Implants

Article • Experts explore the future of CSP, CRT, ICD

Implantable cardiac devices: which techniques are ready for prime time?

Opposing views on new implantable cardiac devices were aired in a Great Debate session at the European Society of Cardiology’s annual 2024 congress in London. Experts discussed emerging techniques and technologies and debated whether they are actually ready for clinical application. At the core of the session was the issue of whether conduction system pacing (CSP) should replace cardiac…

News • Regenerative materials

Paving the way for personalized, blood-based, 3D-printed implants

A newly developed ‘biocooperative’ material based on blood can guide key processes taking place during the natural healing of tissues to create living materials that enhance tissue regeneration.

News • Research on bearing materials

Hip replacement: Study shows which implants are built to last

New research has identified hip implant materials with the lowest risk of needing revision, helping hospitals, surgeons and patients to choose what hip implant to use for replacement surgery.

News • Photothermal disinfection

Frying bacteria on implants with tiny gold radiators

New technology shows promise in protecting an implant against infections from resistant bacteria: By heating up small nanorods of gold with near-infrared light (NIR), the bacteria are killed.

News • Planning of implant positioning

Force sensor to improve hip replacement surgery

A sensor that measures forces passing through the hip joint could help surgeons assess and balance the soft tissues before performing hip implant surgery, leading to more accurate implant positioning.

News • Highly entangled polymer networks

3D printing heart bandages, custom implants and more

A band-aid for the heart? US researchers have developed a new way to 3D print material that is at once elastic, tough, and shapable enough to fit a patient’s unique heart or joint defects.

News • Biomaterial-based device

Heart valve made of human collagen opens up new treatment avenues

A new heart valve comprised of biological material obtained from human cells, opens up new therapeutic avenues for patients with paediatric heart diseases, such as tetralogy of Fallot.

News • New technology approach

‘Personalised’ hip replacements to improve outcomes

Using advanced technology from the automotive and manufacturing industries, researchers are driving medical advancement to create ‘personalised’ hip replacements.

News • Circumferential bioelectronics

A ‘wraparound’ implant to treat spinal cord injuries

A tiny, flexible electronic device that wraps around the spinal cord could represent a new approach to the treatment of spinal injuries, which can cause profound disability and paralysis.

News • Minimally invasive procedure

Aortic valve replacement: TAVR on par with surgical approach

Decreased rates of death and stroke: new research shows the validity of transcatheter aortic valve replacement in low-risk patients. This advocates a less invasive alternative to surgical options.

News • Potential fix for intertrochanteric fractures

Bionic nail to reduce femur fracture complications

Traditional fixation techniques often fall short in addressing the mechanical challenges of unstable intertrochanteric femur fractures. A new nail aims to fix this issue.

News • Implant and app

New device monitors bladder fullness

A new bioelectronic sensor enables continuous monitoring of bladder function. This could be a game-changer for people with paralysis, spina bifida, bladder cancer or end-stage bladder disease.

News • Inflammatory flareup detection

Crohn's disease: Implantable sensor could lead to timelier treatment

A team of Northwestern University scientists has developed the first wireless, implantable temperature sensor to detect inflammatory flareups in patients with Crohn’s disease.

Endoprostheses for elderly and frail patients: Preparation is half the battle

An ageing population and modern lifestyle conditions have greatly increased the case numbers for hip arthroplasty. To prevent complications, it is important for orthopaedic surgeons to identify high-risk patients and take proper precautions. At the Heraeus symposium at DKOU, two experts explored the special measures that should be taken to ensure better outcomes for elderly and frail patients.

News • Promising prototype solution

An artificial heart valve that grows with the child

Many children born with heart problems receive prosthetic valves, but the valves cannot grow with them. A prototype expanding artificial heart valve could greatly reduce the number of surgeries.

News • Researchers look into mammoplasty aftereffects

Immune system disorders after silicone breast implant surgery

Russian scientists have conducted a comprehensive examination of why some women present with autoimmune conditions after silicone augmentation mammoplasty.

News • Insulin and oxygen production

An implantable device for injection-free diabetes control

Engineers from MIT are developing a device containing insulin-producing cells and a tiny oxygen-producing factory to keep the cells of diabetes patients healthy.

News • Intratumoral approach for hard-to-treat glioma

Microdevices implanted into tumor to help treat brain cancer

A new type of microdevice could offer new ways to treat brain cancer. The shape and size of a grain of rice, it is implanted into a tumor to study the effects of ongoing therapies.

News • Device and software

New prototype to take the guess work out of spinal surgery

Spinal fusion is a highly invasive surgery where an implant is placed in the spine to prevent movement between bones. Currently, failure rate is high, but a new prototype device could change this.

News • Bioreactor approach

Can an artificial kidney free patients from dialysis?

A new approach to treating kidney failure could one day free people from needing dialysis or having to take harsh drugs to suppress their immune system after a transplant.

News • Implantable device for severe heart failure

Soft robotic heart: €10 million grant for research

The consortium Holland Hybrid Heart will receive €10 million to develop a soft robotic heart suitable for transplantation.

News • Size-changing and personalised

Researchers create 4D printed implants for efficient breast cancer management

Researchers from Queen’s University Belfast have created personalised 4D printed “smart” implants for breast cancer management - a first for this technology.

News • Soft, wireless implant

A dissolving cardiac device that monitors and treats heart disease

A new device could monitor and treat heart disease and dysfunction in the days, weeks or months following traumatic heart-related events — and harmlessly dissolve afterwards.

News • Joint implant material

Biodegradable gel shows promise for cartilage regeneration

A gel that combines both stiffness and toughness is a step forward in the bid to create biodegradable implants for joint injuries, according to new research from the University of British Columbia.

News • Focused Rotary Jet Spinning

Rapid-production heart valves control blood flow immediately after implantation

A new method for cheaply producing heart valves in the span of minutes shows great promise. The scientists describe the method as "a cotton-candy machine with a hair dryer behind it."

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