Medgadget

Infinity M540 from Draeger Makes Hospital Workflow and Patient Data Oh So So Smooth

2009-11-20T08:00:02Z

Here's another piece of news about medical gadgetry released at the ongoing Medica 2009. The Infinity M540 from Drägerwerk AG & Co. (aka Dräger) is designed to provide portability and full functionality of a stationary vitals signs monitor:

The Dräger Infinity M540 measures and saves patient vital signs data, including 12-lead ECG and etCO2 values. For transport, the hospital staff can release the M540 from its docking station using one hand. The monitor continues to display and record vital data without interruption. As soon as the M540 is reconnected to a docking station – whether at its previous location or on a different ward – it automatically backfills the data recorded on transport into the Medical Cockpit, which is the central control and viewing unit of the Infinity Acute Care System.

This way, trends and events from the patient's current hospital stay are accessible to the clinician even after transport. When the Infinity M540 is used in combination with an Infinity C700 or C500 Medical Cockpit, relevant monitoring parameters are available. "In view of increasingly complex clinical scenarios, having comprehensive patient information is becoming a key factor in modern patient care," says Prof. Dr. Jürgen Peters, Director of the Clinic for Anesthesiology and Intensive Care at Essen University Hospital. The clinic was the first facility in the world to install Infinity M540 monitors.

To support hospital workflow, a compact monitor design and simple operation are also required. "In the daily clinical routine, it is important for staff and patients that devices are simple to operate," explains Jürgen Peters. "The less we have to concentrate on the technology, the more we can focus on the patients."

The slim, rectangular design of the M540 makes it possible to hold the patient monitor with just one hand. The color display fills almost the entire surface area of the monitor, so multiple vital signs parameters can be viewed at a glance despite the compact size of the device.

When the monitor is turned 180 degrees, the display rotates automatically so information is immediately readable again (auto-flip technology). This enables the monitor to be positioned on either side of the patient, as required for proper orientation of the cable connectors.

When docked, the M540 can automatically adopt the settings from the Medical Cockpit to which it is connected. This allows each ward to immediately display the parameters relevant to the ward without having to reprogram the device. As menus, nomenclature, function keys and display are similar to other Dräger components, the M540 can require only a minimal amount of training. This standardization also helps to avoid errors.

Press release: New Monitoring Component for the Infinity Acute Care System...

Product brochure... (.pdf)

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Sci Fi Contest: Send Us Your Entries

2009-11-20T08:00:02Z

We are pleased to announce that we now have an adequate number of entries for this year's Sci Fi Writing Contest. But if you are a talented writer, the opportunity is still here, and you still can win a brand new Amazon Kindle. So get your talent and imagination together, write a short interesting fictional piece involving the future of medicine, and send it to us by Tuesday, November 24, 2009. This weekend will be a perfect time to write, and maybe become the next winner.

More details here: Med Sci Fi Writing Contest - Return of The Prose...

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Let Draeger Polaris Be Your Guiding Light

2009-11-20T08:00:01Z

We are continuing to profile the latest gadgets that are being showcased at the Medica 2009 in Düsseldorf. This beautiful line of cold OR light systems, appropriately dubbed Polaris, comes from Drägerwerk AG & Co., a company better known to everyone as Dräger.

Details from the press release:

Compared with conventional light sources, the smaller LEDs of the Polaris system are considerably more energy-efficient than conventional light sources. An LED light source has a life span of about 30,000 hours (corresponding to about seven to ten years of service life in the operating room), while the life span of a conventional light source is about 1,000 hours (corresponding to about four months of service life in the operating room). The slight amount of lost heat from the LEDs is dispensed through the top of the housing.
The different Polaris models are distinguished by their illuminating power. They can be used as an individual OR light or as a satellite in multiple-light systems, and can also be equipped with an integrated camera.

This new product design received the red dot design award 2008 which, according to the Design Zentrum Nordrhein Westfalen, is based on criteria such as innovation, functionality, quality and ergonomics.

The 108 light-emitting diodes of the Polaris (700 model) distribute light with a color temperature of 4,600 Kelvin. "Cold light" (without long-wave infrared content) is generated by means of a phosphor layer on the semiconductor and focused via an optical system. The LEDs are installed in the reflectors in pairs.

The individual light paths form a light cylinder which has an illumination depth of about 1,100 millimeters and a variable diameter of 220 to 290 millimeters. This ensures that the light of each LED can be focused on the OR field and that several surgeons can work simultaneously on the OR field without noticeably reducing the brightness.

Press release: Precision lighting with the new Dräger Polaris...

Product brochure... (.pdf)

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Evidence MultiStat from Randox Might Save Cardiac Lives and More

2009-11-20T08:00:01Z

RANDOX Laboratories, a diagnostics company from Crumlin, UK, is releasing in Düsseldorf at Medica 2009 a new semi-automated analyzer that can perform detection of up to 12 analytes from a single patient sample in under 20 minutes. The Evidence MultiStat™ can save lives of cardiac patients or identify drug junkies, hence it can be used in emergency rooms, cardiology departments, ambulatory centers, or even employee drug screening centers.

The following arrays are currently available:

Cardiac Array [serum]: Creatine Kinase-MB (CK-MB), Fatty Acid Binding Protein (FABP), Myoglobin, Cardiac Troponin I (cTnI)
Drugs of Abuse Array I [urine]: Amphetamine, Barbiturates, Benzodiazepine 1, Benzodiazepine 2, Cannabinoids, Cocaine metabolite (Benzoylecgonine), Methamphetamine, Methadone, Opiates, Phencyclidine, Creatinine (dilution marker)

Product page: Evidence MultiStat...

Announcement on Twitter: Randox unveils cardiac care technology...

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My Lab One Portable Ultrasound from Esaote Makes Debut

2009-11-19T08:46:33Z

At the ongoing Medica 2009 in Düsseldorf, Esaote out of Genoa, Italy is releasing a new portable ultrasound system that features a 12 inch touch screen for manipulating settings without having to use buttons. The My Lab One can be worn on a shoulder strap and is designed for mobile applications such as ambulatory anesthesia, EMT, military and sports medicine.

From the press release:

The automatic rotation of the image according to the position of the system, an ergonomic probe equipped with controls, a long life battery, all add up to making this ultrasound an extraordinary innovation in the medical system arena.
MyLab One is a “dedicated” ultrasound, which reflects perfectly today’s need for diagnostic capabilities in many different fields of application: from Radiology to Cardiology, from to Orthopaedics, Anaesthesia, Sports Medicine, etc… or in first-aid, emergency, vascular screening as well as in general practices.

Press release: Esaote presents “My Lab One” Innovative “wearable” ultrasound scanner ARM HELD

Product page: Esaote ultrasound...

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Safe Life A400: A New Look for an N95 Respirator

2009-11-19T08:32:45Z

Safe Life Corporation (San Diego, CA) recently released a new respirator that looks and feels more like a traditional surgical face mask. We received a copy of the A400 respirator for review and spent about a half hour wearing it to see how it feels.

The new Safe Life A400 N95 Respirator can filter 95 percent of the airborne particles that can carry viruses, bacteria and other pathogens, while looking and feeling similar to a normal face mask. It's light, durable and easy to use. Safe Life made this respirator by infusing iodine into a polymer, making it safe for wearing while oxidizing microorganisms to death.

The disposable mask comes in two sizes (S/M and M/L) and is said to be cost effective, though there is no information about the price.

Doing activities around the house with the Safe Life N95 Respirator was fine, until 30 minutes after wearing the mask it became slightly uncomfortable as the neck straps are quite tight and pull the unit firmly onto the face. Another marginal issue was with the padded metal band that creates a seal around the nose area. It was a bit rough and could use softer support padding.

Other than the mask being slightly irritating, the Safe Life N95 Respirator does the job, and it's been certified by the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) to be a true N95 class respirator.

Overall, we can say that Safe Life created an innovative product that does what the mask was supposed to do. It comes in a small package, it is relatively comfortable, and is a bit less conspicuous than traditional respirators.

Press release: Safe Life Introduces First Comfortable, Breathable N95 Respirator with Antimicrobial Protection ...

Product page: Safe Life N95 Respirators ...

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Enigma ML System for Quick and Easy PCR

2009-11-19T08:32:44Z

This week at MEDICA2009 in Düsseldorf, Enigma Diagnostics out of Wiltshire, UK is unveiling its new polymerase chain reaction (PCR) apparatus. The Enigma ML provides almost fool proof testing using single disposable reagent cartridges, and can be expanded to run multiple PCR tests in parallel using one control unit.

The Enigma ML has a modular, easily scalable architecture providing flexibility and choice in different healthcare settings. At entry level with a single processing module it is a compact, portable, inexpensive instrument ideally suited to settings where usage is lower and space is a premium e.g. in the doctor's office, pharmacy or intensive care unit. At the other end of the scale, multiple processing modules can be controlled by a single master unit allowing random-access, parallel running of different samples and tests.
It incorporates a clever, disposable cartridge which can accommodate either liquid or swab samples without any requirements for manual processing. All reagents and sample preparation tools are held on the self-contained cartridge and all steps are automated, minimising the risk of human error. The instrument also has a simple to use touch-screen for data entry and result reporting, plus an integrated label printer.

The system can perform multiplex, real-time PCR assays for both DNA and RNA targets.

Key features:

Fully automated real-time PCR system

rapid test (30 ~ 45 minutes to result)

multi-sample and scalable

accepts swabs and liquids (e.g. urine, blood plasma)

integrated sample preparation and analysis

low system price

small footprint (no specialist skills or cold storage requirements)

Press release: ENIGMA DIAGNOSTICS SHOWCASES ITS UNIQUE FULLY AUTOMATED rtPCR BASED ML (MINI-LABORATORY) INSTRUMENT FOR POINT-OFCARE TESTING AT MEDICA 2009... (.pdf)

Product page: Enigma ML ...

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Nanopillars Capture Circulating Tumor Cells

2009-11-19T08:32:21Z

Well, we're back with more circulating tumor cell (CTC) news. This one comes from a new study published by UCLA scientists that describes a new technology to capture CTCs for analysis. The device is a silicon chip covered in nano-pillars coated with a special antibody to cause circulating tumor cells to stick. The chip can then be used with existing lab technology to analyze the collected tumor cells. The new device is faster and will hopefully be cheaper than similar existing technology.

Metastatic disease is usually identified by performing biopsies of solid metastatic tumors. This is often late in the disease, however, and it's better to identify metastatic disease earlier (such as by detecting CTCs) so that treatment can possibly be more effective.

More info from the press release:

In a study published this month in the journal Angewandte Chemie, the UCLA team developed a 1-by-2-centimeter silicon chip that is covered with densely packed nanopillars and looks like a shag carpet. To test cell-capture performance, researchers incubated the nanopillar chip in a culture medium with breast cancer cells. As a control, they performed a parallel experiment with a cell-capture method that uses a chip with a flat surface. Both structures were coated with anti-EpCAM, an antibody protein that can help recognize and capture tumor cells.
The researchers found that the cell-capture yields for the UCLA nanopillar chip were significantly higher; the device captured 45 to 65 percent of the cancer cells in the medium, compared with only 4 to 14 percent for the flat device.

Read the press release here...

Read the abstract here...

CTC flashbacks: Microchips for Tumor Detection, CellTraffix Aims to Cleanse Blood of CA, Collect Stem Cells, Watching Circulating Tumor Cell Count Helps Predict Breast Cancer Development

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Scientists Embed Organisms With Light Sensitive Paralysis Switch

2009-11-19T08:32:15Z

Scientists out of Simon Fraser University in Canada have developed a chemical switch that can paralyze C. elegans nematodes and bring them back to mobility when triggered by an external light.

The JACS report describes development and successful testing of a photoswitch composed of the light-sensitive material, dithienylethene. The scientists grew transparent, pinhead-sized worms (C. elegans) and fed them a dithienylethene. When exposed to ultraviolet light, the worms turned blue and became paralyzed. When exposed to visible light, the dithienylethene became colorless again and the worms' paralysis ended. Many of the worms lived through the paralyze-unparalyze cycle. Scientists were not sure how the switch causes paralysis. The study demonstrates that photoswitches may have great potential in turning photodynamic therapy on and off, and for other applications in medicine and research, they indicate.

Abstract in Journal of American Chemical Society: A Photocontrolled Molecular Switch Regulates Paralysis in a Living Organism

Full story: New on-off 'switch' triggers and reverses paralysis in animals with a beam of light ...

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Tactile Sensors Expand Ability of Prosthetic Technology

2009-11-19T08:00:02Z

Researchers at Lund University in Sweden and Scuola Superiore Sant'Anna in Italy are continuing development of the Smart Hand prosthesis that features sensors and a feedback mechanism to bring feeling to patients equipped with the device. The prosthesis uses severed nerves as a channel for controlling motion and for sending sensory information from fingertips back to the brain.

Here's a look from the BBC of the Smart Hand system:

The Morbid Business of Dealing in Dead People

2009-11-19T08:00:01Z

In a recent issue of Economic Sociology:The European Electronic Newsletter Michel Anteby of Harvard Business School discusses the considerations involved in building a cadaver market for medical schools and research purposes. Cadavers cannot be bought and sold unlike other things on the market, so unusual approaches are taken by institutions to obtain a regular supply.

A tidbit from the article:

However, trying to address the question of a shortage of cadavers often means facing the taboo on trading human anatomical goods (Delmonico et al. 2002; Scheper-Hughes 2000; Steiner 2006; Titmuss 1971). Blood, organs, and cadavers are generally thought to be better left untouched by market dynamics. Their sacredness sets them apart from other traded goods. As Philippe Steiner recently reminded us in this newsletter, he began researching organ donation because of the stringency of the ban on market transactions for organs (Steiner 2009). In essence, many would argue that blood, organs, and cadavers should not be considered goods.
That said, the demand for cadavers remains strong, and numerous ideas have been voiced to augment the supply. As an illustration, there is an ongoing debate about the impact of using financial incentives for donors or their families to encourage anatomical donations (Clay and Block 2002; Delmonico et al. 2002; Harrington and Sayre 2006; Obermann 1998). Similarly, surveys of potential whole-body donors seek to gain insight into the reluctance to donate and how better to educate potential donors (Boulware et al. 2004; Richardson and Hurwitz 1995; Sanner 1994). By understanding the reluctance to donate, the hope is that the root causes of such reluctance might be addressed.

We recall that Howard Stern once ran a "cadaverothon" on his radio show when news came out that Yale and Harvard med schools were running low on bodies.

Link: A Market for Human Cadavers in All but Name?

(hat tip: WSJ Health Blog)

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Quantum Dots Light Up Internal Cellular Activities

2009-11-18T08:43:12Z

If we could continuously monitor conditions inside individual cells, we would open a host of new research tools and diagnostic modalities. And that is what investigators from the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) and the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) are trying to accomplish. The biophysics researchers analyzed how bioconjugated nanocrystals, or quantum dots, fluoresce in various environments over an extended period of time. And since these particles can be attached to just about any protein, they might offer a bright future for intracellular monitoring.

For their recent study, the team focused primarily on characterizing quantum dot properties, contrasting them with other imaging techniques. In one example, they employed quantum dots designed to target a specific type of human red blood cell protein that forms part of a network structure in the cell’s inner membrane. When these proteins cluster together in a healthy cell, the network provides mechanical flexibility to the cell so it can squeeze through narrow capillaries and other tight spaces. But when the cell gets infected with the malaria parasite, the structure of the network protein changes.
“Because the clustering mechanism is not well understood, we decided to examine it with the dots,” says NIAID biophysist Fuyuki Tokumasu. “We thought if we could develop a technique to visualize the clustering, we could learn something about the progress of a malaria infection, which has several distinct developmental stages.”

The team’s efforts revealed that as the membrane proteins bunch up, the quantum dots attached to them are induced to cluster themselves and glow more brightly, permitting scientists to watch as the clustering of proteins progresses. More broadly, the team found that when quantum dots attach themselves to other nanomaterials, the dots’ optical properties change in unique ways in each case. They also found evidence that quantum dot optical properties are altered as the nanoscale environment changes, offering greater possibility of using quantum dots to sense the local biochemical environment inside cells.

Image: Human red blood cells, in which membrane proteins are targeted and labeled with quantum dots, reveal the clustering behavior of the proteins. The number of purple features, which indicate the nuclei of malaria parasites, increases as malaria development progresses. The NIST logo at bottom was made by a photo lithography technique on a thin film of quantum dots, taking advantage of the property that clustered dots exhibit increased photoluminescence. (White bars: 1 μm; red: 10 μm.)

Press release: Small Nanoparticles Bring Big Improvement to Medical Imaging ...

Abstract in WIREs Nanomedicine and Nanobiotechnology: Probing dynamic fluorescence properties of single and clustered quantum dots toward quantitative biomedical imaging of cells

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Philips Releases New BiliChek Transcutaneous Bilirubin Measurement System

2009-11-18T08:33:58Z

Philips Respironics has announced the release of a new model of the BiliChek bilirubin measurement system that can noninvasively detect and quantify jaundice in newborns. Marketed under the Philips Children's Medical Ventures brand, the device uses light to measure total serum bilirubin levels in skin though a special touching tip sensor.

Features of the new BiliChek:

Ergonomic design, slimmer and lighter, improves dexterity for easier measurements

LCD color screen is perfect for operating in the low-light levels of a nursery

Easy-to-read, step-by-step instructions, graphics and a faster measurement system increase proficiency and productivity

Numeric key pad allows user to enter or attach patient or nurse information to the patient's bilirubin measurement

On-board help system walks user through the measurement process and provides access to the online help menu

New BiliChek provides an option to interface with hospital charting or laboratory information systems

Barcode scanner allows for accurate entry and verification of nurse and patient identification information

New, less touch-sensitive tip allows for easier readings with reduced error

Integral, long-lasting, rechargeable lithium battery

Press release: Philips Introduces New BiliChek to Assess Risk for Leading Cause of Jaundice in Newborns ...

Product page: BiliChek ...

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Nanotech Exterminators: Scientists Capture, Destroy Cancer Cells in Bloodstream

2009-11-18T08:30:43Z

A research team led by folks from the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences used a combination of preprogrammed nanoparticles and external magnets to capture and collect circulating tumor cells (CTCs) within blood vessels. Additionally, they were able to use laser light to kill CTCs that were accumulated under the skin by magnets placed near the surface.

Vladimir Zharov, director of the Phillips Classic Laser and Nanomedicine Laboratory at UAMS, said his team of researchers can inject a cocktail of magnetic and gold nanoparticles with a special biological coating into the bloodstream to target circulating tumor cells. A magnet attached to the skin above peripheral blood vessels can then capture the cells.

Once the tumor cells are targeted and captured by the magnet, they can either be microsurgically removed from vessels for further genetic analysis or can be noninvasively eradicated directly in blood vessels by laser irradiation through the skin that is still safe for normal blood cells.

A second related discovery by Zharov’s team was published in Cancer Research in October. It demonstrated that periodic laser irradiation of blood vessels decreases the level of circulating metastatic tumor cells more than 10 times and eventually led to an interruption of metastasis development in distant organs.

Press release: Nanotechnology Team Captures Tumor Cells in Bloodstream ...

Abstract in Nature Nanotechnology: In vivo magnetic enrichment and multiplex photoacoustic detection of circulating tumour cells

Abstract in Cancer Research: In vivo, Noninvasive, Label-Free Detection and Eradication of Circulating Metastatic Melanoma Cells Using Two-Color Photoacoustic Flow Cytometry with a Diode Laser

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News: Ancient Egyptians Also Suffered from Atherosclerosis

2009-11-18T08:22:21Z

Lately vascular disease has been blamed on our modern diet, but new research on Egyptian mummies suggests that it has existed for thousands of years. A team of Egyptian and American researchers ran 22 mummies from the Egyptian National Museum of Antiquities through a CT scanner. What they discovered was that over half of those that had recognizable vasculature also had either definite or highly probable atherosclerosis.

MedPage Today reports on the mummies studied:

They dated from 1981 BC to 334 AD. Of the 16 for which social status could be determined, all were from a high social class. They were either members of the pharaoh's court or priests and priestesses.
Evidence of vascular tissue was found in only 16; four had an intact heart.

Definite atherosclerosis -- defined as calcification in the wall of a clearly identifiable artery -- was present in five of the mummies. Probable atherosclerosis -- defined as calcification along the expected course of an artery -- was found in another four.

Atherosclerosis was significantly more common in the mummies estimated to be at least 45 when they died (87% versus 25%, P=0.029), but it was equally likely in men and women.

More details from MedPage Today: AHA: Mummies Show Evidence of Vascular Disease...

Abstract in JAMA: Computed Tomographic Assessment of Atherosclerosis in Ancient Egyptian Mummies

Flashbacks: CT Suggests King Tutankhamen Died from an Infected Leg Wound ; One of The Oldest Medical Mysteries May Have Been Solved

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