Wednesday, November 7, 2012

Guest Post: The Future Medical Technology

With the increase in usage of technology in every field, the process and innovation is continued in the medicine field as well. The creative ideas and various new procedures have opened the gateway to create a solution and resolve many problems.

To have a bright future in medical technology active participation and involvement of medical practitioners in the development of new innovative technologies is very important. These technologies will help in simplifying and enhancing the process of medical treatment.

The following are a few medical treatments and technologies which are under usage and still some innovations are carried out by the inventors, soon new technologies could emerge in the future.

Robotic surgery
Robotically-assisted surgery was developed to overcome both the limitations of minimally invasive surgery or to enhance the capabilities of surgeons performing open surgery. In the case of robotically assisted minimally invasive surgery, instead of directly moving the instruments, the surgeon uses one of two methods to control the instruments; either a direct telemanipulator or by computer control.
Robotic surgery. (Picture from: http://omgtoptens.com/)
A telemanipulator is a remote manipulator that allows the surgeon to perform the normal movements associated with the surgery whilst the robotic arms carry out those movements using end-effectors and manipulators to perform the actual surgery on the patient.
The da Vinci Surgical System. (Picture from: http://www.siasat.pk/)
In computer-controlled systems the surgeon uses a computer to control the robotic arms and its end-effectors, though these systems can also still use telemanipulators for their input. One advantage of using the computerised method is that the surgeon does not have to be present, indeed the surgeon could be anywhere in the world, leading to the possibility for remote surgery.
Robotic surgery layout. (Picture from: http://www.howstuffworks.com/)
With many innovations and new technologies surgical field is now being overtaken by many traditional approaches and open surgeries. To reach the organs and perform operations on it, surgeons had to make use of large surgical cut which often require long period to recover and could generate scars on the skin. But with the evolution of high end robotic surgery many complex procedures can be simplified with minimal invasive treatments.  Many surgeons are anticipating the growth in future of robotic surgery.

Laparoscopic and endoscopic surgery
Laparoscopic surgery, also called minimally invasive surgery (MIS), bandaid surgery, or keyhole surgery, is a modern surgical technique in which operations in the abdomen are performed through small incisions (usually 0.5–1.5 cm) as opposed to the larger incisions needed in laparotomy.
Laparoscopy (also called-Keyhole Surgery or Minimally invasive surgery). (Picture from: http://www.singleincisionlapchole.com/)
Keyhole surgery makes use of images displayed on TV monitors to magnify the surgical elements. Laparoscopic surgery includes operations within the abdominal or pelvic cavities, whereas keyhole surgery performed on the thoracic or chest cavity is called thoracoscopic surgery. Laparoscopic and thoracoscopic surgery belong to the broader field of endoscopy.
Laparoscopes and endocamera. (Picture from: http://www.singleincisionlapchole.com/)
Endoscopy means looking inside and typically refers to looking inside the body for medical reasons using an endoscope, an instrument used to examine the interior of a hollow organ or cavity of the body. Unlike most other medical imaging devices, endoscopes are inserted directly into the organ. Endoscopy can also refer to using a borescope in technical situations where direct line of-sight observation is not feasible.

There are a number of advantages to the patient with laparoscopic surgery versus an open procedure. These include reduced pain due to smaller incisions and hemorrhaging, and shorter recovery time.

In this surgery, operation in the abdomen is performed with minimal incisions. This laparoscopic surgery belongs to the field of endoscopic technology. There are a number of advantages to the patient with laparoscopic surgery versus an open procedure. These include reduced pain due to smaller incisions and hemorrhaging, and shorter recovery time.

Bronchial valve treatment
This is one of the lung treatment methods that used implantable bronchial valves. This takes only minimal invasive treatment in emphysema, here the bronchial valve is an implantable device and used as a self-expanding device which redirects the diseased lung tissue by obstructing air flow only in some particular targeted segments.
The IBV (Intra Bronchial Valves) Valve System is designed to limit airflow to the portions of the lungs distal to the valve, while still allowing mucous and air movement in the proximal direction for the treatment of diseased or damaged lungs. (Picture from: http://www.olympus.es/)
The IBV Valve appearance and nomenclature. (Picture from: http://www.ctsnet.org/)
The valve is an implantable, self-expanding device and the frame is made of nitinol. The five distal prongs provide stability and anchoring. The proximal portion is made up of six support struts that are covered by a thin polymer membrane. The membrane covered struts form an umbrella shape that allows conformation and sealing with the airway with minimal pressure on the mucosa. The valve is designed to limit distal airflow, yet the membrane and struts compress to allow air and mucus to flow out of the occluded segment around the umbrella. The valve design includes a central rod that allows removal if needed.
Catheter loaded with compressed valve extending from the flexible bronchoscope.  The tip of the valve removal rod is seated against the tip of the deployment stabilization rod. (Picture from: http://www.ctsnet.org/)
The valve is deployed via flexible bronchoscopy using a catheter delivery system. The catheter system is supplied in a sterile tray with the valve in a loading housing. The loading housing allows compression of the valve into the 2.2 mm flexible delivery catheter. The catheter has a flexible internal rod which stabilizes the valve while the outer sheath of the catheter is withdrawn to release the valve. This feature allows the operator to accurately place the valve in the tapering airways under direct vision.  The catheter size requires using a flexible bronchoscope with a working channel of 2.6 mm or greater.  There was concern that the larger bronchoscope would not be able to access all the segmental airways desired for treatment but this concern was unfounded.
Appearance of an unfolded IBV valve and endoscopic view after its placement. (Picture from: http://www.archbronconeumol.org/)
This is used as a valve removal and replacement of the diseased tissue. Many surgeons are trying to advance this technology with sophisticated and innovative devices.

The following are a few tips for a better medical technology:
  • Identify needs: To get success in your innovation, identifying clinical needs is essential.  This should be evaluated after performing continuous research on medical conundrums faced by various patients.
  • Provide specification and validation: Now after identifying the needs the next step should be to start accomplishing required specifications and validations. Consider collecting ideas from different perspectives to fully understand the patients issue.
  • Generate creative ideas: Coming up with creative ideas can be possible only when you discuss your needs, ideas with an open minded community. The community should encompass a mix of different people having some depth clinical knowledge.
  • Demonstration: This is again an important step of putting your ideas and innovations collected from many inventors; here the committee must be capable of demonstrating the expected device.
  • Developing plan: Get the right kind of software that is necessary to develop new medical technology and have a multidisciplinary team. Further, the team may have to be subdivided into multiple levels depending on the job and knowledge.
If you need any short-term fiscal to meet your needs, develop plans, get medical treatment or to fund your innovative projects take help from cash loans uk to get quick cash, you can repay this amount after you receive your next paycheque. *** [By: MICHELLE RYAN | FROM VARIOUS SOURCES | EDITOR: EKA]
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    About the author:
    Michelle Ryan, financial guest blogger. 
    At present she is focusing on cash loans uk.
    And catch her @financeport.
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