A processing system said to pick up cardiac sounds and correlate these with any related abnormalities, e.g. valve defects, stenosis, fibrillation, septal defect, etc, has been developed by the US firm Biosignetics Corporation.
Europe - Every year, 4 million people die from cardiovascular disease (CVD) in Europe as a whole (as many as 800,000 of them under 65 years old) and, in the EU Member States, over 1.5 million people die annually from CVD.
Medication regimes based on cocktails of antiretroviral drugs can reduce the AIDS virus to almost undetectable levels.
The Biotronik Home Monitoring Service, which gained CE approval in May, has now monitored over 1,500 patients worldwide. Studies indicate that 88% of patients claim an increased sense of security due to the service.
Another new system introduced at Bad Reichenhall's city hospital, allows nurses to talk with patients and ascertain whether their calls are due to an emergency or for a non-urgent request.
Ethyl Chloride skin refrigerants made by the Gebauer Company, of Cleveland, Ohio (established over 100 years ago) have received the CE Mark of approval.
The biomechanical features of the human ankle inspired the design of a new safety tip called Fedrofuss.
G-ogo sport, a new innovation from Dr. Goettfert Systems, uses a pulsing magnetic field to stimulate cell metabolism.
Fifty years ago Henry Gibbon introduced a vital tool for cardiac surgery - the heart-lung machine. While pioneering efforts were made in the first half of the 20th century, this equipment enabled reproducible operations for either congenital or acquired heart disease in many patients.
For those without practised skills in using automatic external defibrillation (AED) and basic life support procedures, the prospect of coping with a case of sudden cardiac arrest is awesome.
2,871 aortic surgery procedures were carried out in Germany last year. 317 of these were on the aortic arch - and particularly dangerous.
A European study involving 500,000+ people aged between 25-70 years, in 20 European countries, has confirmed a connection between dietary fibre consumption and colon cancer protection.
Minimally invasive surgery (MIS), carried out through very small incisions, minimises patient trauma and shortens rehabilitation time.
The known global death toll due to the new virus (as of 1 July) was 811. Total number of cases 8447.
The seca 472 mobile stand.
Preoperative removal of hair from an operative site is important measures for avoiding postoperative wound infections.
UK - A hand-sized, electronic peak flow meter, which measures lung capacity and can be connected to a PDA mobile handset is being tested for use by asthma sufferers.
The Austrian Society for Surgery and associated societies will focus on oncology/MIS,
Robotic technology has helped to advance MIS - particularly for the very small anatomies of children. Among the newest innovations is the Socrates Robotic Telecollaboration System, which integrates telecommunication equipment, networked surgical devices and robotics, to enable remote teaching and surgical collaboration.
Komet Medical report that the firm's K-2000 saw blade has been further improved, and that a completely new blade geometry for 'Evolution' has been developed, to provide an even smoother and more controlled penetration into bone.
During the past decade total hip replacements have increased, even for younger patients with degenerative joint disease. Due to new bearing surfaces, such as the ceramics-ceramics combination, the range of postoperative free movements is gaining importance, particularly for younger patients.
Dry Cut, a new cutting mode produced specifically for transurethral resection of the prostate (TUR-P), has been launched by Erbe Elektromedizin, of Tubingen, Germany. This, with High Cut and Auto Cut, means that Erbes VIO System now offers the entire range of cutting qualities needed for TUR-P, TUR-B and TUV-P procedures, the firm reports.
An interview with Dr Andre Roggan, head of research and development at Celon AG, and Dr Markus Mueller, consultant at the Urology Clinic at the University Clinic Benjamin Franklin, Free University Berlin. Venue: 1st International Workshop on Radio-frequency Induced Thermotherapy (RFITT) for the treatment of BPH
Global sales of prescription and over-the-counter drugs grew 8% to $430.3 billion last year, according to the annual IMS World Review report, which tracks about 90% of all prescription drugs and certain over-the-counter products in over 80 countries.
Chemotherapy is used against various cancers and is often consideres as a last resort – especially if the cancer has metastasised. Since chemotherapy agents can cause severe side effects, research aims to make treatment more tolerable. Keep up-to-date with the latest research news, medical applications, and background information.
