Advanced laser technology

Mediclase manufactures and distributes sophisticated medical laser technology. The firm's DermaXel CO2 laser emits continuous or pulsed infrared radiation that is highly absorbed in water.

8th Swiss eHealthcare Congress

This two-day event, held in Notwil, Switzerland, in September, hosted over 1,600 participants and 80 exhibitors, and attracted about 100 more visitors than in 2007.

Web 2.0 makes the electronic health file look old

Web 2.0 is a 'buzz# phrase used to describe users' involvement with the Internet. This form of electronic exertion of influence is still fairly rare.

Re-organising an operating theatre

In September 2006, Dr Albrecht Bornscheuer (right) changed roles within the Hannover Medical School (MHH): the anaesthetist became a manager responsible for the coordination and capacity utilisation of the school's 41 operating theatres.

Virtual coloscopy

ulrich medical has announced the extension of its product portfolio by a CO2 Insufflator for virtual coloscopy by the end of this year.

Cardiohelp

Maquet has launched Cardiohelp, the world's smallest, lightest heart-lung machine, that can not only provide a total therapy solution for heart surgery, cardiology, intensive and emergency care, but also, due to its suitcase size and 10 kg weigh, the device can be carried by just one person onto a helicopter or ambulance for mo-bile use.

EurAsia Heart

The Swiss charity EurAsia Heart, founded in 2006 by cardiac surgeon Professor Paul Vogt MD, at Zurich University Hospital, emerged from numerous contacts being made with Asian heart surgeons at the beginning of 2000, and consequent invitations to perform surgery and lecture tours in China.

The sense of health statistics

Presidential candidates use them to persuade voters, drug companies use them to sell their products, and the media spin them in all kinds of ways, but nobody - candidates, reporters, let alone health consumers - understands them.

Orthopaedic surgery in France: cause for concern?

While consensus varies according to source as to the number of orthopaedic surgeons in France, all statistics point to a steady decline the numbers of qualified specialists and particularly in the numbers entering the specialty.

The whole diversity of breast cancer diagnostics

'Diagnostics is not diagnostics, not even when it relates to a specific indication such as breast cancer,' says Professor Walter Heindel MD (right), who heads the Munster Mammography and Breast Centre Reference Centre at Munster University Hospital, focusing on the dissimilarities among patient groups and their peculiarities.

Elastosonography and the detection of breast carcinomas

Professor Friedrich Degenhardt (right), Head of the Gynaecology Clinic at Franziskus Hospital, Bielefeld and the Cooperative Breast Centre Bielefeld-Herford, Germany, is using elastosonography to examine breast carcinomas. We asked him to outline present finding as to its value, future potential, and the current value of ultrasound in breast cancer detection.

Xarelto gains EU approval

The European Commission has granted marketing approval to the Bayer Group for Xarelto (rivaroxaban), an anticoagulant taken as one tablet, once-daily, to prevent venous thrombo-embolic events (VTE) in adults undergoing elective (planned) hip or knee replacement surgery.

Umbilical cord blood bank opens

The Anthony Nolan Trust Cord Blood Bank and combined research institute, opened in September at Nottingham Trent University, will store stem cells from the blood of newborn babies' umbilical cords as part of a multi-million pound project that aims to bank 50,000 cord bloods.

3-D textiles reduce pressure ulcer risk in the OR

Pressure ulcers are a risk for patients undergoing long surgical procedures. Gel pads, widely used to reduce this risk, are considered to have two major disadvantages: they compromise the patient's thermo regulation by "sucking" warmth from the body and they do not provide sufficient pressure reduction for prominent body parts.

Article • Patient safety & products

What's a dynamic mattress?

Dynamic mattresses, also called alternating air pressure mattresses or replacement mattress systems, have air cells that alternately inflate and deflate in a cycle to relieve pressure on the body.

Product effectively relieves pressure

During five years of practical experience, Johanna Meyer, Assistant Director of the Nursing Directorate at Gütersloh Municipal Hospital, Germany, has found that a pressure-relieving system made by MTS proved convenient for patients and nurses.

Minimising the risk of falling

By Hans Peter Hartl, member of the Nursing Directorate at the Department of Gerontopsychiatry, Mainkofen District Hospital, Germany.

Germany: Tackling contaminated water

Compared with private households, hospitals may only produce 10-20% of wastewater containing the residue of drugs; however, tackling the problem is very necessary.

Avian 'flu research suggests vaccine should be used now, not stockpiled

Governmental fear of an avian 'flu pandemic remains high, and a certain amount of vaccine has been stockpiled to meet sudden demand.

The 2008 European Health Forum Award

27 EU countries were represented in at least one of the eight short-listed entries for this award.

First European University Hospital - a viable proposition

In line of the MCC Hospital World 2008, the International Congress for Decision Makers in the Hospital Market, that took place in September in Berlin, Germany, several highly regarded speakers from international companies and hospital chains draw a picture of the demands and necessities of the future healthcare environment.

Techniken für ein eigenständiges Leben Daheim

Trotz der Einschränkungen, die ein hohes Alter mit sich bringt, eigenständig und selbstbestimmt leben: Der Kombination modernster Technik, Pflegedienstleistung und Hilfpersonal macht dies möglich. Die geschickte Verbindung von Pflegedienstleistungen, Hilfspersonal und moderner Technik bietet vielfältige Chancen, derartige neue Wohnkonzepte und Versorgungsmodelle zu…

Rehacare International 2008

The number 1 fair for people with special needs, those requiring care and the chronically ill the REHACARE 2008, takes place from 15 to 18 October, Halls 3 to 7 of the Düsseldorf Trade Fair.The event will host 800 exhibitors from 30 countries presenting assistive devices and services to facilitate independent living.

Care and patient safety

One of the major nursing congresses in the German-speaking countries is the Southern German Nursing Day which took place on 7 October 2008 at the University Hospital Munich. One focus of this year's event was the question whether and how modifications of and curtailing nursing services will impact patient safety.

A new tool for European patients

Last week, the Commissioner for Health, Androulla Vassiliou launched the 'Europe for Patients' campaign in Brussels. The campaign highlights the different health policy initiatives the Commission intends to adopt in the coming months. All these initiatives are bound by a common goal: better healthcare for all in Europe.