Wednesday, May 7, 2008
Peak PlasmaBlade Wants to Be The New Bovie
PEAK Surgical, Inc. from Palo Alto, CA hates the bovie cutter/coagulator. The company cannot stand the 1920's technology behind the bovie, and how its thermal function destroys healthy patient tissue around the cut. What do we hate about the bovie? Well, you know: all those bovie induced burns and destroyed gloves that surgeons are regularly subjected to.
Long story short, PEAK Surgical wants its Peak PlasmaBlade, a cold cutter and coagulator, to be the bovie of the 21st century. The company is quite hopeful: a new study presented in a poster session at the ongoing American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists' (ACOG) 56th Annual Clinical Meeting in New Orleans showed that PEAK PlasmaBlade™ "cut freshly excised human abdominal tissue with little thermal tissue injury compared with traditional electrosurgery."
More about the technology:
Electrosurgery was invented in the beginning of the 20th century and became one of the most-often used surgical tools after William Bovie introduced his electrosurgery (radiofrequency) generator in 1926. Since then, electrosurgical cutting has been performed using continuous radiofrequency waveforms, which thermally vaporizes soft tissue via an electrical arc through air and Joule heating. This results in a cutting and coagulation action that leaves a wide zone of collateral thermal damage.By contrast, PEAK Surgical’s PULSAR Generator supplies pulsed waveforms that produce short plasma-mediated, highly controlled electrical discharges through extensively insulated electrodes on a handheld device -- the PEAK PlasmaBlade. Because the radiofrequency is provided in short pulses with low duty cycle (fraction of time the voltage is ON), and the PEAK PlasmaBlade is so highly insulated, heat diffusion and associated thermal damage to surrounding tissues is limited, resulting in greatly reduced collateral damage and extreme cutting precision.
PEAK Surgical’s technology including the pulsed plasma-mediated discharges and electrode insulation techniques were originally developed by Professor Daniel Palanker’s group at the Hansen Experimental Physics Laboratory and Department of Ophthalmology at Stanford University. They have been evaluated in ophthalmic applications, including human studies in retinal and cataract surgery – one of the most delicate, precise and difficult types of surgery, and in preclinical studies.
Check out the following product brochure distributed by PEAK Surgical:
Product page: Peak PlasmaBlade...
Press release: PEAK Surgical Announces Positive Results from Preclinical Study of PEAK PlasmaBlade™ for Obstetric and Gynecologic Surgery
Video demonstrating the device...
(1)
Wednesday, May 7, 2008
Gore Receives EU's CE Mark for PRECLUDE Vessel Guard
Gore & Associates has received EU's approval to market its PRECLUDE vessel guard, developed to provide protection for vasculature following anterior spinal surgery for degenerative disc disease, just in case if these surgical patients have to return for a revision procedure. Anterior vertebral re-explorations have inherently increased risks of damage to major abdominal vessels, such as the aorta, the vena cava, and the iliacs.
GORE PRECLUDE Vessel Guard enables vasculature management in patients having undergone anterior spinal surgery for degenerative disc disease, including artificial disc replacement (ADR), where scarring around the aorta, vena cava, and iliac vessels can complicate revising, repositioning, or removing a disc prosthesis. An ideal biomaterial for intimate vessel contact and protection, GORE PRECLUDE Vessel Guard is soft and conformable with excellent handling characteristics. The tight microstructured membrane is inserted between the prosthesis and the vessels during the primary surgery. In a revision surgery, the vessels can be identified, dissected from the device and mobilized. GORE PRECLUDE Vessel Guard has a three-layer construction with two outer layers consisting of a tight expanded polytetrafluoroethylene (ePTFE) microstructure preventing penetration by fibroblasts, thus minimizing vascular tissue attachment to the device, allowing safer anterior revision. GORE PRECLUDE Vessel Guard is also easy to use--an elastomeric inner layer minimizes impingement and provides the stiffness needed for accurate placement. The material may be trimmed and tailored without fraying.The U.S. Food & Drug Administration (FDA) cleared GORE PRECLUDE Vessel Guard indicated for vessel protection in August 2006.
Press release: Gore Receives CE Mark for GORE PRECLUDE® Vessel Guard
Video (Windows Media): 14-Month Revision Surgery with a GORE ePTFE Membrane
Product page...
(0)
Tuesday, April 29, 2008
Fluidhand: Prototype Prosthetic Device
Fluidhand (pictured above), a new prosthetic device currently developed as a prototype, is being tested at the Orthopedic University Hospital in Heidelberg. In addition to being softer and more natural than other conventional hand prosthetic devices, it allows the user to fully wrap around and grip objects while providing feedback to give the amputee a sense of the strength of the grip. An 18 year old patient at the hospital was the first person in the world to test and compare the 
Fluidhand to the i-LIMB (previously covered by Medgadget here, and pictured to the right) and a second patient is soon to be fitted with the new prosthesis.
Unlike its predecessors, the new hand can close around objects, even those with irregular surfaces. A large contact surface and soft, passive form elements greatly reduce the gripping power required to hold onto such an object. The hand also feels softer, more elastic, and more natural than conventional hard prosthetic devices.The flexible drives are located directly in the movable finger joints and operate on the biological principle of the spider leg - to flex the joints, elastic chambers are pumped up by miniature hydraulics. In this way, index finger, middle finger and thumb can be moved independently. The prosthetic hand gives the stump feedback, enabling the amputee to sense the strength of the grip
Press Release: A new prosthetic hand is being tested at the Orthopedic University Hospital in Heidelberg / Grip function almost like a natural hand
We'd like to welcome Rohit Joshi, a medical student at McMaster University in Canada, as an associate editor of Medgadget, this being his first post in the role.
(1)
Friday, April 25, 2008
OrthoSim, an Orthopedic Implant Simulator
An orthopedic computer simulator has been created by European scientists that may help implant surgeons to more precisely select implants for patients on an individual basis. The simulator takes inputs about the area of the patient that is to be worked on, as well as data about an implant, and provides an output of how the two will function together if the implantation occurs.
The OrthoSim platform is a system using computer software to create anatomical and implant simulations. The simulation models are based on the work of two leading European biomechanics research centres.“Our lumbar spinal region model is the result of over 20 years of research at the Laboratoire de Biomecanique of L’Ecole Nationale Superieure d’Arts et Metiers in Paris,” explains Lafuente [Dr. Ing. Ruben Lafuente, technical manager of the Spanish IT consulting firm Adapting S.L. and co-ordinator of the OrthoSim project --ed.]. “It was enhanced and complemented by a lumbar implant model provided by the Instituto de Biomecánica de Valencia in Spain.”
These models were combined to provide a reliable simulation of the interface between the artificial implant and the living tissue, providing surgeons with vital pre-op information.
“With this service, a surgeon or implant engineer can effectively call on the expertise of the best people in any field of orthopaedic surgery, where biomechanical simulation can offer new insights for patient care,” Lafuente says.
Even better, the tool can be used to study the suitability of new implant devices and can help pinpoint any problems with the design at an early stage.
“Implant designers get the opportunity to test their new designs initially without the need for actual implantations,” notes Lafuente. “It will mean better implant designs at an early stage, cutting costs and research time, as well as improving outcomes early on.”
OrthoSim implant design info page...
Press release: Simulating surgery to reduce implant complications
(hat tip: The Engineer Online)
(0)
Monday, April 14, 2008
World's Smallest Spinal Cord Stimulator Approved in US, Europe
St. Jude Medical just announced that the company's rechargeable, longest-lasting Eon Mini implantable neurostimulator has received approval from the FDA, as well as a CE Mark from the EU.
Even with its small size, the Eon Mini has the longest-lasting battery life of any rechargeable spinal cord stimulation (SCS) device in its class. It is the only small rechargeable neurostimulator to receive a 10-year battery longevity approval by the FDA. For patients this means the device should provide sustainable therapy and maintain a reasonable recharge interval for 10 years of use at high settings. The device’s battery longevity also may mean that patients require fewer battery replacement surgeries.
The Eon Mini also allows patients the freedom to comfortably recharge the device’s battery while taking a walk, cooking a meal or shopping because the charging system is fully portable. Additionally, Eon Mini has the greatest recommended implant depth of any small rechargeable SCS device, so the device can be placed more discreetly, potentially making it less noticeable.In addition, the Eon Mini device features the following:
Enhanced microchip and software (NeuroDynamix™) technology that continuously selects the most efficient power management mode, preserving the battery’s capacity to deliver therapy.
Constant current circuitry that automatically adjusts power output to deliver consistent therapy over time.
Advanced programming capability that allows physicians to treat up to eight pain areas simultaneously to address complex pain patterns.
A 16-contact header that is compatible with all St. Jude Medical SCS leads, giving physicians more control in designing the system for optimal pain relief.
Product page: The Eon Neurostimulation System...
(8)
Wednesday, March 19, 2008
Scientists Describe New Method for Modeling Strain
Investigators at the University of Wisconsin-Madison and Florida International University have developed a technique called Scan and Solve that can pinpoint areas of weakness on physical objects. This novel, noninvasive stress analysis technique, with a future potential for a variety of biomedical applications, is touted as a method that is "faster, simpler and easier" for modeling strain in both inanimate and human structures.
The National Science Foundation explains:
Vadim Shapiro of the University of Wisconsin-Madison, Igor Tsukanov of Florida International University and their colleagues will present their latest results from their Scan and Solve technique at the International Conference on Computational and Experimental Engineering and Sciences in Honolulu, Hawaii."This research is likely to result in a breakthrough technology for performing direct engineering analysis on physical artifacts in situ (in place)," said Shapiro, director of the Spatial Automation Laboratory at his university.
Scan and Solve takes 3-D sampled or scanned data of an object and calculates where points of weakness occur and how those points will be affected by forces acting on them, such as gravity in the case of David or activity in the case of a human bone.
"These calculations are simple and painless, allowing for the exploration of many potential solutions for fixes in areas where fractures might occur," said Shapiro.
3-D data sets are now commonplace, whether from medical analyses conducted in doctors' offices across the country or laser scans used to capture complex shapes like the Hatcher Triceratops skeleton at the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History.
Engineers can capture datasets for almost anything, even enormous structures, because the techniques can often be used to scan an object in place without the need to transport the object to a laboratory.
The breakthroughs developed by the researchers and their collaborators over the last decade builds upon the realization that the data provides, for any object, a detailed field map that can be represented as a weighted sum of various distances from a given point.
"Unlike existing analysis techniques that can be error prone and require models that take far longer to create, Scan and Solve compresses the entire analysis into a series of automated, efficient steps," says Michael Freytag, whose doctoral thesis details the Scan and Solve approach.
In their analysis of Michelangelo's David, the researchers were able to predict the stresses that the statue endures on a daily basis by using the Scan and Solve software with original shape data.
The analysis matched well with the statue's known crack damage, indicating that the method could help archivists by serving as a predictor for what areas of an ancient artifact may need to be bolstered to prevent damage, even if the statue has not yet shown fatigue.
The same approach could work for a bone or car part or any other heavily used component, potentially aiding engineers as they develop protections for those objects...
Now that digitized data are becoming commonplace, the researchers see Scan and Solve as a new way to bring the power of software-driven engineering tools such as computer-aided design to art, architecture, medicine and other systems that have not benefited from engineering analysis in the past.
"Combining Scan and Solve with medical imaging technology can set a new mark in personalized medicine, for example, by introducing stress analysis into orthopedic clinics and allowing personalized assessment of implant fit, positioning, bone quality and patient activity," concluded Tsukanov.
NSF: Tell Them Where it Hurts...
(0)
Monday, March 17, 2008
Spinal Non-fusion Technology from Raymedica
Raymedica, Inc., a Minneapolis-based developer and manufacturer of prosthetic disc nuclei aimed at preserving the motion of the spine, has been recognized by Frost & Sullivan at the 2008 Excellence in Medical Technologies & Life Sciences Awards. 
The company has developed two product platforms, called PDN-SOLO® and HydraFlex™, both thought to be designed for treatment of patients that "fall in gap of being under-treated by a discectomy but over-treated by more invasive spine surgery," according to Frost & Sullivan. The FDA has granted an approval for the company to perform a clinical evaluation of its HydraFlex Nucleus Arthroplasty System for the treatment of DDD.
Here's what Raymedica says about its HydraFlex device, that features the firm's proprietary hydrogel technology:
Nucleus Arthroplasty non-fusion technology goes beyond nucleus replacement and involves a comprehensive systematic approach to DDD. It is not only the implant that is important in Nucleus Arthroplasty motion preservation procedures, but the consideration of many factors including proper patient selection, indications, surgical technique/approach, and post-operative rehabilitation. Nucleus Arthroplasty motion preservation technology involves a complete spectrum of treatment. The systematic approach of Nucleus Arthroplasty motion preservation technology is better suited to providing predictable and successful outcomes than the device-only approach of nucleus replacement...Implanted via an Anterior lateral RetroPeritoneal Approach (ARPA), the HydraFlex device is designed to replace the diseased nucleus potentially providing pain relief and maintaining disc height. The HydraFlex device is designed with the Company’s same proprietary pre-formed contained hydrogel technology that has been implanted in over 4,000 patients over the past 10 years.
The HydraFlex Nucleus Arthroplasty System has distinct design features that provide a more anatomic contoured shaped device for greater fit and fill; a softer core with a larger footprint to potentially reduce the risk of subsidence; and faster hydration to allow faster stabilization in comparison to the Company’s pioneering PDN-SOLO® design. The HydraFlex NAS™ incorporates new co-functioning instrumentation that is designed to provide repeatable/reproducible intra-discal sizing with consistent placement of the device during implantation. The ARPA permits a more thorough consistent nucleus cleanout, the ability to repair the annular incision, and is a less destabilizing approach. This device and system approach is collectively designed to potentially improve clinical performance.
Product page: HydraFlex™ Nucleus Arthroplasty System™...
Nucleus Arthroplasty™ motion preservation technology...
(0)
Wednesday, March 5, 2008
Canada OK's Oxiplex® Gel Adhesion Barrier for Spine Surgery
FzioMed, Inc., out of San Luis Obispo, CA, is reporting that Health Canada has approved the company's Oxiplex® gel for use in lumbar spine surgery. The company's bioabsorbable gel is composed of biocompatible medical polymers, carboxymethylcellulose (CMC) and polyethylene oxide (PEO). Designated as a medical device, the gel is applied to roots of spinal nerves during lumbar laminectomy. 
It is touted to create a "temporary, protective barrier against the damaging effects of excessive fibrosis, inflammation and other irritants that can lead to recurrent postoperative pain." The company reports that its product has been successfully used in 49 countries (including the European Union) and in more than 100,000 surgeries.
Details about the technology:
Key characteristics of FzioMed's biomaterial science:Non-Animal and Non-Bacterial. FzioMed biomaterials contain no animal or bacterial by-products.
Biocompatible. Pre-clinical and clinical data have demonstrated the safety and biocompatibility of FzioMed biomaterials when used in a variety of surgical procedures. The polymers CMC and PEO have been used extensively for decades in the medical device and pharmaceutical industries. Over 90,000 spine surgery patients have been treated safely with our world-leading Oxiplex/SP Gel.
Bioabsorbable. FzioMed biomaterials are naturally absorbed by the body over time and cleared via normal processes. They do not need to be removed after application.
Tissue Adherent. FzioMed biomaterials can be formulated to adhere to tissues, so that they remain in place for a period of time for site-specific applications.
Versatile. FzioMed biomaterials can be formulated into a variety of bioabsorbable product types - gels, films, solutions, foams, sponges, and powders - with specific characteristics such as tissue adherence, elasticity, strength, viscosity and absorption. This allows us to tailor products for use in targeted medical applications.
Handling, Packaging & Storage. FzioMed products can be stored at room temperature and are provided sterile and ready to use. They require no mixing or assembly before use.
Press release: FzioMed's Oxiplex Gel for Spine Surgery Approved in Canada...
(0)
Monday, March 3, 2008
ActiveCare+SFT®: A Breath Synchronized DVT Prevention
ActiveCare+SFT® is a second generation DVT prevention device from Israeli company MCS Medical Compression Systems (DBN) Ltd., that features the firm's proprietary Synchronized Flow Technology (S.F.T.). The SFT synchronizes the device with the venous phasic flow of respiratory cycle for a supposedly better pumping of blood in lower extremities. The ActiveCare+SFT® been enrolled in the NIH-sponsored study that is evaluating the device's effectiveness against the enoxaparin low molecular weight heparin (LMWH) therapy in patients undergoing total hip arthroplasty (THA). At the upcoming annual meeting of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons, Dr. Clifford Colwell Jr from Scripps Clinic in La Jolla will present encouraging preliminary results from the study, that demonstrate the device "to be noninferior to enoxaparin in reducing VTED with decreased bleeding after THA." The device has not yet been cleared for marketing in Europe or in the US.
More about the technology:
Synchronized Flow Technology (S.F.T.®) is a technology that enables the detection and monitoring of the respiratory related venous phasic flow. Once detected the technology will trigger compression on the vein so that it will be in phase with the venous phasic flow.Since the venous phasic flow is at its peak when the common femoral vein is open and flow is not disturbed by a descending diaphragm (such as when inhaling) this technology enhances the Peak Venous Velocity (PVV) generated by the device, to levels much higher than the SCD Express, current market leader.
It is well known within the field that the main benefit and clinical attribute of any compression system is the transformation of the sluggish venous flow associated with operative time and the weeks that follow, to a high pulsatile flow. As the amount of blood that is circulating in the legs is determined by the cardiac output and cannot be changed by the use of mechanical systems not synchronized to cardiac rhythm, the only real contribution of mechanical systems is the change of a sluggish flow to a healthy high pulsatile flow.
S.F.T.® technology helps to achieve exactly that objective while still exercising gentle pressure on the leg that does not impair patient tolerance of the treatment and overall compliance. Previous devices needed to exert an intolerable impact on the patients’ leg in an effort to increase PVV through fast inflation of the sleeve, thus impairing the compliance factor that is crucial to the success of the treatment.
Product page: ActiveCare+SFT...
Abstract: Thrombosis Prevention in Total Hip Arthroplasty: CECT vs LMWH...
Flashbacks: ActiveCare DVT®: Goes with Patient; Goes to Cleveland
(0)
Tuesday, February 26, 2008
iUni Resurfacing Knee Approved in US, Now Goes to Europe
ConforMIS, Inc., a Burlington, MA company, is betting big on the fairly new bone-sparing resurfacing devices, thought to be especially useful for younger and more active patients with osteoarthritis. The company's individually personalized device called iUni™, a uni-compartmental knee arthroplasty system, already approved by the FDA, has now been OK'ed by European regulators with the CE Mark.
More about the device, taken from the product page at ConforMIS:
How it WorksThe personalized iUni is designed to form fit onto the subchondral bone surface of the patient's femoral condyle, replacing the damaged cartilage with a cobalt chrome surface.
Only a small bone cut is performed posteriorly for the femoral component. The bone cut is designed to be external to the posterior bone cut of the other uni-compartmental devices, thereby preserving future treatment options.
The tibial implant is a 7mm thick polyethylene component inserted into a cobalt chrome tray. After proper MCL tensioning using the iJig patient-specific instrumentation, only a small amount of tibial bone is removed.
The advantage of the iUni is that the damaged cartilage is resurfaced, maintaining the integrity of the femoral subchondral bone plate of the affected compartment.
Indications
The ConforMIS iUni is intended for use in one compartment of the osteoarthritic knee, to replace the damaged area of the articular surface in patients with evidence of adequate healthy bone to support the components.
Candidates for unicondylar knee repair include those with joint impairment due to osteoarthritis or traumatic arthritis of the knee; previous tibial condyle or plateau fracture, creating loss of function; and valgus or varus deformity of the knee.
Product page: iUni...
Press release: ConforMIS, Inc. Receives CE Mark Certification for Minimally Invasive Patient- Specific Implants and Instrumentation...
Resurfacing implants flashbacks: Cormet™ Hip Resurfacing System ; Birmingham Hip, or How to Sell Fresh Hips to Boomers; The AIC Hip Buffer™
(0)
Thursday, February 14, 2008
Eon Promises Longer Lasting Neurostimulation
St. Jude Medical has received both FDA approval and EU's CE Mark for an upgraded version of its Eon device for spinal cord stimulation therapy. The device promises to run on once a day recharges for ten years after implantation, reducing the need of surgical replacement of the battery in the future:
With neurostimulation therapy, devices with rechargeable batteries have quickly become the standard. At high stimulation parameters, a 10-year-old Eon device will maintain at least 24 hours of continuous therapy between recharges. For patients, this means the Eon device can provide sustainable therapy and maintain a reasonable recharge interval for 10 years, potentially resulting in fewer battery replacement surgeries.Rechargeable neurostimulators are designed with a battery reserve to protect the device from damage should a patient discontinue therapy. The Eon neurostimulator's battery reserve allows the device to be safely recharged for up to 18 months after stimulation has been discontinued.
"We continually strive to develop best-in-class products that enhance patients' quality of life," said Chris Chavez, president of St. Jude Medical's ANS Division. "The addition of battery life-extending technology, which enables the 10-year battery capability, is a prime example of our commitment to making a good product even better."Introduced in March 2005, the Eon neurostimulator was upgraded in September 2006 with NeuroDynamix(TM) technology, a proprietary microchip and enhanced software design, which contribute to the increased battery efficiency. The claim was granted after St. Jude Medical monitored the device's performance since the initial product introduction in 2005.
Press release: St. Jude Medical Receives FDA and CE Mark Approvals of Extended 10-Year Battery Life Claim for Rechargeable Neurostimulator
(0)
Tuesday, February 12, 2008
Technology Offers Glimpse of Early Osteoarthritis, DJD
Investigators at New York University and Tel Aviv University have developed a non-invasive MRI-based imaging modality to quantify the concentration of glycosaminogycans (GAGs) in vivo, opening the possibility of using this technology for early diagnosis of such conditions as osteoarthritis and inter-vertebral disc degeneration. A group under NYU Chemistry Professor Alexej Jerschow is reporting their research findings in the latest Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences:
...the existing techniques for GAG monitoring-based on traditional magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)-have limitations: they cannot directly map GAG concentrations or they require the administration of contrast agents. The NYU-Tel Aviv research team sought a more direct measurement of GAGs. In this study, they employed the exchangeable protons of GAG to directly measure GAG concentration in vivo.Knowing that GAG molecules have proton groups that are not tethered tightly, the researchers investigated whether proton exchange in GAGs could allow concentrations of the molecule to be measured by the MRI. By separating out the GAG protons from those of water, they can be used as a sort of inherent contrast agent. Testing the idea in tissue samples, the researchers found that the available GAG protons provided an effective type of contrast enhancement, allowing them to readily monitor GAGs through a clinical MRI scanner. The in vivo application of this method showed that this technique can be readily implemented in a clinical setting.
This chemical exchange saturation method (gagCEST) not only could provide a non-invasive way to diagnose osteoarthritis in its very early stages, but could also help to indicate early interventions for degenerative disc disease, which is responsible for lower back pain, and defects in heart valves and, potentially, the cornea.
(0)
Monday, February 11, 2008
Acrobot Surgical Robot Makes Students as Good as Surgeons
Research to be presented at the British Society for Computer Aided Orthopaedic Surgery Conference this week will show that robotic surgical assistance "makes hip operations so simple that even students can get good results," according to the BBC. Thirty two undergraduate medical students at Imperial College London were trained to perform hip resurfacing arthroplasty of hip procedures using planning software and surgical assistance from Acrobot®, a robotic system we covered a year ago.
From the statement by Imperial College London:
Inexperienced surgeons often face a steep learning curve to gain the experience necessary to carry out hip resurfacing operations. Until now, this has only been gained through repeatedly performing the operations. This can cause problems because if hip bones are repaired incorrectly wear and tear occurs, requiring patients to undergo further painful and expensive corrective operations. Imperial researchers believe their method will address the issue at the undergraduate level.Third year medical undergraduates were asked to trial a state-of-the-art robot called the Navigation Wayfinder - a new navigation tool never before used in the UK.
The Wayfinder is similar to a GPS tracking system. It helps the user to navigate during surgery by plotting correct surgical incisions. It also calculates the correct angles for inserting chrome alloy parts needed to repair hip bones.
It has twin digital arms protruding from a console. One senses the movement of surgical tools as they slice through a patient’s hip area. The other takes detailed images of the bones. This information is fed into software which generates a virtual model of a patient’s hip as it is being operated on. Similar to a 3D roadmap, it allows the user to plot the progress of an operation as they are performing it – a vital technique for ensuring that it is being carried out correctly.Professor Cobb saw the benefits of incorporating the Wayfinder into undergraduate training and developed a three step training programme.
Students used model replicas of deformed hip bones for the trial, scanned by the Wayfinder’s digital arm. This information was used to create a 3D virtual model of the bone area.
The Wayfinder’s computer programme developed an operation plan setting out the actions required for undergraduates to correct the hip deformity.
Students were asked to carry out a virtual operation on the 3D model of the hip. Using the tool tracking arm, they practised techniques for fastening chrome alloy on virtual deformed hip bones. This built up their confidence, technique and skill.
They were asked to perform surgery on model casts of real hip bones. By using the Wayfinder to help them navigate, undergraduates were able to attach a post to the centre of the femoral head and thread it, via a guide wire, to the femur.
Professor Cobb then asked students to perform the same operation using conventional navigation tools. One method involved the use of jigs and alignments. Similar to geometry sets, they are metal surgical guides which helped undergraduates to manually align the femoral head as they attached it to the femur.
The second method required students to operate using an optical navigation device. A camera and pinpoint lights were used to create an image of the hip on a computer screen. This was used by undergraduates for visual navigation during the procedure.
Professor Cobb compared how undergraduates performed with each different method. He found that they were three times more accurate and precise using the Wayfinder than if they used the two other conventional methods.
BBC: Robot boosts hip surgery success ...
Flashbacks: The Acrobot® Surgical System Gets Infusion of Capital ; The Acrobot® Surgical System
(0)
Tuesday, January 15, 2008
ReeTrakt Surgical Retractor
Insightra Medical Inc. of Irvine, California has just been granted the European CE Mark to sell what the company calls a "new generation" of disposable soft-tissue surgical retractors.
ReeTrakt is the new generation of disposable soft-tissue surgical retractor systems providing complete retraction flexibility and optimal exposure of view in a variety of surgical procedures. It has been designed in conjunction with Nanyang Technological University (NTU) Singapore for surgeons to gently retract and secure the delicate soft tissue away from the operative site. Apart from being designed to make access to surgery easier and more efficient, ReeTrakt is also designed to minimize tissue trauma, optimize retraction force and lower the risk of infection. ReeTrakt allows the surgeon to perform the procedure with less assistance, in some cases facilitating procedures to even be performed single-handedly.
"ReeTrakt introduces a novel concept for use in pelvic organ prolapse (POP). The placement of four hooks (two superiorly and two inferiorly) could completely replace the need for a second assistant. It should allow a much better field of view and improved access," said Dr Mark Slack, Head of Department, Urogynecology and Pelvic Reconstructive Surgery, Addenbrooke's Hospital, Cambridge University Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, Cambridge, U.K.Because of the versatility of ReeTrakt's design, which can be customized and catered to a wide variety of surgical procedures, it is anticipated that ReeTrakt will eventually be used in dozens of types of surgical procedures on a global basis.
Now available in the US and Europe. Here are the features that the company is trying to emphasize:
Low profile
Follows the body contours
Optimizes the view of the wound
Highly stable platform
Simple device
Hands free usage
Single Patient Use
Product page: ReeTrakt...
Press release: Insightra® Medical Inc Receives CE Mark on Revolutionary New Surgical Retraction System
(1)
Tuesday, January 8, 2008
Biomechanical Analysis Interface from Organic Motion
During a presentation yesterday by Intel CEO Paul Otellini at CES 2008, human motion detection and analysis technology from Organic Motion, Inc., a NYC firm, was used in real-time to digitize and stream a performance by the group Smashmouth into a virtual world , "so the band played as lifelike animated characters." Notwithstanding the awe of the geek audience, Organic Motion technology should be of interest to clinicians in a number of fields, from rehab to orthopedics to neurology.
Organic Motion's markerless motion capture system introduces several unprecedented features for real-time 3D human tracking. The technology frees the subject from wearing any kind of physical markers, and every person is sized and tracked instantly. In essence, Organic Motion creates a natural interface to capture and analyze the millions of complex motions performed by people. This unique ability enables Organic Motion to propel motion capture beyond its current use in animation and production or research facilities and become a driving force in an explosion of computer vision applications that are beneficial for the general public."Intel is investing in a vision of the future where game and other cyberspace interactions are controlled by an individual's gestures and voice instead of by game pads and wands," said Justin Rattner, Chief Technology Officer, Intel Corporation. "Organic Motion's computer vision technology is part of that future where the collaborative Internet is visual rather than textual and in 3D rather than 2D. In this era of multi-core processors and mainstream parallel applications, the Organic Motion technology is not only possible but highly affordable. Suffice it to say that the ability to process multiple live video feeds to create accurate 3D models has far-reaching applications in the consumer and enterprise market segments."
By eliminating all mechanical tracking devices and generating data in real-time, Organic Motion captures human motion like never before seen in the industry. This technology can track multiple subjects in rapid succession and utilize their motion instantly - creating unlimited possibilities for new applications such as everyday medical use, new forms of retail interaction, and completely immersive entertainment and branding opportunities.
Technology page: BioStage ...
Brochure: BioStage™ (.pdf)
Press release: Organic Motion Demonstrates Future of Computer Vision in Intel CEO's Keynote at CES ...
(0)
Thursday, December 6, 2007
Somatom Definition AS: The World's First Adaptive Computed Tomograph
This new CT scanner from Siemens AG is touted to adapt to "virtually any patient and clinical need." The world's first Somatom Definition AS system has just been installed at the University Hospital Erlangen in Germany:
The system is suitable for routine diagnostic work as well as for more complex examinations in, for example, oncology, neurology and cardiology. It is also ideally suited for emergency situations where speedy diagnosis for accident, stroke or heart attack patients are concerned. Even difficult patients - obese, claustrophobic and children - are quickly scanned with high diagnostic confidence. The first system has recently been installed at the University Hospital Trauma Center at Erlangen, Germany. Not only will all clinical situations be accelerated but also examinations of seriously wounded patients will permit faster application of life-saving treatments.The Somatom Definition AS is the first scanner to combine such dynamic components as the Adaptive Dose Shield with a scan field of up to 200 cm and the 78-cm gantry opening. This allows fast and problem-free head-to-foot scanning, even for poly trauma patients. The unequaled high temporal resolution of up to 150 ms -- combined with extremely fast coverage with up to 128 slices per rotation -- makes crystal-clear images possible, free of movement artifacts, of even the finest anatomical details. This permits for example highly accurate measurement of stenosis and/or precise planning for stent implantation.
Another outstanding feature is the new Adaptive 4D-Spiral. The continuous movement of the patient table permits a larger area to be imaged so that entire organs and their functions can be examined with a single scan. In a stroke situation, for example, the entire brain perfusion can be displayed. With previous systems, only a portion of the affected organ could be imaged. "We hope we can diagnose stroke earlier than before. Time is brain. The earlier we get the patient to therapy, the better", said Werner Bautz, M.D., Director of the Institute for Radiology and Medical Director of the University Hospital Erlangen.
Minimal invasive procedures will also become faster and more certain. Biopsies of suspicious tumor tissues can, for the first time, be performed with the help of 3D image guidance. Accurate needle positioning will thereby become clinical routine.
Product page: SOMATOM Definition AS ...
(0)
Tuesday, November 27, 2007
AquilionONE CT from Toshiba Cleared by FDA
At the ongoing RSNA 2007 conference, Toshiba has unveiled its new dynamic volume CT system AquilionONE, a device that features, in addition to improved visualization and productivity, a 650 lb table capacity:
For the first time, physicians can see not only a three-dimensional depiction of an organ, but also the organ's dynamic blood flow and function. Unlike any other CT system, the AquilionONE can scan one organ - including heart, brain and others - in one rotation because it covers up to 16 cm of anatomy using 320 ultra high resolution 0.5mm detector elements. This reduces exam time, as well as radiation and contrast dose, and dramatically increases diagnostic confidence. With the AquilionONE, the organ or area is captured in a single rotation at one moment in time, eliminating the need to reconstruct slices from multiple points in time.
Press release: TOSHIBA'S AquilionONE RECEIVES FDA CLEARANCE ...
Product page...