steps.'
And here are additional details about the device taken from Tibion's product page:
Utilizing sensors throughout the device and in a shoe insert, Tibion’s PK100 detects the user’s actions, such as sitting/standing, walking and ascending/descending stairs. Microprocessors on the device analyze this information and transparently apply the force needed to augment the user’s actions. The result is appropriately applied external forces that supplement muscle strength during critical daily activities.Features of Tibion’s PK100:
• Non-invasive
• Portable
• Battery-operated
• Transparent activation
• Easily adjustable for multiple patients
• Customizable settings with stored profiles
Watch the PowerKnee in action:
Device brochure: Tibion PK100
(hat tip: The Engineer Online)
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Wednesday, June 10, 2009
Orthovita Brings Competition to Injectable Bone Cement Market
Polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA) plastic has been a standard cement substance used by orthopedic surgeons to inject into bone for repair of fractures or stabilization of impants. Now Orthovita, a company out of Malvern, Pennsylvania, has received FDA approval for a new substance that plans to give PMMA a run for its money. The CORTOSS bone augmentation material recently completed a clinical trial testing its effectiveness and safety for vertebral compression fractures, producing rather positive results.
CORTOSS Bone Augmentation Material is a blend of cross-linking resins and reinforcing fillers, which include the proprietary bioactive glass found in Orthovita's VITOSS™ Bioactive FOAM products. Unlike PMMA, CORTOSS does not contain a methylmethacrylate monomer. The composite has a constant, paste-like consistency when being injected and sets quickly to create a load bearing implant with the mechanical properties of human cortical bone. In the pivotal study, CORTOSS demonstrated flow and fill into the existing intra-vertebral anatomy rather than displacing it like PMMA, which may reduce the volume of material required for clinical success. Pre-clinical in vitro and in vivo studies show that, after implantation, a bioactive response occurs at the implant's surface which promotes the deposition of calcium phosphate, thereby strengthening the implant-bone interface. The unique flow characteristics of CORTOSS allow low-pressure, manual delivery through Orthovita's ALIQUOT™ Delivery System. CORTOSS' mix-on-demand preparation allows clinicians to stop material injection for an indeterminate amount of time, thus providing a high degree of procedural flexibility.In April 2009, Orthovita submitted the 2-year follow-up clinical data for patients enrolled in the company’s prospective, randomized, multi-center study comparing the efficacy of PMMA to CORTOSS. In this 256-patient pivotal trial conducted under an investigational device exemption, CORTOSS achieved its primary end-point of non-inferiority to the PMMA control at 24-months using a composite endpoint success rate reflecting improvement in the Visual Analogue Pain Scale (VAS) pain score, maintenance or improvement in Oswestry Disability Index (ODI) function assessment, maintenance of vertebral height and alignment, and no subsequent device-related surgical intervention at the index treatment level. In the pivotal study at 24 months:
• The composite endpoint success rate was 76.9% for patients treated with CORTOSS and 73.4% for PMMA patients.
• With an ODI success rate of 96.7%, the CORTOSS patient group experienced a statistically significant benefit in function success over the PMMA group, which had an ODI success rate of 88.4%.
Early patient outcomes were also assessed in the pivotal study at 3 months:
• The composite endpoint success rate was 82.8% for patients treated with CORTOSS and 73.7% for PMMA patients.
• With a VAS success rate of 86.6%, the CORTOSS patient group experienced a statistically significant benefit in pain success over the PMMA group, which had a VAS success rate of 75.0%.In addition to the statistically significant benefit in pain success at three months and function success at 24 months, the CORTOSS population experienced measurable benefits over the PMMA cohort in the following outcomes:
-A 43.4% reduction in subsequent, adjacent level fractures in CORTOSS patients treated for a primary fracture at one level, as measured at the end of the 24-month follow-up period.
-The CORTOSS patients required an average of 30% less material to achieve fracture fill.
Product page: Cortoss Bone Augmentation Material
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Tuesday, June 2, 2009
BRYAN Cervical Disc Gets FDA Approval
BRYAN® Cervical Disc, a product of Medtronic Sofamor Danek we first profiled back in 2007, has now been approved by the FDA. The implant, composed of a polyurethane and titanium discs designed to fit between adjacent vertebral bodies in the neck, is indicated "in skeletally mature patients for reconstruction of the disc from C3-C7 following single-level discectomy for intractable radiculopathy and/or myelopathy," according to the FDA.
From the FDA info page on the product:
How does it work? Once the diseased disc is removed, the BRYAN® Cervical Disc is placed in milled pockets in the adjacent vertebral bodies. The device consists of two main metal pieces separated by a polyurethane part.When is it used? The BRYAN® Cervical Disc is intended to be used to replace a cervical disc from C3-C7 following removal of the disc for intractable radiculopathy and/or myelopathy (conditions that result from a diseased or bulging disc). The patient should have failed at least 6 weeks of conservative therapy before receiving this device.
What will it accomplish? The device should help stabilize the operated spinal level. Unlike a fusion procedure, the BRYAN® Cervical Disc is designed to allow motion at the operated spinal level. The effects of the diseased disc removal should include pain relief and improved function.When should it not be used? The BRYAN® Cervical Disc should not be implanted in patients with the following conditions:
* Active systemic infection or infection at the operating site;
* Allergy to titanium, polyurethane, or ethylene oxide residues;
* Osteoporosis defined as a DEXA bone mineral density T-score equal to or worse than -2.5;
* Moderate to advanced spondylosis characterized by bridging osteophytes, marked reduction or absence of motion, or collapse of the intervertebral disc space of greater than 50% of its normal height;
* Marked cervical instability on radiographs (e.g., radiographic signs of subluxation greater than 3.5 mm or angulation of the disc space more than 11 degrees greater than adjacent segments);
* Significant cervical anatomical deformity or compromised vertebral bodies at the index level (e.g., ankylosing spondylitis, rheumatoid arthritis, or compromise due to current or past trauma);
* Significant kyphotic deformity or significant reversal of lordosis; or
* Symptoms necessitating surgical treatment at more than one cervical level.
FDA approval : BRYAN® Cervical Disc - P060023...; Approval Order (.pdf); Summary (.pdf); Labeling (.pdf)
Flashbacks : Medtronic's Bryan® Cervical Disc System; Medtronic's Cervical Discs Deliver Good News to the Company
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Siemens Introduces Cappa C-Nav System for Navigating the Body Without Radiation
At the upcoming Congress of the European Federation of National Associations of Orthopaedics and Traumatology (EFORT), to be held June 3 - 6, 2009 in Vienna, Siemens is planning to unveil a new navigation system for orthopedic and neurological surgeons called Cappa C-Nav. We think this technology can potentially improve outcomes and increase precision for a number of open and percutaneous procedures, such as spinal fusions and hip screws.
Siemens describes its technology:
For surgical interventions, physicians increasingly use modern navigation technologies comparable. With Cappa C-Nav, Siemens Healthcare offers an optical navigation system that is especially suitable for spinal as well as trauma surgery. The new navigation system enables surgeons to perform interventions with greater safety and precision. Additionally, the method also minimizes radiation exposure to the patient as well as the OR staff.
The development of new technologies is propelled forward by the increasing trend toward minimally-invasive operations. Siemens’ years of medical engineering expertise in the OR arena follows this trend and is now offering intra-operative imaging and optical navigation technology. Especially orthopedics and trauma surgeons will benefit from this innovative idea.Precision is a substantial pre-condition in the OR in general, but in particular in spinal and trauma surgery as well as in orthopedics. In spinal surgery for example the new method helps to accurately position pedicle screws in the spine; in orthopedics navigation technology is used to support online visualization during stabilization of degenerated bones. Prior to the operation, the surgeon creates a 3D X-ray data set of the region of interest. This data set is used like a map for orientation during surgical intervention. The surgeon navigates during the operation by using so-called optical tracking via a special stereo camera. The surgeon is able to use the navigation system easily and by himself via a sterile user interface. The surgeon’s instruments and patient’s body region of interest are provided with differently arranged small reflecting marker spheres. The camera continuously acquires the position of these spheres and informs the navigation system of their location. This enables the surgeon to proceed with even greater accuracy during the operation by virtually testing the length of the screws, for example. Also the ability to continuously check the progress and results of an operation may save patients the need for a second surgical intervention.
Cappa C-Nav is optimally tailored for the mobile C-arm Arcadis Orbic 3D and, if needed, can be retrofitted for these systems.
Press release: The optical navigation system Cappa C-Nav facilitates minimally-invasive surgical procedures... (.pdf)
Flashbacks: iGuide CAPPA Knows Where the Tip of the Needle Is
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Monday, June 1, 2009
New Total Ankle Replacement Receives FDA Approval
The Food and Drug Administration has announced approval of the Scandinavian Total Ankle Replacement (STAR) system from Small Bone Innovations, Inc. This implantable total ankle replacement system is intended for use in patients where there is severe arthritis or other deformities that hinder the range of motion of the joint.
Small Bone Innovations claims that this design of the STAR system is the first of its kind because it relies on movable bearings that glide across the surface of polyethylene. The advantage is that this still affords some joint movement as opposed to traditional fusion surgeries that join the tibia to the talus bone for additional strength but severely limit motion.
“This device offers another treatment alternative to fusion surgery, and more closely imitates the function of a natural ankle,” said Daniel G. Schultz, M.D., director of the FDA’s Center for Devices and Radiological Health. “For the first time in the United States, a patient may retain some ankle mobility with this non-constrained, mobile-bearing device.”
Press release : FDA Approves New Total Ankle Replacement System
Company profile : Small Bone Innovations, Inc.
Flashback : Non-Metal Ankle Replacement Available at UCSD
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Friday, May 22, 2009
First Pyrocarbon Shoulder Arthroplasty Performed in Human
Tornier Inc. (Edina, MN) has just announced that the first implant of a shoulder arthroplasty comprised of pyrocarbon occured in France. This is not the first time we have covered the use of pyrocarbon, or pyrolytic carbon as it is commonly referred to, in medical devices, but it is a new application.
Pyrocarbon, developed as nuclear fuel cladding by General Atomics, has a structure similar to graphite, but with slightly different atomic bonding such that it gives it better durability in comparison to graphite. It has the advantage as an implantable biomaterial because it does not provoke blood clotting and can easily be made into geometries that mimic the natural elements that are being replacing. In terms of support and wear, the advantage of pyrocarbon is the elastic modulus, or its ability to deform when force is applied. Too hard, like in the case of ceramics, and this will cause an undue stress load on the natural bone, which can lead to premature aging and fracturing. Too soft, like in the case of polyethylene, and this can lead to deformation of the implant, excessive wear, the need for multiple replacements, and inflammation if wear particle break off from the implant. Pyrocarbon has an elastic modulus within the same region as that of bone which provides for a more natural fit. This is illustrated in the following force load diagram.
Tornier has a ten year history of pyrocarbon carpometacarpal implants for the base of the thumb, various interpositional implants for the wrist, and radial head implants for the elbow. The arthroplasty shoulder implant is a natural progression of pyrocarbon's orthopedic device development.
Press release: Tornier Announces First Human Implant of Pyrocarbon Shoulder Arthroplasty Prosthesis...
Company site: Tournier
Flashback: Pyrolytic Carbon: Now and Then...
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Thursday, May 14, 2009
Digital Subtraction Angiography on a Single Image
Analyzing angiography sequences typically requires viewing a series of black and white images and noticing the differences the contrast medium created as it passed through the obstructions in the vessels. To help with visualization and to improve diagnosis, Siemens is releasing a new digital subtraction angiography (DSA) software, the syngo iFlow, that automates the process to produce a color image highlighting the path of the contrast medium.
From a Siemens press statement:
The syngo iFlow application, for example, can be used to enhance pre-procedural and post-procedural imaging of patients under treatment for leg stenosis. Flow deviations and the increased utilization of collaterals can more easily be detected prior to intervention, since anomalies more readily attract the physician's attention due to their specific colors. Following the intervention, the success of a balloon dilatation or stent implantation of a stenosis is readily visible due to the improved flow.In order to obtain a color image, syngo iFlow takes the time to maximum opacification of each individual pixel, starting with the injection and subsequently visualizing the distribution of the contrast medium through the vessels. These time measurements are then represented by a color allowing visualization of the complete vessel tree in one image.
Press release: Siemens sets a new standard in subtraction angiography
Product brochure: syngo iFlow (PDF)
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Wednesday, May 13, 2009
BrainLab's Digital Lightbox Getting an Upgrade
BrainLab AG is planning on releasing an updated version of its Digital Lightbox multitouch clinical display. Still reminding us of a giant iPhone, the unit interfaces with EMRs to display and manipulate clinical images easily and intuitively, essentially making the keyboard or any other interface device unnecessary.
Here's what the company tells Medgadget about the new features in the latest release of the Digital Lightbox scheduled for this summer:
The new Video-input feature allows the integration of data on the Digital Lightbox, when it is located in the OR, from sources like micro-, endo- and arthroscopes; and video signals can be streamed from the OR and displayed on the Digital Lightbox when it is positioned in surgeons' offices or meeting rooms. This feature extends the range of application into new medical subspecialties, strengthening the value of Digital Lightbox as a core multi-disciplinary platform for hospital information networks.When version 1.0 came to the market, a number of customers wanted the Digital Lightbox in rooms dedicated for teaching, patient education, tumor boards and internal meetings. The new External Display-out feature makes it possible to connect the Digital Lightbox to one or more additional displays or projectors, in or outside the room. This makes it more versatile for use in situations when large groups of medical experts come together and the even the 30" display of the Digital Lightbox isn't big enough.
Digital Lightbox also serves as the viewing display and remote control for VectorVision flex, combining an image-guided surgery platform with large-scale viewing, and fast data access and manipulation.
Here's a company video demonstrating the system:
Product page: Digital Lightbox
Flashback: Digital Lightbox Brings Minority Report to The OR (No Precognition Capabilities)
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Friday, May 8, 2009
Occipitocervical Fusion Module from Medtronic
Medtronic has announced the US launch of the VERTEX SELECT Reconstruction System Occipitocervical Module. The system, which includes implants and tools, is designed for posterior fusions that require the skull to be stabilized to the neck.
More from Medtronic:
Conditions of the spine, such as degenerative disease, can lead to instability and pain for patients. To treat the instability, surgeons perform a spinal fusion, which involves joining two bones together, such as the occiput and vertebrae. Nearly 40,000 posterior cervical fusions are performed each year, of which approximately 10 percent involve occipitocervical fusions.Used with the existing VERTEX® Reconstruction System, the VERTEX SELECT Occipitocervical Module offers adjustability through multiple plate designs, rods, screws, and hooks that gives surgeons more options during surgery, enabling them to tailor the procedure to each patient’s needs. Additional enhancements to the VERTEX SELECT Reconstruction System will be released in the near future to further expand the system.
Press release: Medtronic Introduces the VERTEX SELECT™ Reconstruction System Occipitocervical Module ...
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Tuesday, May 5, 2009
PEEK PREVAIL Cervical Interbody Device for Spinal Fusions
Medtronic has released a new device that promises to make cervical spine fusions less problematic. The PEEK PREVAIL eliminates the need to implant a metal stabilization plate that protects the graft and uses only two screws as anchors.
More about PEEK PREVAIL from the press release:
Biomechanical data suggest that the PEEK PREVAIL Device, with two integrated bone screws, provides construct rigidity similar to that obtained by the traditional fixation techniques of a threaded cage or plating.Made of polyetheretherketone (PEEK), the new implant is invisible on x-rays, which allows the surgeon to view the spinal fusion during a follow-up visit. Featuring an “I-beam” shape with a two-screw configuration, the device incorporates a Nitinol wire locking mechanism to keep the screws securely in place.
“The specific advantages of the PEEK PREVAIL Cervical Interbody Device over other techniques—such as zero profile and device design—makes this an exciting option for today’s spinal surgeon,” said Dr. Richard A. Hynes, president and medical director of the B.A.C.K. Center in Melbourne, Florida.
The PEEK PREVAIL Cervical Interbody Device is indicated for use in patients with cervical disc disease from the C2-C3 disc to the C7-T1 disc. Cervical disc disease is defined as intractable radiculopathy (radiating pain) and/or myelopathy (weakness) with herniated disc and/or osteophyte formation on posterior vertebral end plates producing symptomatic nerve root and/or spinal cord compression.The PEEK PREVAIL Device is to be used with autograft and implanted via an open, anterior approach. This cervical device is to be used in patients who have had six weeks of nonoperative treatment.
Press release: Medtronic Introduces the PEEK PREVAIL™ Device for Neck Surgery ...
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Arthro Sim insightArthroVR Gets Upgrade
SensAble Technologies, Inc., the company that provides devices and toolkits used in medical simulators, is reporting that it has, together with Spanish firm GMV, developed "an expanded set of touch-enabled features in a major new version of insightArthroVR® arthroscopic knee and shoulder surgery simulator." The sim is now being showcased at the ongoing Arthroscopy Association of North America (AANA) annual meeting in San Diego.
More about the device:
insightArthroVR teaches surgeons the essential skills of triangulation, camera orientation, and hand-eye coordination for shoulder and/or knee arthroscopy. The system uses two PHANTOM Omni® haptic devices from SensAble that allows the user to mimic surgical procedures using such tools as a probe and a burr. While surgeons follow GMV’s training modules on a computer screen, the haptic devices they hold literally “push back” on their hands as they perform virtual surgery on physical 3D knee and shoulder models. In addition, the system generates realistic sounds and can assess skills.
GMV’s team used SensAble's OpenHaptics® software toolkit to develop the learning modules, and specify appropriate material properties and levels of force feedback -- so that the student experiences the precise feeling of bone, cartilage, labrum, ligaments and tendons as they proceed through training exercises.
With insightArthroVR, surgical residents can better learn to identify knee and shoulder conditions at zero risk to the patient – and without the need for cadavers, which are costly or unavailable in some countries. Residents can train to perfection as they learn to distinguish the feeling of rough, damaged tissue compared to the smoothness of healthy tissue. They gain unlimited practice opportunities, with skill levels recorded for instructor review.
New features in the latest version of the insightArthroVR simulator expand the pathologic scenarios, training exercises and performance indicators in fundamental surgical procedures. For example, in the new version, surgical residents now can practice more steps in determining shoulder instability, or completing knee meniscetomies. The new version also adds more virtual instruments that the user can access during practice scenarios, including a tissue manipulator, basket grasper and anchors. All insightArthroVR instruments are touch-enabled so that the surgical resident can master their use under realistic scenarios.
Press release: GMV's Latest Arthroscopic Surgical Simulator Incorporates New "Virtual Touch" Scenarios Using SensAble's Haptics...
Product page: insightArthroVR...
Flashback: Force Feedback Haptic Technology Used in Surgical Drilling Simulator
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Monday, May 4, 2009
Magnus Operating Table from Maquet
MAQUET has just unveiled improvements to its Magnus operating table, a system that can position the patient into virtually any surgical position, and at the same time accommodate patients weighing up to 250 kilograms.
From the press release:
An optimum exposure area is achieved in combination with gravitational force and the operating table's extreme tilting and tipping functionality. The tilt angle of up to 80º and canting angle of up to 45º combined with the system's fully compatible modules open up virtually unlimited positioning possibilities. "This way a patient weighing up to 250 kilograms can be brought into any possible position. MAGNUS is thus fast approaching its vision of the "floating" patient," so Dr. Engel.This is of particular significance when it comes to minimally invasive surgery, as it is the table's extreme tilting and tipping function that makes surgical interventions even possible on an obese patient.
With its unique height adjustment range varying between 535 mm (21 Inch) and 1235 mm (49 Inch), the MAGNUS ensures ergonomic and thus relaxed working conditions even during longer operations. The benefits of individual settings are particularly evident during laparoscopic interventions: As the MAGNUS can be lowered further than any other table the surgeon can keep his elbows positioned comfortably at his side and is not forced to revert to a tiring position. The table's unique lowering functionality makes the commonly used step stool to decrease the distance to the surgical field a thing of the past. The larger abdomens of obese patients can be operated on the MAGNUS while maintaining a relaxed and comfortable posture. In contrast to laparoscopic operations, a high table position is required for hip replacement in the dorsal position. This way, the operation which may take up to 90 minutes can be performed in an upright position. If the table cannot be adjusted to the height required, the surgeon is forced to assume a bent over posture which generally results in tension and fatigue.
Besides its settings designed to cater to various indications, the MAGNUS can optimally adjust to the height of the surgeon. The advantage of this comes to the fore when putting the table in an international context: Whereas the height of the average male in Sweden is 181.5 cm (71,4 Inch), the average male in the Philippines is less than 164 cm (64,5 Inch).
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Thursday, April 30, 2009
Injectable Bone Graft for Minimally Invasive Spinal Surgery
DePuy, Inc., a subsidiary of Johnson & Johnson, announced the launch of an injectable bone graft replacement made specifically for minimally invasive spine surgery (MIS). The product, HEALOS Fx, is composed of the same mixture as an older product of DePuy, HEALOS, but instead of being sold in pre-sized strips, it is sold as a moldable, mixable, and injectable compound. The material is meant to be injected by cannula into hard to reach sites in order to provide a scaffolding for bone marrow formation and osteoprogenitor cell growth.
From the press release:
HEALOS Fx is a ready-to-use fibrous material that can be molded for open applications or injected via cannulas of differing lengths to reach difficult implantation sites in minimally invasive or small void surgical environments. The original form of HEALOS, which exists as pre-formed strips of varying sizes, has been available for more than seven years in the U.S. and has been used in more than 65,000 procedures nationwide.The new HEALOS Fx is a bone graft option for precise placement into difficult-to-reach surgical sites, particularly around pedicle screws and the interbody space, said Kornelis Poelstra, M.D., Ph.D., University of Maryland Shock Trauma, Baltimore. In addition, since the chemical composition of HEALOS and HEALOS Fx is identical, the compelling safety and performance records of the graft material have been well established."
HEALOS Fx, which has a cohesive consistency when saturated with the patient's bone marrow, provides both a continuous scaffold for bone formation and the osteoprogenitor cells needed to initiate new bone growth. The material is resorbed and remodeled into new bone as part of the healing process. HEALOS Fx was designed using proprietary DePuy Spine nanotechnology which promotes osteoprogenitor cell attachment and maturation. HEALOS Fx comes with a self-contained mixing and delivery device that allows for a smooth, simple mixing motion to create a uniform graft material in less than one minute.
Press Release: Depuy Spine Launches Healos® Fx Injectable Bone Graft Replacement - For Minimally Invasive Spine Procedures
Product Page: HELOS Fx
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Thursday, April 16, 2009
Move On, Ilizarov: A New Magnetic Stretching System May Lead to Safer Bone Lengthening
A new device developed by Helsinki University of Technology with the Orton Invalid Foundation in Finland may become a new tool to repair skeletal malformations using a new magnetically aided approach. Unlike traditional lengthening methods, like an externally mounted Ilizarov apparatus, the new system is based on a nail embedded in the bone and an external magnetic system that slowly pulls apart the two fragments of the nail to create a crevice that gets naturally filled in by bony tissue.
The device is based on bone marrow nailing, which is usually used in orthopaedics. A bone marrow nail is placed in the long bone of an artificially fractured limb and slowly extended. Through the bone's normal healing mechanisms, new bone grows in the fracture cleft and thus the bone lengthens."The nail does not contain electronics; rather its operation is based on achieving lengthening by the innovative use of a smart material that reacts to a magnetic field. The benefits of the technology are a high degree of reliability, controllability, cost-efficiency and patient friendliness", says researcher Antti Ritvanen [Helsinki University of Technology] in describing the technology developed by the group.
"Four times per day, the patient places his foot on an automatic home care device that produces a magnetic field, at which time a daily stretching of about one millimetre is divided into smaller steps. Lengthening can be carried out painlessly at home, even while lounging on the sofa, and only takes a few minutes of the day", continues researcher Juha Haaja.
More from The Engineer Online...
Helsinki University of Technology press statement: Smart Material Technology adapted to the repair of skeletal malformations succeeds in the Venture Cup ...
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Tuesday, April 14, 2009
Barricaid Anular Reconstruction Device Gets EU OK
The European Union has given CE Mark of approval to Intrinsic Therapeutics, a Woburn, Massachusetts firm, to market its Barricaid® ARD device. The prosthesis is designed to serve as a partial disc replacement to reconstruct the fibrous ring surrounding the edge of intervertebral discs.
To learn more about the device, head to this product page for Barricaid® that also features an animation demonstrating the implantation of the device.
Press release: Intrinsic Therapeutics Announces CE Mark for Barricaid Anular Prosthesis ...
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Latest Update on DoD, DARPA, and Dean Kamen's Prostheses
We have followed the Defense Department's investment in developing advanced prosthesis spurred by noted medical technology developer Dean Kamen. Over the weekend, CBS 60 Minutes, took us on a behind the scenes tour of Dean Kamen's company, DEKA, and the most recent advancements in prosthesis development.
Ling [Dr. Geoffrey Ling, an Army colonel and neurologist who's leading the Revolutionizing Prosthetics program] told Pelley [60 Minutes correspondent] it's a very large scale project. "It is very much like a Manhattan Project at that scope. It is over $100 million investment now. It involves well over 300 scientists, that is engineers, neuroscientists, psychologists.
The technology development is fascinating and ever improving, but clearly there is a ways to go to make this prosthetic cost effective and more functional for widespread implementation.
60 Minutes: The Pentagon Bionic Arm...
NOTE: Please join us in welcoming a new addition to Medgadget editorial board. Martin Neumann is a a post-doc in Nuclear, Plasma and Radiological Engineering at University of Illinois. In addition to holding a PhD in Nuclear Engineering, he is also a medical student, now finishing his second year. In between exams, upcoming USMLE, post-doc work, ets, he will be blogging to educate all of us. This is his first post.
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Monday, April 6, 2009
MORPHO Cooling Packs Stay Cold for Hours
Salitas, a company out of North Yorkshire, UK, has developed a pretty amazing material that can do wonders for heat management. Use a cold pack made from the material, and you'll get a temperature of 7°C to 12°C for up to four hours. Anyone who had to deal with cold packs, whether for injuries, for exercise, or as a postoperative compress, would bow to the benefits of the new product.
Features from the product page:
An optimum skin interface temperature in the range of 7-12°C can be maintained for around FOUR HOURS, as opposed to the 20 minutes or so associated with conventional gel packs. The unique patented internal matrix structure of MORPHO™ means that the cooling medium stays where it is needed and does not flow away under the influence of gravity. Used correctly, MORPHO™ can be applied directly to the skin without causing “freezer burn”. MORPHO™ can be shaped and sized according to the application and can be incorporated into textile products for specific local applications. The structure of MORPHO™ allows the individual to move while the product is applied.
Press release: Ground Breaking Ice Pack Improves Joint Mobility Among Osteoarthritis Patients And Helps Athletes Recover Faster
Product page: MORPHO™ Cryo-Matrix
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Friday, April 3, 2009
Demasq Offers Soft Tissue Analysis from X-rays
Researchers from the University of Cardiff have developed specialty software that analyzes standard digital X-rays and provides information on soft tissue that is normally not visualized. Without the expense of an MRI machine, the new technology describes the state of ligaments and cartilage imaged around bone tissue.
Demasq, a spinoff that is commercializing the technology, plans on releasing the first product, called Knee Imaging Software (KIS), that can provide guidance on the state of the tissue that is most likely to be diseased.
Press release: Early warning for arthritis
Product page: Knee Imaging Software...
(hat tip: The Engineer)
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Thursday, March 26, 2009
EU OK's IlluminOss Photodynamic Bone Stabilization System
A month ago we wrote about an innovative bone injection system that uses a light sensitive material to harden crevices it was injected into. This week IlluminOss, the East Providence, Rhode Island company that developed the Photodynamic Bone Stabilization System, has announced receiving the European CE mark for the technology. The system uses a balloon and catheter that is inserted into a bone cavity. The balloon is then filled with the specialty compound and activated to harden using light supplied through the catheter.
From the announcement:
With traditional methods of treating fractures, often a large incision has to be made; and plates and screws inserted to stabilize the fracture. There may be extensive soft tissue damage; the patient has limited or no mobility initially which may lead to temporary or permanent stiffness; and the patient may experience severe pain.The IlluminOss Photodynamic Bone Stabilization System requires just a small 4.5mm pathway into the bone to stabilize it. A small diameter balloon catheter and light fiber are inserted into the intramedullary canal of the bone. A photo sensitive, liquid monomer is then infused into the balloon. The monomer expands the balloon to fit the contours of the interior of the bone, aiding in the reduction of the fracture. Then the light source is activated, converting the liquid monomer into a hardened polymer within 90 seconds. The minimal skin incision is then closed.
Unlike other methods of fracture treatment, the IlluminOss Photodynamic Bone Stabilization System is designed to enable the patient to have immediate joint mobility post procedure without the need for immobilization. Due to the minimally invasive approach, soft tissue injury is virtually eliminated. Having immediate mobility minimizes the potential
for tendon adhesions and a tenolysis procedure to remove them.
Press release: IlluminOss™ Photodynamic Bone Stabilization System Receives CE Mark
Flashback: Light Used to Harden Injectable Bone Compound in First Clinical Case
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» Cardinal's Endura Scrubs for the Modern Clinician (March 19, 2009)
» Silk Material to Replace Cartilage in Ortho Surgeries (March 12, 2009)
» Genesis IPG Now for Chronic Angina (March 11, 2009)
» New Negative Pressure Wound Care Device from Smith & Nephew (February 25, 2009)
» MAKO Introduces RIO Robotic Arm for Orthopedic Surgeries (February 24, 2009)
» Light Used to Harden Injectable Bone Compound in First Clinical Case (February 20, 2009)
» New Bone Growth Peptide Developed (February 20, 2009)
» Spinal Implants with CleanFUZE Silver Ion Antibacterial Technology (February 17, 2009)
» New Bone Cement to Prevent Dangerous Battle Injury Infections (January 29, 2009)
» TrEndo Tracking System Helps Surgeons Practice, Evaluate Technique (January 20, 2009)
» Computers to Help with Hip Replacements (January 7, 2009)
» Amimon's High Definition Wireless Video Goes Clinical (January 5, 2009)
» Image Guided Spine Navigation Systems Improve Spine Surgeon's Screw Placement (December 15, 2008)
» SmartBolts Help Avoid Tightening Errors (December 5, 2008)
» Shaped Titanium Implants Help Bone Growth for Better Grip (December 4, 2008)
» TruSystem 7500: New OR Table from TRUMPF (November 21, 2008)
» Valeo Silicon Nitride Ceramic Spacers Get CE Mark (November 17, 2008)
» Mechanical Sensor Teams Up With Ultrasound for Bone Monitoring (November 12, 2008)
» Game Ready Hand Wrap for Rapid Rehab (November 10, 2008)
» New Knee Replacement System, Align 360, Gets FDA OK (October 30, 2008)
» PlasmaBlade Finds New Uses With New Attachments (October 29, 2008)
» OsDx Stratifies Old Hips Before They Break (October 28, 2008)
» Vertebral Crush Fractures...Balloons, Cement and More (October 17, 2008)
» Wellex Interspinous Process Medical Device Wins CE Mark (October 10, 2008)
» ChonDux Aids in Operative Cartilage Repair (October 6, 2008)
» Stuck in a Cast? MyoSpare Wants to Exercise Your Unused Muscles (September 30, 2008)
» Eon Mini, World's Smallest Spinal Cord Stimulator, Makes Clinical Debut (September 17, 2008)
» Digital Lightbox Brings Minority Report to The OR (No Precognition Capabilities) (August 19, 2008)
» Long Lasting Spinal Cord Neurostimulator from St. Jude Gains Approvals (August 13, 2008)
» Physio-L Lumbar Artificial Elastomeric Disc Gets EU OK (August 7, 2008)
» Personalized Bicompartmental Knee Implants from ConforMIS Go On Sale (August 5, 2008)
» Hydrogel as a Repair Device for Torn Cartilages (August 4, 2008)
» TriboFit Hip System Features Microelastohydrodynamic Lubrication (no more, no less!) (July 30, 2008)
» Force-feedback Offerings from Haption (July 28, 2008)
» PlasmaBlade System Gets FDA Go Ahead (July 24, 2008)
» SlimFuse Cervical Plate Goes On Sale (July 24, 2008)
» CombiCarrier II Wins Silver for Good Design (July 18, 2008)
» Metal Layering Technique Leads to Fine Tuned Implants (July 3, 2008)
» Non-Metal Ankle Replacement Available at UCSD (June 24, 2008)
» DARPA Wants Silly Putty for Serious Situations (June 18, 2008)
» LDR Receives 510(k) for Spinal Transforaminal Approach Implant (May 29, 2008)
» SpineAssist Gets New FDA Approval (May 28, 2008)
» The Third Install in the US of Aquilion ONE CT from Toshiba (May 21, 2008)
» Demand Is High for Brilliance iCT, a 256-Slice CT from Philips (May 19, 2008)
» Peak PlasmaBlade Wants to Be The New Bovie (May 7, 2008)
» Gore Receives EU's CE Mark for PRECLUDE Vessel Guard (May 7, 2008)
» Fluidhand: Prototype Prosthetic Device (April 29, 2008)
» OrthoSim, an Orthopedic Implant Simulator (April 25, 2008)
» World's Smallest Spinal Cord Stimulator Approved in US, Europe (April 14, 2008)
» Scientists Describe New Method for Modeling Strain (March 19, 2008)
» Spinal Non-fusion Technology from Raymedica (March 17, 2008)
» Canada OK's Oxiplex® Gel Adhesion Barrier for Spine Surgery (March 5, 2008)
» ActiveCare+SFT®: A Breath Synchronized DVT Prevention (March 3, 2008)
» iUni Resurfacing Knee Approved in US, Now Goes to Europe (February 26, 2008)
» Eon Promises Longer Lasting Neurostimulation (February 14, 2008)
» Technology Offers Glimpse of Early Osteoarthritis, DJD (February 12, 2008)
» Acrobot Surgical Robot Makes Students as Good as Surgeons (February 11, 2008)
» ReeTrakt Surgical Retractor (January 15, 2008)
» Biomechanical Analysis Interface from Organic Motion (January 8, 2008)
» Somatom Definition AS: The World's First Adaptive Computed Tomograph (December 6, 2007)
» AquilionONE CT from Toshiba Cleared by FDA (November 27, 2007)
» FusionOptic™ Technology from Leica (November 16, 2007)
» Non-Contact 3D Med Display (November 7, 2007)
» Magnetom Essenza Aims for the Lowe$t Common Denominator (October 24, 2007)
» Sony's Versatile HD Med Monitor (October 5, 2007)
» X-STOP® IPD® Procedure (September 28, 2007)
» Warm Ice for Gadgets in the (Polycrystalline) Diamond Age (September 19, 2007)
» Nano-dized Titanium Spurs Faster Bone Growth (September 19, 2007)
» Position Sensors to Minimize Spinal Cord Injuries (September 17, 2007)
» Signa HDe 1.5T MR Diagnostic Imaging System (August 22, 2007)
» S&N Hip Replacement Recall (August 16, 2007)
» Hip Pads vs Hip Fractures (August 9, 2007)
» Spine Wave Stands Tall (August 9, 2007)
» Probing Artificial Joints with Sound (August 3, 2007)
» The Acrobot® Surgical System Gets Infusion of Capital (August 1, 2007)
» PowerFoot One: Active Ankle-foot Prosthesis from MIT Unveiled (July 24, 2007)
» Medtronic's Cervical Discs Deliver Good News to the Company (July 18, 2007)
» 560 Series HD Camera from Smith & Nephew (June 21, 2007)
» Custom Fit Total Knee Replacement (June 5, 2007)
» Medtronic's Bryan® Cervical Disc System (May 25, 2007)
» The APOS System for Knee Osteoarthritis (May 7, 2007)
» StaXx® FX Structural Kyphoplasty System (April 18, 2007)
» World's First 'Spinal Transplant' Completed (March 26, 2007)
» Synthetic Scafold to Repair Damaged Knees (March 22, 2007)
» Pilot Study of Genesis® Neurostimulation System in Angina (February 28, 2007)
» Cormet™ Hip Resurfacing System (February 23, 2007)
» Integra Life Sciences Launches TenoGlide™ Tendon Protector (February 14, 2007)
» The Navitracker™ (February 8, 2007)
» Woven Cartilage (February 7, 2007)
» X-ray System to Show Moving Bones in 3-D (February 2, 2007)
» Birmingham Hip, or How to Sell Fresh Hips to Boomers (January 31, 2007)
» 3mensio™ Technology: Medical Visualization and Surgical Planning Software (January 26, 2007)
» 'Shape-memory' Polymers May Soon Aid Orthopedic Surgery (January 24, 2007)
» Take a Deep Breath: Adjustable Titanium Ribs Are Here (January 23, 2007)
» Seeing Cartilage, At Last (January 5, 2007)
» ActiveCare DVT®: Goes with Patient; Goes to Cleveland (December 27, 2006)
» SafeFlo® IVC Filter (December 18, 2006)
» Artificial Spinal Disc Shown Superior to Fusion (December 13, 2006)
» Dually Porous Glass Helps Damaged Bone Regenerate (December 7, 2006)
» UK Woman Has First 'Grow Your Own' Knee Transplant (November 28, 2006)
» Verté Seating Office Chair (November 22, 2006)
» Why Bone is Nearly Unbreakable (November 16, 2006)
» Wireless Sensors for Knee Replacements (November 9, 2006)
» In Australia, The Bones Grow You! (November 7, 2006)
» EN-TACT™: Emergency Noninvasive Tissue and Compartment Testing (October 26, 2006)
» "Nano" Hip Chip to Monitor Healing (October 23, 2006)
» OrthoGlide™ for Knees (October 16, 2006)
» MPH® Hemostatic Technology (October 3, 2006)
» PRESTIGE® Cervical Disc System (September 21, 2006)
» The AIC Hip Buffer™ (September 21, 2006)
» Portable Device to Monitor Tiny 'Earthquakes' of Stress Fractures (September 13, 2006)
» Custom-Built Body Parts: Little Shop of Horrors? (August 30, 2006)
» Live Surface, A Software for Surgeons (August 2, 2006)
» Spinal Fusion vs. Disc Replacement: To Fuse or Not to Fuse (August 2, 2006)
» The Only Bone Stimulator to Heal Fresh Fractures Faster (July 24, 2006)
» FDA Approves Clinical Trial for DIAM Spinal Stabilization System (July 11, 2006)
» O-arm™ Imaging System (July 10, 2006)
» Nanotech Surfaces for Ortho Implants (July 10, 2006)
» Technology to Directly Attach Artificial Limbs (July 5, 2006)
» Pyrolytic Carbon: Now and Then (May 22, 2006)
» The Gender Solutions™ High-Flex Knee (May 11, 2006)
» Eon™ Rechargeable Neurostimulation System (May 8, 2006)
» The SpineJet, A Water Scalpel (May 1, 2006)
» I-space Medical Imaging (April 25, 2006)
» Scan2Knit (April 19, 2006)
» Triathlon Total Knee Replacement Specifically for Women (March 17, 2006)
» Wireless C-Arms from Xograph (March 3, 2006)
» The Acrobot® Surgical System (February 9, 2006)
» FDA Approves Vidacare's First Pediatric Device (January 26, 2006)
» X-Ray Robot to Shadow Patient's Moves (January 25, 2006)
» Bidex: the Key to Vertebral Reconstruction (January 12, 2006)
» The Cyberhand (November 30, 2005)
» Fonar 360°™: A Room-Size MR Scanner (November 14, 2005)
» Predicting Fracture with Lasers (October 31, 2005)
» Electric Kenguru for the Disabled (October 13, 2005)
» First Human Implants of BioDisc™ (September 6, 2005)
» Chew on This: Mechanical Jaw Under Construction (August 5, 2005)
» Machines, software model helping to create better spinal implants (July 27, 2005)
» Fingernail Test for Osteoporosis (July 11, 2005)
» "Bionic Arm" Technology from the Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago (June 28, 2005)
» Robo-Legs (June 22, 2005)
» The SmartStep™ Gait System (June 21, 2005)
» SaluCartilage for Cartilage Defect Repair (June 2, 2005)
» Magnetic Targeting Device for IM Bone Implants (May 24, 2005)
» Shock Waves for Bone Growth (May 23, 2005)
» Mayo Clinic BC-10 MRI Coils (May 6, 2005)
» Adaptive Prosthetics (April 28, 2005)
» DARPA Encourages a Prosthetic Revolution (April 12, 2005)
» TraumaCad: a Surgical Planning by Orthocrat (April 4, 2005)
» Cervical-Stim® by Orthofix (March 28, 2005)
» The Scheker Prosthesis (March 22, 2005)
» TEM LX2 typeD (March 15, 2005)
» Cedara announces OrthoWorks and ImageSnap (February 21, 2005)
» 'Embracing the Artificial Limb' (February 18, 2005)
» SAM Pelvic Sling (February 4, 2005)
» Stratis ST ACL Reconstruction System (January 13, 2005)
» CyberLogic: Confronting Osteoporosis (January 6, 2005)
» Charite (December 24, 2004)
