[Image from Cerebrotech Medical Systems]
7. Visor for pre-hospital stroke diagnosis
A visor that is used for pre-hospital stroke diagnosis is expected to be a top innovation for 2019. Dr. Mark Bain, a doctor at the Neurological Institute at the Cleveland Clinic suggests that it could even become as prevalent as AEDs in public places.
“It’s hard to diagnose stroke in the field,” said Bain during the Cleveland Clinic’s 16th annual Medical Innovation Summit.
The visor is a noninvasive bioimpedance spectroscopy device that can pick up the changes and distribution of fluids in the brain. It is able to detect if someone is having a large stroke, a large bleed in the brain or swelling. It emits low-energy frequency waves through the brain. As waves move through the brain, the visor can detect changes in frequency, which can indicate a stroke or bleeding in the brain. Tests have shown 92% accuracy in determining if a patient has suffered a stroke. Traditional tests have 40-89% accuracy.
Bain suggests that the device will not eliminate mobile stroke units, but instead could be used in ambulances within the next few years. The goal is to get the device to be as inexpensive as possible.
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