Medical Technology Archives

Top 10 Medical Advancements of 2023

We published an article on medical advancements in 2018, but five years have passed, and the advances in medicine have been astounding. Let’s look at some of the most significant medical advancements in recent years that have the potential to change medicine as we know it today!

CRISPR Gene Editing

Concept of treatment and adjustment of DNA molecule. — Wouldn’t it be great for medical scientists to replace bad genes with healthy ones?

Clustered Regularly Interspaced Short Palindromic Repeats, or CRISPR, is a fairly new biological process that allows scientists to modify the DNA of living organisms.

The name arises from clustered DNA sequences composed of a succession of repeats (short or long patterns of DNA, also RNA, that occur in multiple copies) separated by unique sequences called spacers.

It has made significant strides in genealogical research, but what is most appealing is its potential ability to cure certain diseases by editing faulty genes responsible for the disease.

CAR T-Cell Therapy

Cancer cell, CAR t-cell (lymphocyte) and red blood cells on red background. vector Poster about immunotherapy or chemotherapy cancer — Cancer cell and CAR t-cell (lymphocyte) and red blood cells. Photo: iStock

This therapy, technically called Chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T-cell therapy, uses a patient’s own immune cells to attack cancer cells. Your immune system keeps track of all the substances normally found in your body. Any substance the immune system doesn’t recognize triggers an alarm, causing the system to attack it.

More specifically, it is a way to get immune cells called T cells (a type of white blood cell) to fight cancer by changing them in the lab so they can find and destroy the bad cells.

CAR T-cell therapy is also sometimes called cell-based gene therapy because it involves altering the genes inside T cells to help them attack the carcinogen.

This type of treatment can be very helpful in treating some types of cancer, even when other treatments are no longer working.

3D Printing in Medicine

Man applying prosthetics arm to a patient — Image by RAEng_Publications from Pixabay

Most of us have already seen or heard of 3D printing, but how is it applied to medicine? 3D printing technology has already been used to create customized implants, prosthetics, and human organs. Let’s look at what 3D printing has done for the medical field, starting with the heart, as major accomplishments have been achieved in creating an actual 3D heart and some individual organs.

The 3D Heart

Doctors and scientists at Tel Aviv University in Israel have created the world’s first 3D-printed heart from human cells. This heart includes all the major components that connect to this life-and-death organ: the blood vessels, left and right ventricles, and its chambers.

At Stanford University, bioengineers are experimenting with living cells that will develop into living heart tissue using 3D printing.

But that’s not all. 3D printing that can replace defective or missing human organs is being researched worldwide. Let’s take a look.

1. Surgical Training
  Using 3D-printed anatomical models is undoubtedly the perfect training for medical professionals. Surgeons can now understand the patient’s anatomy more than ever before and improve surgical outcomes.
2. Prosthetics
  3D printing allows for the creation of personalized prosthetics, which is designed to match the anatomy of the individual perfectly. Not only is this a great advance for those who lose limbs due to diseases or accidents, but it is extremely helpful for over 150,000 veterans who would benefit from this technology.
3. Patient-Specific Implants: Surgeons can use 3D printing to create implants tailored to a patient’s unique anatomy. This is particularly valuable in complex cases where off-the-shelf implants may not fit optimally or provide the required level of support.
  3D bioprinter. iStock
4. Organ and Tissue Bioprinting: While still an evolving technology, 3D bioprinting holds great promise for creating functional human organs and tissues for transplantation. This could potentially alleviate the shortage of organ donors and reduce the risk of transplant rejection.
5. Drug Delivery Systems: 3D printing enables the production of complex drug delivery systems, such as personalized drug dosage forms or implants that release drugs gradually over time, improving treatment effectiveness and patient compliance.
6. Medical Devices: 3D printing allows for the rapid prototyping and production of medical devices, ranging from simple instruments to more complex tools used in surgeries or diagnostic procedures.
7. Orthotics and Wearables: Customized orthotic devices, such as braces and supports, can be easily produced using 3D printing technology, improving patient comfort and treatment outcomes.
8. Education and Research: 3D-printed models are valuable educational tools for medical students and researchers. They can help them learn anatomy, practice surgical techniques, and explore new treatment options.
9. Accessibility and Cost-Effectiveness: 3D printing can reduce the cost of manufacturing medical devices and prosthetics, making them more accessible to patients, especially in resource-constrained regions.
10. Emergency Medicine: In remote or disaster-stricken areas, 3D printing can quickly produce essential medical supplies or devices, helping to bridge the gap until conventional supply chains can be restored.

It’s important to note that while 3D printing has shown immense potential in the medical field, it also raises some ethical and regulatory considerations, especially concerning bioprinting and patient-specific implants. Therefore, ongoing research and responsible implementation are crucial to fully harnessing this technology’s benefits while upholding patient safety and ethical standards.

Precision Medicine

Precision medicine is a personalized approach to healthcare that considers a patient’s unique genetic, environmental, and lifestyle factors when diagnosing and treating disease. It has the potential to improve patient outcomes greatly.

Regenerative Medicine

Many animals can regenerate. Now, add humans to the list. Here, doctors use stem cells and other techniques to repair or replace damaged tissue or organs. This technique can potentially revolutionize the treatment of a wide range of diseases and injuries.

Liquid Biopsies

Liquid biopsies are a less invasive alternative to traditional biopsies and can detect cancer at an early stage. They are expected to become more widely used in the coming years.

Nanomedicine

Artist's rendering of nano robots interfacing with red blood cells — Artist’s illustration of nanomedicine robots inside a human artery flowing inside as a treatment for disease

No. Not Nano Nano from Mork and Mindy. This is mind-boggling stuff!
Nanomedicine involves using very tiny man-made devices called nanoparticles to deliver drugs and treat diseases at a cellular level. It has the potential to improve drug efficacy and reduce side effects greatly.

Virtual Reality Therapy

Virtual reality therapy is a type of therapy that uses immersive technology to help patients with mental health disorders, phobias, and chronic pain. It is effective in some cases and is expected to continue growing in popularity.

Artificial Intelligence

Illus — Doctors studying robotic AI to diagnose virtual Human Lungs with viruses spread inside

We saved the best for last! Artificial Intelligence. AI is used to improve diagnosis, develop personalized treatments, and streamline administrative tasks. It is expected to become more prevalent in the coming years.

One of the most significant advancements in medical AI is its potential to diagnose issues with much greater accuracy. Machine learning algorithms can now analyze X-rays, MRIs, and CT scans with a precision never imagined.

These AI programs are designed to detect subtle anomalies that doctors might miss. These faint but undoubtedly significant detections can provide more accurate diagnoses of cancer and other serious medical issues. Subsequently, they will allow medical professionals to detect life-threatening diseases much earlier.

Conclusion

We live in an exciting time for medical advancements, and there is no telling how far these technologies will take us. However, anyone who watches Star Trek may have a pretty good idea of what’s in store!

Medical Advancements of 2018

There is an expression termed Moore’s Law that states that the number of transistors in an integrated circuit doubles about every two years. What this means in layman’s terms is that the processing power of computers increases 100% every two years; hence, modern science has become the benefactor of this continuous increase of power. And medical technology is no stranger to this occurrence.

For as long as the human race has existed, we have been fortunate enough to have people who dedicate their lives to the well-being of others and when you combine these heroes of science with the ongoing medical breakthroughs, we have seen remarkable advancements in medicine in 2018.

As 2018 has come to an end, we think it is fitting that we spread the news of the notable advancements this year has brought us.

An Incredible Breakthrough with Cancer Vaccine

Illustration of Distance Perception — Bigstock

In February 2018, the researchers at Stanford University announced that they’ll begin testing their new cancer vaccine. The medical team led by Dr. Ronald Levy came up with a novel cancer therapy that managed to work its wonders on mice. When injected with it, all traces of cancerous tumors in mice were eliminated.

Like Dr. Levy said, “Our approach uses a one-time application of very small amounts of two agents to stimulate the immune cells only within the tumor itself.”

The vaccine includes immune-stimulating agents that are strong enough to kill cancerous cells in mice. This test result was extremely positive, and it was time to test it on humans.

15 Lymphoma patients are currently being treated with this vaccine. If this incredible shot works, it could be the end of Lymphoma cancer as we know it.

A Strategy to Lower LDL Cholesterol

For decades, medical researchers have been fighting tooth and nail to lower LDL cholesterol levels and save people from the number one killer of Americans – heart disease.

They came up with statins that were effective, but not effective enough. However, in 2015, the researchers were able to come up with PCSK9 inhibitors. These new drugs were able to attack the nasty LDL particles in the extracellular fluid.

When medical practitioners came up with the strategy to pair statins with PCSK9 inhibitors, it showed mind-blowing results. It saw a decrease in LDL levels by 75%. To control the LDL levels, the drug was also made more accessible to the common masses.

In 2018, trials and tests began to find out the ideal LDL level to prevent heart disease. With that figured out, and with a way to reach that level, treatment for heart disease doesn’t seem too far off in the horizon.

Discovery of Scalp Cooling to reduce Hair Fall after Chemotherapy

It takes an incredible amount of courage and strength to fight a disease like cancer. Anything that could be done to help the patients fight it with even more is always encouraged.

One of the nastiest side effects of chemotherapy is extreme hair loss in patients. In 2018, researchers discovered that reducing the temperature of the scalp right before, during, and after chemotherapy is an incredibly effective method to preserve hair in patients.

Gene Therapy for Retinal Disease

Another groundbreaking advancement in medicine this year was the approval of gene therapy by the FDA in 2018 –more specifically, gene therapy for inherited retinal disease.

This therapy delivers new genes in the targeted cells of the body and treats inherited blindness. In March 2018, a 13-year-old boy was the first patient to receive this treatment for his inherited blindness called Luxturna. The update on the patient, Jack Hogan, is that he has better vision in low light, he can play basketball outside in the evening with his friends, he can go to the movies, and he can even read 40 percent in smaller print.

This is just one patient who saw a drastic change in his life because of this medical advancement in 2018. We can safely say that there will be many more in the years to come.

New Vaccines for a Large Population

2018 has seen rapid development in the production of new and improved vaccines. These vaccines with innovative mechanisms have made it possible to deliver them to a vast population.

The medical modernizers are working on edible, oral, and mucosally delivered vaccines. They are also coming up with vaccine chips and intranasal vaccines.

All these innovations are making it easier and possible for the vaccines to be stored, shipped, and delivered to patients regardless of the complexity of the situation.

Artificial Ovaries

After chemotherapy, many women are at risk of becoming infertile. For that reason, they remove their ovaries— partially or completely— before the treatment.

After the treatment, they get it transplanted back. However, the returned ovary often carries traces of cancerous cells in it, putting the patient at the risk of contracting the disease again.

The latest research in 2018 has seen progress with artificial ovaries. The Danish scientists, with the help of technology, have come up with a way to grow ovarian follicles on an engineered portion of the tissue. This tissue only contains proteins and collages and all the cancer cells are removed.

The mice have already accepted these artificial ovaries successfully and humans will be tested as well in the next few years.

Marijuana for Epilepsy

Discount Medical Marijuana cannabis shop, Denver, Colorado — Discount Medical Marijuana cannabis shop at 970 Lincoln Street, Denver, Colorado

Non-administered use of marijuana is still as dangerous as before. However, medical researchers were able to discover that it helped treat two rare forms of childhood epilepsy.

Groundbreaking news was the approval of Epidiolex by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). This drug is derived from cannabis, but it does not contain the psychoactive component of marijuana that makes people use it for recreational purposes.

These are just some of the medical advancements of 2018. All these minor and major medical advancements give hope to patients and are one of the reasons why medical researchers around the world are always hard at work.

How AI Can Help in Improving Senior Health Care

In the course of Mr. Fensterman’s continued endeavors to assist our seniors and the nursing homes he is affiliated with, it is important that we keep our audience up to date on the latest technology in senior health care. And in this 21st century, medical technology is advancing at an unexpected rate.

Enter AI – Artificial Intelligence, and in health care, visions of robots diagnosing and treating patients on-site and from afar are not science fiction anymore. While advancements are consistently being made in the field of robotics, specifically, in the development of intelligent robots for elderly care, this technology is currently not affordable or practical, but prepare for that to change in the near future.

Far from a glamorous vision of a robot taking care of a patient, AI today involves a lot of computer coding that can help analyze data and recommend treatment options. According to Joseph Ferro – CTO of a health care tech company Mavens, AI has the potential to help senior individuals that live alone to better take care of themselves and live longer lives.

AI Technologies Promoting Better Senior Health Care

The number of senior individuals is projected to double from nearly 50 million today to about 100 million in the next five decades. While the population of elderly individuals is increasing, the amount of senior health care centers remains stagnant. This is where AI can help as it can ensure that seniors who live home alone are able to look after themselves without the need for a third (human) party.

Artificial intelligence algorithms can be used to help people make the necessary changes required to reduce the risk and treat obesity, diabetes, and hypertension, to mention a few. It can ‘coach’ the individual to adopt healthy habits that reduce the risk of developing diseases, or lower the severity of the symptoms of existing diseases.

What’s more, smart sensors controlled by AI algorithms can monitor vital health statistics. In case any aberration is detected in the person’s vital signs, the system can be programmed to automatically call the nearest health care professional.

Experts say that AI can perform manual tasks that are carried on by health care nurses. It can analyze the patient data and take appropriate actions. The companies that develop AI algorithms capture the inputs of various health care experts. This results in a holistic health care treatment at an affordable cost for the individual.

The traditional health care costs amount to thousands of dollars for the individuals. Also, many senior individuals have to travel to clinics or the doctor’s office for getting treatment which can be a great inconvenience to them, but new technologies are making it easier to communicate with their medical professional, and with an AI program, seniors will be provided the required health care in their own home and also at a fraction of a cost. The cost savings of the AI will greatly help in reducing the overall costs of senior health care services.

Bottom Line

When it comes to radical health care, AI is certainly an important technology. It has the potential to greatly reduce senior health care costs and make elderly care more convenient.

In the near future, great advancements are expected in the real of artificial intelligence and a lot of it is related to eldercare. Whether it’s keeping senior individuals healthy through preventive care, mobile communication, or informing medical personnel about emergencies, the impact of AI technology will be far-reaching.

Genomics and the Future of Health Care

Medical Technology — Photo by photosearcher – yayimages.com

Genomics is an emerging field of genetics that deals with analysis and sequencing of the individual’s’ genome. A genome contains the entire genetic coding in the form of DNA. Professionals in genomics perform genetic mapping to find out the complete DNA sequences and better understand the diseases.

The genomic information can help in providing improved clinical care. Better understanding of the disease through genetic mapping can also lead to improved health outcomes and therapeutic decision making capabilities.

While genomics is a relatively new field to the public, innovations in the field had started to make waves over two decades ago when scientists developed and improved genetic sequencing techniques. The human genome project was first started in 1990 with the aim of mapping all the genes (about 25,000) in a human genome.

Genomics: Today and Beyond

Today, the field of genomics has advanced to a great degree. Complete genomes of a number of deadly diseases including cancer have been sequenced. The genomic data can help in finding improved treatment of the different diseases including malignant tumor, lung cancer and influenza.

Access to Personalized Genomics

Today, anyone that wants to gain better understanding to one’s health can gain access to the personal genomic data. The cost of personalized genomics is affordable that is likely to fall in the future due to development of more advanced sequencing technologies such as the Whole genome sequencing (WGS).

Recently, a company named Veritas has launched the My Genome project that allows individuals to sequence the entire genome for just $999. Access to the personal genome can pave way for more improved personalized health care. It will help in the treatment of diseases that are not treated using conventional drugs.

Advanced Genomic AI Algorithms

Data provided by genomics is nothing unless they are used for deep learning of the diseases. A number of new companies are pushing the boundaries with AI genomic technologies such as iCarbon X and Deep Genomics. These programs make use of complex AI coding for better knowledge of the human genetic sequence. While it may take some time for this type of analysis to become mainstream in clinical research, the fusion of AI and genomics provide great opportunities for breakthrough medical advancements.

Cloud Based Genome Sequencing Service

Advancements are also being made in cloud based genome sequencing technology that can help research firms located in different parts of the world collaborate in bioinformatic genomics. Some of the companies that are developing cloud genomic application based on software-as-a-service (SaaS) platform include Intel, Cloudera, Google, Amazon, Microsoft, and IBM.

Using the knowledge of a person’s genome to diagnose and treat health problems is a revolutionary medical practice that is making waves in the field. The breakthroughs in the field will continue to open up a large number of opportunities for treatment of untreatable diseases. A tidal wave of genomic testing and sequencing information will continue to both answer questions about medical conditions, and raise new ones.

Wearable Sensors Can Help in Diagnosing Disease

The innovation in electronic health care is changing the way doctors monitor and diagnose diseases. A number of innovative biomedical devices have been introduced that extends the capabilities of the medical staff in diagnosing diseases.

One the technological innovations in the health care system include smart wearable sensors that are capable of pre-operative monitoring. With the advent of miniature circuit chips, microcontroller functionality and wireless data transmission, wearable sensors are now a common health care community that people can wear on their wrists or around their neck. The smart sensors can monitor skin temperature, heart rate, blood glucose levels and other variables that can determine what is going on inside a person’s body.

Smartwatch — Devices such as the smartwatch can monitor many vital signals when attached to a person’s wrist

Researchers at the Stanford University School of Medicine had found that the smart sensors are particularly effective in diagnosing the onset of infection, insulin resistance, and inflammation. The research team had examined nearly 2 billion measures from about 60 people. They had also collected continuous data from the wearable biosensors of the participants and compared them with the laboratory tests of the blood chemistry and other traditional measures.

The participants had used commercially available sensors that displayed data on heart rate, weight, blood oxygen level, skin temperature, calories expended and even exposure to X-rays and gamma rays. The devices had collected the data during different activities including walking, sleeping, running, biking, and others.

According to one of the researchers, Eric Topol, who is also a professor of Genomics at the Scripps Research Institute, the data collected by the smart wearable devices were impressive. A lot of sensors are available in the market that can collect a large range of variables related to the individual’s health.

The study found that the smart devices can accurately track deviation from the base values. Some of the devices can also link the aberrations to specific environmental health disorders. The devices can examine distinct patterns of deviations and then correlate them with a health disorder. Algorithm of the devices can detect the changes in patterns that greatly help in diagnosing and treating the illnesses.

At the moment, a number of companies produce these sensors. Some of the sensors are also being produced for detecting disorders in the animals. The devices with a few modifications can accurately be used in detecting anomalies in the animal’s health.

The innovative smart wearable devices have made possible precision livestock farming techniques. By using the smart sensors, farmers can accurately monitor the health of the animals. The devices can help in determining whether the animals are afflicted with diseases. This can ensure that the meat or dairy products that are sold for human consumption are perfectly safe for consumption.

The smart devices can sense saliva, sweat, and analyze micro-fluids. The biosensors and wearable devices that are available in the market can be integrated to create an efficient tracking system that can display the health status in real time. This can offer a timely diagnosis of illnesses that can ultimately decrease the economic losses involved in medical treatment.

Robotic Assistance For Nurses

The number of robots in the workforce is on the rise with no signs of slowing down and in the healthcare field, medical robotics are already being used. The da Vinci machine is used in a wide variety of fields to perform surgeries with precision. The tiny origami robot comes in a capsule, which dissolves when swallowed. It is then controlled by a technician to patch up wounds in the stomach lining or remove foreign objects. The benefits of robotics are plenty: these machines show no bias, have low error rates, and never get tired or need food.

Robot in Medical Technology — A robotic arm used in high-throughput screening

Nursing and engineering students at Duke University have recently created a robotic nurse assistant funded by the National Science Foundation. Tele-Robotic Intelligent Nursing Assistant (TRINA) is currently able to bring a patient a bowl, cup, pills, and a stethoscope. When admitted to a hospital, a patient will spend most of his/her time with a nurse; with many hospitals being understaffed and nurses overworked, TRINA might be what the medical field desperately needs.

Very shortly, TRINA will be able to perform even more tasks, such as caring for patients suffering from highly infectious diseases, taking vital signs, collecting and testing fluids, and distributing medication. TRINA is not a standalone robot, it has to be controlled by an operator. The goal of TRINA and other healthcare robots is not to replace nurses and medical professionals, but to limit their exposure to infectious diseases and to better aid busy doctors and nurses. The National Science Foundation is also funding the development of a new robot that will help nurses lift patients as well as heavy objects.

Companion robots can also help patients by alleviating loneliness and treating mental health issues. When a nurse is overworked and unavailable to a patient, friendly companion robots can keep patients from feeling lonely by enabling them to make calls, play games, take pictures, and text.

These social robots, such as Buddy, Pepper, and Paro, can also read emotions and interact accordingly, providing companionship and entertainment. From hospital settings to nursing homes, these companion robots can alleviate stress for busy nurses.

Medical breakthroughs That are Changing the World

Diseases, especially those that affect one’s physical abilities to get around and prevent us from living our lives in a normal fashion can have a dramatic effect on their entire well-being. In fact, some illnesses hamper the ability of people to manage just the basic things in life, such as eating by themselves and walking without assistance of any kind. Fortunately, there have been some major medical breakthroughs in recent times. By allowing them to live their life to the fullest, these medical breakthroughs are changing the game for many. What are these medical breakthroughs?

Pill Cam Colon

Imagine a pill that you can swallow with a camera that can view the entire colon, without sedation or radiation. This is not science fiction. This is a scientific fact. The Israeli company Given Imaging has developed such a device that has been successfully tested and is currently being used for potential colon cancer patients.

BrainGate’s Brain Sensor

In mid-2015, BrainGate, a technology company, implanted a brain sensor into the brain of a woman who had been paralyzed for the past fifteen years. After the brain sensor was implanted, the woman was able to drink coffee without any assistance. So how does this brain technology work? BrainGate’s cognitive apparatus records electrical signals after mining the neurons of brain activity. Once this is done, the sensor translates the signals into movement commands.

Diagnosis of Cancer via Dogs

This may sound a little absurd, but research has proven dogs can naturally diagnose cancer. Recently, four dogs including two German shepherds, an Australian shepherd, and a Labrador retriever were tested by a group of German scientists. In order to identify the presence of lung cancer in the surveyed individuals, each dog was made to sniff the breath of over two hundred patients.

The success to failure ratio was 71:29. Furthermore, the dogs were asked to identify the presence of breast cancer, colon cancer and bladder cancer in the surveyed individuals. Once again, the dogs had an over 70% success ratio. Therefore, there was enough evidence for the German scientists to conclude that dogs can naturally diagnose cancer.

Cardiac Output Monitor

Another invention from Israel that is used for the prevention of sepsis, a blood infection that is responsible for one in four hospital deaths and is listed as one of the top 10 causes of death in the United States.

Cheetah Medical uses sensors to monitor the movement of blood from the heart to the body’s organs which enables medical professionals to more efficiently diagnose and treat patients.

Technology for Migraine Pain

Today, technology is putting forth new ways of relieving headaches including severe headaches such as migraines. For many people, drugs do not do the job. Therefore, there is a growing need for alternative ways.

Fortunately, the FDA has taken the demands of migraine patients into consideration and has approved two migraine gadgets: Cefaly and SpringTMS. Cefaly is worn across the forehead for about twenty minutes each day while SpringTMS is a gadget held at the back of the head where the pain exists. Both these gadgets significantly relieve migraine pain.

There you have it—the three major medical breakthroughs that are changing the lives of many people. However, there are many other medical breakthroughs that are helping people to overcome their diseases.