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...
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Wednesday, May 7, 2008
ei*Nav/Artemis Prostate Ultrasound Machine Receives FDA Clearance
Eigen, a Grass Valley, California company, just received FDA clearance for its 4D ultrasound system specifically designed for urologists to find and track prostate cancer biopsy locations.
Using proprietary next-generation 3D/4D imaging, Artemis™ provides solutions not available today by enhancing urologists' existing ultrasound machines, the vast majority of which are only 2D. Now, Artemis allows urologists to virtually see inside the prostate in real time during biopsy, guides them with 4D needle navigation during the delicate procedure, maps biopsy locations and generates an image of 3D biopsy coordinates for future reference...Artemis' 3D/4D imaging allows doctors to select and biopsy a location within the boundary of the prostate with pinpoint accuracy. The biopsy location is then recorded by Artemis' patented registration technology, which allows doctors to revisit or avoid the exact same area during repeat procedures. Artemis provides doctors with data they can analyze to determine if the prostate gland has changed and manage treatment accordingly.
Press release: Prostate Cancer Breakthrough Receives FDA Clearance...
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Tuesday, April 15, 2008
GeeWhiz Condom Catheter: It's Medicare Approved - Diapers Are Not!
For the latest in leak proof convenience and comfort, check out the GeeWhiz Condom Catheter from Leading Edge Innovations Inc., the winner of this year's Medical Design Excellence Awards.
According to the manufacturer, the product "has a fantastically high satisfaction rating by the patients and as important, their caregivers." We can't wait to try it on:
Patented & Patent Pending Technology for a "leak proof" seal No glue or skin adhesives required. The GeeWhiz® is easy to apply -- by one's self or your caregiver It's also easy to remove It features a quick connect and disconnect for use at day or night It has a leak proof seal so you can rest assured Cannot accidentally be removed
We are skeptical about the last point: if they can pull out central lines and chest tubes, they can definitely pull off an external condom catheter.
Product page: GeeWhiz and Sizing Guide...
Press release: 33 Innovative Products Win Medical Design Excellence Awards...
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Monday, March 24, 2008
AccuCirc for a Safer, Happier Bris
Discover Magazine is reporting on a new circumcision device invented by Dr David Tomlinson and developed into a product with the help of Brown University and Clinical Innovations out of Murray, Utah.
The most popular device in the United States, preferred by 67 percent of physicians, is the Gomco clamp, whose parts come in different sizes to match varying penile diameters; mismatched clamp components increase the risk of laceration. Both the Gomco and the competing Plastibell—used by 19 percent of physicians in the United States—require the insertion of a shield beneath the foreskin to protect the underlying glans from the scalpel; to slide the shield in, doctors first make a slit in the foreskin with scissors, increasing the risk of cutting the urethra as well.The plastic AccuCirc avoids these problems. A probe is inserted beneath the foreskin, shielding the glans without the need for an incision. The attached clamp, which can be activated only if the shield is in position, is then placed over the probe. When the lever is depressed, it crushes the foreskin, sealing blood vessels and preventing bleeding, while a circular steel blade excises the foreskin in one action. When the clamp is released and removed, the foreskin is withdrawn with the holder in the probe. The device cannot be reused, preventing the spread of HIV.
More from Discover Magazine...
Clinical Innovations website (no info about the device yet)....
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Monday, March 10, 2008
TETRA-NIRS Bladder Monitor Approved
The FDA just granted approval for marketing the TETRA™-NIRS, a non-invasive urodynamics device from Urodynamix, of Vancouver, Canada. The device uses near infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) to penetrate with light through the skin and into the bladder, and determine how full it is in real time. According to the press release, the device is designed to help to analyze bladder outlet obstruction as well as bladder activity not readily available on simple uroflowmetry. Here are the basic details from the company on its technology:
NIRS emitter projects near infrared light through the skin, illuminating the detrusor muscle of the bladder. Some of the light is absorbed by chromophores in the tissue (e.g. oxygenated and deoxygenated hemoglobin and cytochromes) and some is scattered, with a small amount returning to a light detector. Bladder function is evaluated by continuously monitoring the concentrations of chromophores in the detrusor muscle during voiding.
Press release: Laborie Medical Technologies Receives FDA Pre-Market Clearance for TETRA(TM)- NIRS Accessory for the US Market
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Thursday, January 24, 2008
Sonablate® 500 for Prostate CA
A recent article in the New York Times profiles a growing interest among patients for high-intensity focused ultrasound, or HIFU, for the treatment of prostate cancer. The therapy, profiled on these pages before (see flashbacks below), has not been approved by the FDA for prostate CA treatment, but the leading manufacturer of HIFU equipment, Misonix, Inc. of Farmingdale, NY, that makes a system called Sonablate® 500, hopes it has a chance since its already sold in Europe and elsewhere.
From the company's website:
HIFU has the potential to achieve this by virtue of the size of the target lesion that it creates. HIFU works by focusing a pulse of high-energy ultrasound waves onto single location about the size of a grain of rice. The delivery of this energy to such a small area results in an increase in temperature to a point where the lipids (fats) in the cell membrane melt and the proteins denature. A reproducible but small volume of tissue destruction occurs. The distribution of these target lesions is under the control of the physician. During the planning phase of the treatment, ultrasound is used to delineate the prostate in two dimensions. Targeting can be planned in order to avoid the urinary sphincter, rectum, and possibly the neurovascular bundles (as preservation of these may preserve erectile function). Once the treatment plan is established, the treatment is both driven and monitored by a computer program within the HIFU delivery system.Treatment time is usually 3-4 hours. Usually patients will be discharged the same day, or next day at the doctors discretion.
An important difference between HIFU and many other forms of focused energy, such as radiation therapy or radio surgery, is that the passage of ultrasound energy through intervening tissue has no apparent cumulative effect on that tissue.
And from the press release:
HIFU has been gaining momentum around the world as an acceptable alternative procedure. We are very pleased with the progress being made educating men on the results that are being realized with a HIFU procedure. There have been more than 10,000 procedures using HIFU throughout the world. Results with the latest technology show that HIFU can eradicate the cancer and demonstrate the same or better results with regard to incontinence and impotence. We hope that ongoing clinicals in the U.S. will result in the approval of HIFU by the FDA as an approved choice. We believe most people understand that important new technology will not, by definition, have ten years of reported results. We are excited about the acceptance of HIFU as a treatment for prostate cancer...The SB500 has been used in over 5,000 procedures worldwide. In a study previously announced by Misonix, prostate cancer treatment using the latest advancements for the SB500 showed successful outcomes that exceeded published reports for other HIFU devices and rivaled that of traditional surgical treatment. Important advantages of the SB500 over traditional surgery include that it is a non-invasive procedure that is performed on an out-patient basis and that, because it does not involve radiation, it can be repeated if necessary. The SB500 can also be used to retreat patients who received unsuccessful radiation treatment.
Press release: New York Times Front Page Story Features HIFU Prostate Cancer Treatment with Sonablate 500 from Misonix ...
Product page: Sonablate ...
Flashbacks: Ultrasound That Seals Punctured Lungs ; High Intensity Focused Ultrasound for AFib; Ultrasonic Tourniquet (with HI-FU Grip); Deep Bleeder Acoustic Coagulation, aka Autonomous Acoustic Hemostasis; High Intensity Focused Ultrasound (HIFU) for Body Sculpting;
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Monday, December 17, 2007
In the Works: Photoacoustic Tomography Device
The New Scientist is reporting about the efforts of Dr. Paul Beard and colleagues from the Dept. of Medical Physics and Bioengineering at University College London to develop a portable surgical probe based on photoacoustic tomography. In essence, the device's technology works on a near infrared laser that is fired into tissue. The laser's energy, once absorbed by the tissues, generates heat, which in turn generates the photoacoustic signals that are picked up by an ultrasound transducer.
Here's how Dr. Beard's Photoacoustic Imaging Group website explains the technology:
The sensor is placed in acoustic contact with the surface of the target tissue, the excitation laser pulses transmitted through it and the resulting photoacoustic signals recorded at different points over the surface of the sensor. From the time-of-arrival of the signals, and with knowledge of the speed of sound, a 3D image of the tissue structure, based upon the absorbed optical energy distribution, can then be reconstructed. This type of imaging instrument has several important advantages over conventional piezoelectric based photoacoustic detection systems. Firstly, the system operates in "backward mode". That is to say, the photoacoustic signals can be detected on the same side and over the same region of the tissue surface that is irradiated with the excitation light, a consequence of the transparent nature of the sensor. This is particularly important for imaging superficial anatomical features, such as blood vessels in the skin, where it would be problematic to deliver the excitation laser beam around an array of opaque piezoelectric receivers. Secondly, the concept provides excellent acoustic performance, with uniform broadband frequency response characteristics (to at least 30MHz) and wideband detection sensitivities (<0.1kPa noise-equivalent-pressure) comparable to piezoelectric PVDF receivers but with much smaller "element" sizes (<50μm) and "interelement" spacings -- the latter being a consequence of the optically addressable nature of the sensor which, in principle, affords near-optical diffraction limited spatial sampling of the incident acoustic field. These attributes make the instrument well suited to high resolution (10μm-100μm) tissue imaging applications - click here to see examples of some of the images that have been obtained with the system.
More from Photoacoustic Imaging Group ...
NewScientist: Laser scanner gives 3D view inside tumours ...
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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...
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Monday, November 26, 2007
Siemens ACUSON S2000
Siemens ACUSON S2000 is an ultrasound system in a new line from Siemens that features some pretty nifty applications that are still rarely, if ever, seen in other manufacturers' ultrasound systems:
Acoustic Radiation Force Impulse (ARFI) Imaging utilizes acoustic energy to compress tissue, providing qualitative and quantitative assessment of tissue stiffness eSie Touch™ elasticity imaging calculates and displays relative tissue stiffness through gentle compression cycle Cadence™ contrast pulse sequencing technology provides superior sensitivity and specificity to contrast agent signal for excellent border and lesion detection and characterization Axius™ direct ultrasound research interface allows ccess to raw ultrasound data prior to the back-end system processing Introducing the S Class. The ACUSON S2000™ ultrasound system is the first of the next generation of application-based ultrasound designed to deliver workflow efficiencies, innovative applications, and expanded clinical utilization. The ACUSON S2000 platform offers superb image quality, knowledge-based workflow, adaptive ergonomics and innovative applications.
Product page...
Siemens' RSNA presentation page...
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New Surgical Instruments from KLS Martin Group
More news from German manufacturers, thanks to recent presentations at the medical devices and technologies conference Medica 2007 in Düsseldorf. According to German Healthcare Export Group, KLS Martin, a surgical device manufacturer, has just released a number of interesting innovative devices:
Another new instrument is the marSeal. It is a bipolar sealing system. The reusable sealing system with the new mar seal instrument secures permanent occlusion of veins, arteries and tissue bundles with subsequent dissection and no instrument exchange required! A great Advantage that carry weight is the cost reduction due to minimized use of disposables. Disposable blade guarantees optimal cutting results in any situation. Modular system with different shaft lengths can be used in laparoscopic and open surgery. Above that an easy cleaning is guaranteed because the instrument can be taken apart completely and is autoclavable at 134°C (273°F).
The newest bipolar sealing system marClamp® in combination with the current type SealSafe® offers the possibility of sealing veins, arteries and tissue bundles. A secure hemostasis can be achieved, comparable to classical hemostasis methods applying mechanical clamps and ligation techniques
The Advantages of the system are time saving, as well as an easy set-up and handling. There is no use of foreign material thus no foreign body reactions and better wound healing is guaranteed.
In oncosurgery the tumour cells are destroyed in the SealSafe® zone Furthermore ensure different clamp sizes a wide range of applications.
The Universal HF generator can be used for all surgical disciplines.
Also, according to the company's press release, they just introduced SoftScan plus R, the new highly sophisticated laser system for robotic microsurgery on the vocal cords.
Check out the following product brochures (all .pdf files) for the devices mentioned above:
marSeal for bipolar vessel sealing ...
SoftScan plus R in combination with micromanipulator "Micro Point"...
German Healthcare Export Group's press release...
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Thursday, November 8, 2007
Nanomed-based Detection of Early Prostate Tumors
German investigators are trying to develop a novel imaging modality, based on detection of antibodies conjugated to gold nanoparticles, to be used for early diagnosis, and possible treatment, of prostate cancer.
From the press statement by the Fraunhofer Institute for Biomedical Engineering:
A novel, cost-efficient and sensitive device will soon increase the number of early diagnoses of prostate cancer and offer more patients the prospect of recovery. This diagnostic device was developed by researchers at the Fraunhofer Institute for Biomedical Technology IBMT in St. Ingbert in collaboration with partners from five European countries. The European Commission is funding the project to the tune of 2.2 million euros. "We use a combination of two different imaging techniques: optical imaging and ultrasound," says IBMT department manager Dr. Robert Lemor. "We shine laser light into the tissue, causing it to heat up and expand. This generates pressure in the form of a sound wave, which spreads through the tissue in much the same way as ultrasound and is also detected in the same way." The researchers thus combine the good contrast of light with the good spatial resolution of sound, using the advantages of both systems.In order to detect cancer cells at an early stage, however, the researchers require an even stronger contrast between cancerous and healthy cells. "We achieve this by using gold particles just a few nanometers in size. Gold absorbs the laser's infrared light much better than the cells, and therefore appears brighter in the picture," says Lemor. The researchers attach antibodies to the gold particles, and these antibodies bond with specific proteins. These occur several thousand times more frequently in cancer cells than in healthy tissue. "This means that the gold accumulates specifically around the cancer cells, while hardly any gold is found on healthy cells," explains Lemor. The gold particles not only serve diagnostic purposes but can also be used for therapy. If the laser output is increased and the tissue is irradiated for a longer period, the gold heats up and the generated heat destroys the cancer cells. Healthy tissue is not affected, as hardly any gold accumulates in it.
Press release: Early diagnosis of prostate cancer ...
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Friday, October 5, 2007
Sony's Versatile HD Med Monitor
Sony has announced its new 24 inch monitor for medical applications. This is Sony's first high definition 1080P monitor for the health industry, and features Sony's ChromaTRU color correction system, along with the ability connect to a variety of input signals.
The LMD-2450MD has an advanced full 10-bit digital video signal processor to produce accurate, lifelike images with smooth natural gradations. The monitor also includes a second calibration so that white balance is maintained at consistent color temperatures throughout all grayscale levels. This technology proves invaluable for monitoring simultaneous grayscale levels in operating and monitoring rooms.The LMD-2450MD allows medical users to define multiple display modes such as picture-in-picture and split screen (side-by-side images). The display modes can also be used for special applications such as viewing both live video and captured images simultaneously for more comprehensive coverage of the surgical procedure.
Using an advanced imaging algorithm, the LMD-2450MD performs a sophisticated Interlace-to-Progresssive (I/P) conversion. The method combines adjacent pixels above, below and in the diagonal directions of the image areas where there is movement. The algorithm then inserts a natural pixel to create the absent lines. The result is very smooth image reproduction for both moving and static picture areas.
The LMD-2450MD monitor can accept almost any signal ranging from SD to HD video. Users can also connect output from a PC via the monitor's DVI-D or HD15 connectors. In addition to the standard inputs, the monitor offers users four optional input adapters for use in its expansion slot. This input flexibility allows users to view images from a variety of medical equipment sources including endoscopes. The monitor also provides parallel and serial control (including via Ethernet) as standard.
Press Release: SONY Introduces New 24" LMD-2450MD Color Monitor - Ideal for Surgical Environments and other Imaging Applications...
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Thursday, August 2, 2007
Is Your Bladder In Need of an Upgrade?
Scientists at the University of York are studying urothelial cells in hopes of one day being able to grow synthetic, bio-engineered bladders for pharmaceutical research and transplantation.
The York researchers have developed a series of models that mean they can study human urothelial cells in the laboratory. Of these models, the most important is their development of a urothelial cell sheet that functions as it would in the bladder. When the researchers create a wound in this model, the cells regenerate to repair the damage - just as they would in the body.Pharmaceutical companies should soon be able to use the research models to test therapies for the bladder, but the longer term aim for this research is to help patients who have lost bladder function or have had all or part of their bladder removed because of cancer.
Research leader, Professor Jenny Southgate, explains: "The models we have developed mean that we have been able to examine how urothelial cells in the bladder self-renew to cope with injury.
"With this basic understanding of how the cells work, we are moving towards being able to engineer new bladders. Currently, substitute bladders can be created by using a section of the patient's bowel, but this can lead to complications, as the bowel does not have the same urine-holding properties as urothelial cells. One solution could be to use laboratory-grown urothelial cells to line a section of bowel."
The hope in the long term is that collaborative research to combine Professor Southgate's work with biomaterial studies at the Universities of Durham and Leeds could mean engineered bladder tissue ready for transplantation.
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Wednesday, July 18, 2007
Ouch: Botched Circumcision
Circumcision is performed so often that no one ever thinks that anything could go wrong. Well, it can! In Illinois, a doctor, using a mogen clamp (pictured), severed off the entire glans (tip of the penis) of an infant. Naturally he's now being sued. Here's a clip from the press release about the lawsuit:
The infant was a healthy seven pound newborn who was delivered without complications on February 14, 2007. The following day, a routine circumcision was performed on the infant by Dr. Malek using a Mogen clamp, a metal, hinge-shaped device used during the procedure. At the completion of the circumcision, hospital records indicated there was significant bleeding. Inspection of the penis revealed nearly all of the glans had been amputated at the time of the circumcision. Three months later, the infant required penile skin transfer surgery at the University of Illinois, with need for future procedures, some of which are only appropriate at the age of puberty.According to medical expert witness, Dr. David Zbaraz with Northwestern Memorial Hospital in Chicago, who reviewed the Sarah Bush medical records of the infant, "The Mogen clamp when used properly cannot amputate a male infant's glans. The injury to this boy was completely preventable."
Maybe the doc should have been less stupid and used the SmartKlamp.
Read the press release here...
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Tuesday, July 10, 2007
Archives of Internal Medicine Invents New Condition: Prostatempathy
A recent publication from JAMA's Archives of Internal Medicine shows that male physicians of a certain age are significantly more likely to order prostate-specific antigen (PSA) screening deemed inappropriate. The author's theory as to the mechanism at work?
This study elucidates several important provider-level determinants of PSA screening misuse and substantiates that PSA screening is frequently performed counter to evidence-based guidelines. Further work is needed to determine the degree to which "prostatempathy" contributes to PSA misuse by older male providers.
One could go into a diatribe about how the "e" at the end of "prostate" is silent, making "prostatempathy" sound the exact same as "prostate empathy" when pronounced...but that might not be a productive use of one's time, which would be somewhat ironic, given that that article focuses specifically on productive use of one's time. Right then...
More from the abstract...
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Friday, July 6, 2007
CE Approved Allium Stents
Allium Group, a Caesarea, Israel start up, has obtained two CE Marks of approval from the European Union bureaucrats to market its biliary and ureteral stents, reports Globes [online].
The company believes its stent technology is far superior to others on the market:
Allium's thin-walled, large caliber, self-expanding, fully covered metal stents are unique because they can be left in the body for long periods without being changed and easily removed even after long implant periods. Allium's stents are cost effective and more acceptable to physicians and patients.The stents developed by Allium are designed to treat malignant as well as benign obstructions. They are engineered to prevent foreshortening during deployment allowing excellent accuracy in their placement and to prevent tissue ingrowth...
Allium's self-expanding Biliary Stent has a large caliber (8-10mm in diameter) and is made of a superelastic alloy covered by a polymeric material. The stent has a tubular shape to fit the common bile duct anatomy combined with a specially designed proprietary element on its ends to minimize reactive tissue proliferation.
The deployment procedure can be performed using the standard ERCP procedure or percutaneously.
Press release: Allium Group receives CE Marks for two of its next-generation urinary and gastrointestinal-tract stents ...
Globes [online]: Allium wins CE Mark for biliary and ureteral stents ...
Product pages: Allium's self-expanding Biliary Stent; Allium's Ureteral Stent.
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Thursday, July 5, 2007
Pocket Pee-Bag Turns Urine Into Goo
There's nothing worse than sitting in traffic and being forced to ruin your favorite coffee mug because there isn't a toilet in sight. Enter: Hydrogel beads to the rescue!
via Google Translation...
Each man knows it: Situations, in which one would give everything for a toilet. roadbag® this problem eases once and for all.Whether in the back-up or on the festival, with the camping or in the sport airplane - roadbag®, the bag WC for men, facilitates you, where you also are.
roadbag® is handily, surely, hygenically and comfortable.
The secret of roadbag® is the superabsorber: This special granulates in the interior bag connects itself with the urine to a firm gel. Thus no drop can run out, become unpleasant smells reliably prevented.
For clean hands after urination roadbag® a refresher pad is attached to everyone. A completely clean thing.
How it works
Into roadbag® inserted interior bags contains a superabsorber (chemical: Polymer crystals). This binds rapidly up to 700 ml urine and consolidates it to a firm gel - without skin contact, hygenically and odorless. Nothing runs out.The average urine quantity amounts to however only 300 to 500 ml. Thus roadbag® - the bag WC for men - was up to to each pressure.
After urination roadbag® with the adhesive strip lock and in the remainder garbage dispose - finished.
Please while driving to tax do not use! Children should use roadbag® only under supervision. Absorbers do not swallow. Drying store.
What?!? Do not swallow? Clearly they missed our story on the ability of hydrogel beads to suppress hunger and obliterate your GI tract...
Product Page...
(hat tip: Random Good Stuff via Gizmodo)
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Tuesday, June 12, 2007
TomTom, Which Way to My Prostate Cancer?
What does satellite navigation and prostates have in common? First, they can both be manipulated with one's finger, and now satnav technology is being used to guide radiotherapy for prostate cancer.
Using a form of global positioning software, the technique pinpoints cancer cells rather than healthy surrounding tissue.The radiotherapy could spare men the damaging effects of radiation zapping vital organs such as the colon or bladder, which can leave patients with side-effects such as bowel problems and bleeding.
The new "sat nav" radiotherapy device, called Calypso, has already been approved for use in the U.S. by the Food and Drug Administration, and can direct X-rays to within a fraction of a millimetre of their target.
To begin with, surgeons insert a probe through the rectum and implant three tiny transmitters into the prostate. These are placed in a triangle formation around the site of the cancer.
As the treatment gets under way, the Calypso is moved into position. It has an extending arm with a large square plate on the end which is lowered over the body.
As this plate delivers the X-rays, it monitors the signals from the tiny transmitters at a rate of 60 times a second.
By tracking the signals, the device is able to target the harmful rays to the space between the three transmitters - ensuring only the cancerous cells are affected.
The radiotherapist, meanwhile, sits in another room a safe distance from the harmful rays and tracks the progress of the treatment on a computer screen.
If the patient moves even a few millimetres, the signals are lost and the machine sounds an alert to the operator to stop treatment.
Although the Calypso device is only approved for prostate cancer so far, it could eventually be used for any kind of solid tumour that needs radiotherapy.
DailyMail...
Flashback: 'Virtual Patient' to Simulate Real-Time Organ Motions for Radiation Therapy
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Friday, June 8, 2007
Endo-microscopy from Mauna Kea Technologies
Medgadget reader Dr. Netter writes:
I came across a company called Mauna Kea Technologies.They recently released the "GI" and "Lung" version of their cellular-level Cellvizio confocal endoscope.
What is great about the new GI and Lung Cellvizios is that a practitioner can insert one of their miniprobes (only 300 um to 2.8 mm in diameter) into a conventional endoscope and record microscopic level movies of the tissue as fast as 12 frames/sec.
The Image Atlas at http://www.maunakeatech.com contains several movies recorded by medical research labs and clinical practitioners in the US and in Europe. The recordings show an impressive level of detail. Their web site also mentions that they recently signed a distribution deal with Leica for their Small Animal imaging system.
To further learn about endo-microscopy, check out Mauna Kea's technologies page...
Flashback: Nanoparticles Deliver Genes to Brains of Living Mice
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» The endogo® Portable Endoscopic Camera (June 8, 2007)
» Remote-Control Bladder Valve (May 18, 2007)
» VasoWear: Post-Vasectomy Garment Cradles Your Boys (April 27, 2007)
» PneuStep: MRI Robot for Biopsies (April 6, 2007)
» Modularis Variostar Lithotripter (March 21, 2007)
» News Flash: Assorted Penis Enlargement Techniques are Junk (February 21, 2007)
» Developing a 'Smart Bladder Pacemaker' (February 16, 2007)
» Calypso® 4D Localization System (February 7, 2007)
» Math to Improve Robotic Surgery (December 8, 2006)
» Kidney Cell Engineering Hits Bottleneck (November 8, 2006)
» FDA Approves UrAssist™ Portable Urine Collection System (October 26, 2006)
» da Vinci Robot Surgery System in Action (October 12, 2006)
» Nano-pores Meet Dialysis (September 13, 2006)
» The Tengion Technology: Bladder Farming (August 2, 2006)
» And I Don't Gotta Go Right Now (July 7, 2006)
» InterStim® II System for Sacral Nerve Stimulation (July 5, 2006)
» Positionable Penile Prosthetic Prompts Payout (June 28, 2006)
» Botox Fever Spreads to the Prostate (May 25, 2006)
» The Colpexin™ Sphere (May 16