A new study has found that currently acceptable methods of reprocessing reusable bronchoscopes left most devices contaminated and damaged. “The results are worrisome as patients undergoing bronchoscopy are commonly at high risk for infection due to transplant status, critical illness, or immune-suppression due to malignancy or chronic disease,” said the study, funded by 3M and
Medtech stories we missed this week: June 8, 2018
June 8, 2018 By Leave a Comment
From Royal Philips receiving FDA clearance to NeuroPace launching its epilepsy treatment device, here are seven medtech stories we missed this week but thought were still worth mentioning. 1. FDA clears Philips’s Ingenia Elition 3.0T MR scanner Royal Philips announced in a June 5 press release that it has received FDA 510(k) clearance for its Ingenia
How ingestible bacteria-on-a-chip could diagnose gastrointestinal diseases
May 25, 2018 By Leave a Comment
Massachusetts Institute of Technology researchers have developed an ingestible sensor that has engineered bacteria that can diagnose bleeding in the stomach and has the potential to diagnose other gastrointestinal problems. The system, being called bacteria-on-a-chip, uses sensors with living cells and ultra-low power electronics that can convert a bacterial response into wireless signals that can
These building blocks are making plug-and-play diagnostic devices
May 24, 2018 By Leave a Comment
Massachusetts Institute of Technology researchers have created a set of modular blocks that can be connected in different configurations to create diagnostic devices. The devices are considered plug-and-play and can test blood glucose levels, detect viral infection and other diseases. “Our long-term motivation is to enable small, low-resources laboratories to generate their own libraries of
Smartphone-based device could detect retinopathy at home
May 17, 2018 By Leave a Comment
University of California at Berkeley researchers have developed a smartphone-based device that examines the retina and acts as a user-friendly version of the optometrist’s ophthalmoscope. Daniel Fletcher and his students developed the handheld ophthalmoscope by pairing the imaging capabilities of a smartphone with software that is designed to examine the retina. “The advanced technology built
This portable device detects low white blood cell counts
May 14, 2018 By Leave a Comment
Massachusetts Institute of Technology researchers have developed a portable device that has the potential to be used to monitor white blood cell levels at home without the need for blood samples. A sharp drop in white blood cell counts is a major side effect of chemotherapy, leaving patients with the potential of developing a serious
Medtech stories we missed this week: May 11, 2018
May 11, 2018 By Leave a Comment
From ReShape submitting an approval application to Health Canada to Conavi receiving FDA clearance, here are seven medtech stories we missed this week but thought were still worth mentioning. 1. ReShape submits for Health Canada approval of ReShape balloon ReShape announced in a May 10 press releasethat it has submitted an application to the Medical Devices Bureau of
Itamar Medical launches cloud-based sleep apnea monitoring system
May 8, 2018 By Leave a Comment
Itamar Medical recently launched its cloud-based sleep apnea patient care pathway management tool called SleePath. The system is specifically designed for the cardiology market to help cardiologists monitor patients with atrial fibrillation (AF) sleep apnea management status and the patient’s compliance with continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) machines. Managing sleep apnea effectively is important for improving
The 10 hottest medtech startups of 2018
April 27, 2018 By Leave a Comment
There’s a complaint sometimes that innovation is too incremental in the medical device industry. But don’t tell that to the people running the 10 companies included in Medical Design & Outsourcing and MassDevice’s list of the hottest medtech startups of 2018. Our editors came up with a list of 20 interesting young companies. We then
This visor-like device could be a defibrillator for stroke
April 10, 2018 By Leave a Comment
A portable, visor-like device has shown potential for detecting emergent large-vessel occlusion with 92% accuracy in patients who may have had a stroke. The researchers suggest that the diagnostic device could be readily accessible to emergency personnel and in public spaces in the same way a defibrillator is available for treating heart attacks. Researchers and
Medtech stories we missed this week: April 6, 2018
April 6, 2018 By Leave a Comment
From CHF Solutions’s distribution deal to Guided Therapeutics’s licensing agreement, here are seven medtech stories we missed this week but throught were still worth mentioning. 1. CHF inks Spanish distribution deal CHF Solutions announced in an April 5 press release that it has signed a distribution agreement with Dimedix Surgical. The distribution agreement will allow
These sweat patches can tell when you are tired, among other things
April 3, 2018 By Leave a Comment
A new organization called NextFlex has teamed up with GE Global Research and is looking to scale up hybrid, flexible electronics called sweat patches that measure fatigue in pilots, elite athletes and other potential medical users — all by analyzing their sweat. NextFlex is a young entity and an unusual one. Founded in 2015, the
Allina Health and Zipnosis partner to expand online care platform
March 30, 2018 By Leave a Comment
Minneapolis-based Allina Health and Zipnosis have recently partnered to update Allina Health’s online diagnosis and treatment service. Allina Health — a major Twin Cities health system — recently launched its Everyday Online platform that is powered by virtual care company Zipnosis. Allina Health Everyday Online is designed to bring convenient access to patients through Minnesota and Western Wisconsin.
Why partnerships between medtech companies and doctors are so important
March 30, 2018 By Leave a Comment
As new devices and technologies are being developed in the medtech industry, doctors and physicians have to learn about the devices on platforms that are different from what they know. One way to help make the healthcare provider’s transition into using new devices easier is to forge a partnership between the industry and the physician,
This wearable system continuously monitors stomach activity
March 28, 2018 By Leave a Comment
California researchers have created an electrocardiogram-like system for the gastrointestinal tract that monitors electrical activity in the stomach over a 24-hour period. The system is a wearable, non-invasive system that provides GI activity monitoring outside of clinical settings while increasing the chance of identifying abnormal activity. It is a 3D printed portable box that is
