Anesthesiology and Pulmonary Medicine
Rethinking the Standard Device Pre-Clinical Testing Paradigm for Combination Products
March 23, 2010 9:58 am | by Drs. Donald F. Palme II and Linda Hansen | WuXi AppTec | Articles | CommentsTraditional testing procedures are satisfactory for the majority of today's medical devices. However, with combination products, testing can become a significantly greater challenge.
Perspectives on Lean Manufacturing, Part II
January 22, 2010 10:59 am | Articles | CommentsLean manufacturing can help companies eliminate waste, reduce costs, and improve timeliness.
Shining a New Light on Surgical Procedures
October 5, 2009 6:19 am | by Paul Scheidt and Dave Medinis | Articles | CommentsMaintaining a well-lit field of view during surgical procedures has traditionally been accomplished with Xenon bulb technology. However, this solution brings with it a number of concerns that impacts both the surgical team and the patient.
Use of Expanded PTFE Membranes in Medical Filtration
August 28, 2009 12:02 pm | by Eric C. Wigner and Keith Fritsky | W.L. Gore & Associates | Articles | CommentsPTFE and ePTFE offer medical device manufacturers a range of benefits for their finished products. Using the material as a filtration media, it is ideally suited to several application areas, such as in drug delivery, urine collection, and laparoscopic surgery.
Respiratory Motion Tracking for Robotic Radiosurgery
August 5, 2009 10:44 am | by Calvin R. Maurer, Jr., Ph.D. | Articles | CommentsTumors in the thorax and abdomen move up to several centimeters during respiration. This intra-fraction motion impacts all forms of external beam radiation therapy and is an issue that is becoming increasingly important in the era of image-guided radiotherapy.
Miniaturization in the Medical Interconnect Market
August 5, 2009 10:44 am | by Anthony Kalaijakis | Hypertronics | Articles | CommentsFour men and one woman reduced to a microscopic fraction of their original size, boarding a miniaturized atomic sub and being injected into a dying man's carotid artery.
Electronic Device Design, Part II
May 13, 2009 8:19 am | Omnetics Connector Corp. | Articles | CommentsMore medical devices are being designed with electronic components that enhance the overall functionality and/or efficiency of the product. It is interesting to theorize where these electronics may take healthcare.
Piezo Motor Based Medical Devices
April 2, 2009 5:33 am | by Ralph Weber | Articles | CommentsPiezo motor technology is still in its relatively early stages of application development, but is already demonstrating the tremendous value and functionality it offers in medical devices. These motors are very small, yet enable long-range and precise motion.
Creating Software Users Will Love
March 17, 2009 11:14 am | by Meaghan Beirne, Monique Gatner, and Dr. Melanie Rodney | Articles | CommentsA solid design can go a long way in the success of a product. Similarly, a solidly designed software solution that provides a true user-friendly experience can also lead to a very successful product.
Healthcare at Home (Part II)
January 14, 2009 9:26 am | Analog Devices | Articles | CommentsA major trend in medicine is to move treatments and monitoring out of the hospital or even the doctor's office and either attach them to the patient or enable it to be done in the home. Of course, this relies on medical device technology in order to make it possible.
Perspectives on Looking Back and What's Ahead (Part I)
December 11, 2008 7:34 am | by Elfie Schwarzinger | Mega Electronics, Inc. | Articles | CommentsThis year has presented a variety of important headlines affecting everyone throughout the medical device industry, whether centered around emerging technologies, challenges in finance, or legal affairs. Further, it is exciting to wonder what the coming new year will bring.
Keeping Track of Surgical Instruments
November 10, 2008 6:52 am | by John Lewis | Articles | CommentsThe Project: Effectively read a 2D Data Matrix barcode off surgical instruments that differ in terms of reflectivity and shape. The Solution: Use an ID reader that employs an innovative combination of lighting, software, and optics to achieve success.
Patent Protection 101
October 13, 2008 12:07 pm | Articles | CommentsPatent protection is an aspect of business that concerns many, but truly understood by few. It is a critical piece of any new technology development venture and as such, engineers must be aware of the steps they need to take to safeguard an invention against competitors or counterfeiters.
The Beat Goes On
September 10, 2008 8:32 am | Articles | CommentsThe Project: Develop a more sophisticated approach to the design and development process beyond the build-and-test method for a novel cardiac pump device. The Solution: Use FEA software to test a variety of different variables that need to be examined for a successful design of the device.
Cutting the Size and Weight of Surgical Devices
August 21, 2008 9:54 am | Articles | CommentsThe Project: Replace the previously used alkaline battery packs to power a surgical bone drill with a more efficient alternative. The Solution: Utilize high power lithium batteries to make cordless bone drills lighter, more powerful, and more ergonomically designed.
RFID Solution Enhances Safety in Surgery
August 12, 2008 8:13 am | Articles | CommentsPatient safety is of paramount importance during a surgical procedure, while avoiding preventable errors during the procedure can result in significant cost savings.
Brushless Blower Technology 101
May 8, 2008 8:41 am | Articles | CommentsVariable speed blowers offer a unique solution to several medical device systems requiring a fluctuating air flow. However, device designers are unlikely to be all that familiar with it.
Perspectives on Metal in Healthcare
May 6, 2008 11:38 am | Able Electropolishing Co., Inc. | Articles | CommentsMetal is a tried and true material used in a variety of applications in the human body because it offers strength, durability, and reliability. Unfortunately, like most materials, it also has its downside and new materials being introduced may become better alternatives.
The Piezo Solution for Vital Signs Monitoring
March 11, 2008 7:01 am | Articles | CommentsThe unique properties of piezo film as a dynamic strain sensor make it particularly well-suited to the detection of vital signs, whether mounted in direct contact with the skin or mechanically coupled through intervening layers.
Film Spot-On Solution for Laser
February 14, 2008 5:22 am | Product Releases | CommentsDornier MedTech, a pioneer and market leader in the urology market, selected Victrex APTIV film, made with Victrex Peek polymer, for the marking labels on reusable light conductors in its high-quality solid-state lasers.
Five Steps to Leak-Proof Testing Success
January 15, 2008 6:17 am | Intertech Development Company | Articles | CommentsThe testing of any medical device is critical to the overall design and development cycle in order to ensure its safety and effective performance. As such, companies need to be certain that the methods they use to perform these tests are as accurate and reliable as possible.
The Tubing Solution Behind Minimally Invasive Surgery
January 10, 2008 6:41 am | Articles | CommentsMinimally invasive surgery has been a growing trend in healthcare for some time. As such, manufacturers who provide devices to the medical community for these procedures need to stay abreast of the technologies available to enhance their products.
PEEK-OPTIMA Enables Enhanced Safety in Fracture Treatment Applications
December 17, 2007 8:23 am | Articles | CommentsOrthopedic technologies are dominated by metal materials in the fabrication of implants and other devices used in this sector. However, increasingly, advanced, high-performance plastics are enabling enhancements with regard to safety and functionality.
Enhancing the Medical Device Product Lifecycle Using Medical Simulators
November 13, 2007 6:42 am | Articles | CommentsVirtual reality simulators are often associated more with entertainment or video game technology than something that would serve a true medical benefit; however, that’s not proving to be the case when it comes to using simulators with medical devices.
Material Lends a Hand to Device Design
September 10, 2007 6:36 am | Product Releases | CommentsWhether it’s to improve the dexterity of video gamers or the motor functions of stroke survivors, the Xtensor device was designed to accommodate the upper-extremity therapeutic needs of virtually everyone. When Clinically Fit Inc.
