Used Medical Equipment Discussion about reconditioned medical equipment

One of the most important questions for cancer researchers has been “How do you develop a drug that targets cancer cells without destroying healthy cells?” This question has spawned the development of new medical equipment and pharmaceuticals that will revolutionize cancer treatment.

Thanks to recent developments in the field of molecular targeting, cancer specialists are able to design drugs that zero in on the molecular pathways of the disease itself without disrupting normal tissues and cells. Not only are these targeted drugs more effective than current medications, they are far less toxic to the body. By eliminating malignant tumors in such a targeted manner, patients are able to maintain a better quality of life without the adverse effects of chemotherapy treatment.

As pharmaceutical companies and the medical equipment industry strive to understand the circuitry of biological interactions at the molecular level, they are able to shut down one molecular pathway without disrupting another.

One company that has revolutionized this process is Polysciences, Inc. Their CellVue kits use proprietary technology to label targeted cells with fluorescent dye in the lipid, or plasma membranes of living cells. These dying kits are versatile enough to be used in on any cell type or bioparticle with minimal cell-to-cell transfer. Practitioners are able to put these kits to use with medical equipment like flow cytometers and highly specialized imaging medical equipment.

Like many other innovative medical techniques being used today, molecular targeting allows scientists and doctors to minimize the impact of many high-risk medical treatments and use information technology to change the way they look at disease.

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Over the past decade, several new scientific advances have changed the way medical treatments are discovered and administered. From new screening tools for discovering key medical compounds in pharmaceuticals to more effective delivery methods of these drugs to patients, various technologies have come together to help medical equipment suppliers address the changing needs of the medical community. One of the key innovations in this area has come from the field of Nanotechnology.

Nanotechnology uses microscopic devices that work on the molecular and atomic level to diagnose and treat illnesses. Microscopic “nano-shells” can hone in on a tumor like a smart bomb, enter into cancer cells, and wait there until an intense dose of heat energy is delivered via radio wave to strategically destroy the cells. This type of discovery has the potential to radically change the way cancer treatment is administered by preventing healthy cells from being killed in the process of chemotherapy and radiation. This is because the nano-particles target only the cancer cells for delivery of drugs, and leaves normal cells untouched.

Another use for nanotechnology is the removal of tumors or nodes during surgery. By using color-coded “quantum dots” which emit fluorescent signals, doctors and scientists can create an instant classification system, or barcode, to identify the type of tumor within and remove it entirely. Other tiny medical devices are being built on microchips that use nanotechnology to interpret the individual strands of DNA.

Nanotechnology, which has typically been used in passive structures, is now being tested for use within active structures. In addition to targeted “smart drug” therapies, these developments will help in the future formation of molecular structures that could be used to regenerate body parts that were lost to disease, infection or accident. Outside of the medical equipment and research industries, nanotechnology has far-reaching implications in the world of electronics as well.

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Like every other area of technology, the advances in medical equipment have dramatically changed the scope of patient care and the prognosis for chronic diseases. Several new screening techniques have been developed to help medical professionals deliver drugs to patients more effectively. New technologies are allowing researchers to sort through millions of chemical compounds quickly and find the ones that will be most useful in medicine. And advances in genetics and molecular targeting have helped medical researchers discover new ways to target biopharmaceuticals that will enhance the success of therapeutic techniques.

The introduction of robotics and automation has greatly enhanced many aspects of patient care, and manufacturers of medical devices have begun to rely on robotic equipment to manage the complex and exacting task of assembling tiny devices. In addition to being used to assemble complex medical equipment like hearing aids and pacemakers, robots can also guarantee greater precision and speed in the manufacturing process.

Robotics is also used in the creation of certain prosthetics, such as hop and knee joint replacements. These devices are painstakingly assembled by robots in an automated process that is faster and more accurate than what could be accomplished through human effort alone.

In patient care, robots are increasingly used in surgical procedures. Currently, doctors use robotics to help them zero in on tumors and apply radiation treatment to a very defined area. Many surgeons have come to depend on this type of medical equipment for certain procedures. Robotics also have great potential in the field of cardiology, particularly in areas of the heart which are normally too risky to treat with traditional surgery.

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Finally, the Physio-Control LIFEPACK 15 monitor/defibrillator has received market approval in Canada. The official notification, granted by Health Canada, was issued on September 1, 2009. In addition, the company was granted the CE mark of approval in January 2009, signifying its compliance with EU standards for medical devices, just before it started marketing the LIFEPAK 15 in the U.S. earlier this year.

Building on Physio-Control’s 54 year heritage of providing the most innovative medical equipment for lifesaving, the LIFEPAK 15 offers an all-new platform of best-in-class functionality. It definitely raises the bar for industry standards of reliability and durability.

One of the most significant ways that the LIFEPAK 15 stays ahead of competitors is by being the first monitor / defibrillator to introduce Masimo Rainbow SET® Pulse CO- Oximetry™ for the detection of carbon monoxide in the blood and methemoglobin in the blood (a result of exposure to certain drugs and chemicals).

The new design is focused upon several innovative functions, including the biggest color screen available, and a single button that changes the screen to a high-contrast mode for better viewing in bright sunlight. In addition, the LIFEPAK 15 offers ten times the processing speed as its predecessor and triples its battery life. Because the monitor/defibrillators are often used in harsh environments, they are built tougher than any other model on the market.

Now that the LIFEPAK 15 is available in Canada, many hospitals are expected to transition their existing medical equipment as budgets permit. Its durability, reliability, functionality and ease-of-use make the LIFEPAK 15 an excellent way for health care institutions to reduce their operational expenses while minimizing training costs.

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According a recent study by the International Journal of Engineering Systems Modeling and Simulation, a new kind of fetal heart monitor is available for monitoring the heart-rate of unborn infants in high risk pregnancies.

Using some of the same technology used to listen to music, this Mp3 based device uses a dual-microphone system to monitor the fetal heart rate while the mother sleeps, and sends alerts to both the woman and her doctor.

When complicated pregnancies result in preterm labor, miscarriage or the death of a fetus, the problems leading up to this are usually evident for a number of days. With regular ultrasound monitoring, physicians can spot most problems, but it isn’t advisable to undergo ultrasound monitoring too frequently. Plus, ultrasound machines cannot detect the fetal heart rate.

Researchers have found that the fetal heart rate can drop suddenly and last for up to a minute, long before an underlying problem is found in other symptoms. In many cases, this occurs just before the pregnant woman falls asleep. The reason it happens then is because this is when the woman’s heart rate drops, which results in lower blood pressure to the fetus.

Mp3 fetal heart monitors can provide urgent medical assistance when this becomes a danger to the health of the fetus, and is expected to be highly effective in preventing prenatal problems, including stillbirth.

The device itself is based on two acoustic sensors that feed the fetal heart rate data into a wave analyzer, which is connected to a bedside computer with an internet connection. A “wav” file is created that can then be analyzed for medical abnormalities and compressed into an mp3 format for a quick upload to the physician’s computer. Any medical anomalies will trigger a warning to seek medical assistance.

This new monitoring technique is relatively inexpensive and safe, since no energy penetrates the womb at any time during the monitoring process with fetal heart monitors.

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For nearly a decade, health care equipment manufacturers have been promising a new wave of wireless monitors and therapeutic devices, but these evolving technologies are not coming as quickly as expected. Adoption of wireless medical equipment has been slowed by concerns over quality of care and patient privacy. In addition, the cost of this transition has hampered health care facilities’ ability to take advantage of wireless technology, so manufacturers have been slow to create them.

The need for a more holistic approach to wireless health care is obvious, due to the broad spectrum of medical devices that are found in most emergency room settings. This mission-critical medical equipment must be implemented across the board, since most surgical environments make the selection of a single wireless device impractical.

Given the interactivity of these hi-tech settings, medical equipment manufacturers need to assure hospitals that their solutions will work in conjunction with other devices in a health care setting. The need for interoperability continues to be a key factor influencing the integration of wireless monitors.

Once a few leading facilities make the transition to wireless, they will serve as models for larger metropolitan hospitals, which will help wireless monitors grow in favor-ability, but their widespread acceptance will depend on the success of early adopters.

Once wireless patient monitors are fully integrated into most health care environments, facilities may realize a cost savings. This is because the ease and portability of wireless units may keep hospitals from needing to purchase several devices for one treatment area, as they do now.

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Scientists and medical equipment developers are beginning to develop a microscopic prototype of a neural transmitter that will be highly effective in alleviating chronic pain through electrical stimulation. The secret behind this technology? Radio frequency identification.

When most people think of RFID technology, they don’t think about medical equipment. That’s because radio-frequency technology is generally used to keep track of products, people and animals through the use of radio frequency waves. But thanks to the innovations of researchers at a Dallas-based company called MicroTransponder, a newly developed inject-able implant using RFID technology can be used to control chronic pain.

Using the well-known technology of RFID in the form of small electrodes, MicroTransponder has created a new device that will soon become an asset to physicians and medical equipment manufacturers. Instead of the larger traditional neural simulators used to treat chronic pain, scientists have found a way to inject small electrodes close to the spinal cord that is powered by a remote PDA controller located on the surface of the skin. Through a series of electrical jolts, the new neural transmitter will send signals to the spinal cord that will essentially block neural pain signals from going to the brain.

This new wireless device is a breakthrough for neurologists, who have traditionally relied on transmitters that were powered by a set of leads within close proximity to the spinal cord. In contrast, this novel approach to medical equipment is tailored to each individual patient and monitored by a PDA or laptop. Additionally, the new device is powered by a battery operated coil that can be discretely worn on the patient’s arm or leg.

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According to the American Heart Association, early defibrillation is crucial. In response to an increasing demand for rapid lifesaving techniques by hospital personnel, LIFEPAK has developed a new 20e defibrillator that will promptly deliver crucial lifesaving defibrillation to victims of cardiac arrest.

For in-hospital first responders, this type of medical equipment that can make all the difference when it comes to saving lives. Physio-Control knows that any advances in lifesaving medical equipment can make in-hospital resuscitation teams more effective. One reason for this is that the new 20e converts from an AED function to a manual defibrillator. It also generates higher amounts of energy, which allows it to offer a much broader range of dosage to patients who did not respond to the initial shock. It is important to note, that increasing the dose of subsequent shocks has been proven to be a better strategy for stopping ventricular fibrillation in most patients, as opposed to repeating the same dose that has already failed to work.

Packed with power, this clinically advanced piece of medical equipment comes with cprMAX™ technology, which can minimize delays between the use of CPR and shock, while increasing CPR hands-on time. Using patented biphasic technology, the LIFEPAK automatically adjusts shock voltage and duration, allowing treatment to be customized for each patient’s unique tolerance level.

Using a closed-door function, this dual purpose defibrillator cuts down on operator confusion by showing only the controls required to facilitate a quick and easy operation. Physio-Control has also incorporated its demonstrated Shock Advisory System into this unit, which teaches operators how to use the system through a series of easy-to-read instructions and voice prompts. This type of medical equipment is better able to monitor pulse oximetry, ECG and external pacing, all of which clearly displayed in color-coded waveforms for simple viewing. Finally, to allow easy transport of patients throughout the hospital and extend operating time, the equipment comes with a lithium-ion battery.

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In August of this year, the world leader in hand-carried ultrasound machines completed its acquisition of the world’s leading manufacturer of impedance cardiography (ICG) machines. In a move that seems to be a predictor of Sonosite’s ultrasound technology being used in a more dynamic way for heart patients, their acquisition of CardioDynamics points to a future of noninvasive cardiac ultrasound equipment. Of course, that is only an opinion, but with so many recent advancements in ultrasound technology, the announcement of Sonosite’s acquisition seems to make sense.

According to their August 17th press release, CardioDynamics will operate as a wholly-owned subsidiary of SonoSite in a transaction valued at approximately $10 million. The acquisition is touted by Sonosite as a way to bring on an established, high growth sales channel in the cardiovascular disease management industry. With heart disease being such a major threat to public health, Sonosite’s President and CEO Kevin Goodwin expect that offering CardioDynamics’ technology to their platform will help them better service physicians’ offices while expanding their presence in the larger cardiovascular marketplace.

Both companies have a long history of innovative medical equipment and smart market development, and they look forward to combining products and sales teams to make a positive impact on the diagnosis and treatment of heart disease. One of CardioDynamics’ most advanced new products is the BioZ Dx system, a machine that combines ICG with electrocardiography (ECG), allowing clinicians the ability to assess both the mechanical and electrical functions of the heart simultaneously.

By offering both their existing product line as well as cutting edge cardiovascular machines from CardioDynamics, Sonosite hopes to improve patient outcomes while decreasing the cost of health care.

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The medical equipment industry has been reeling over two recent studies published by the Archives of Internal Medicine. These studies showed that CT scanners use an unhealthy amount of radiation and can cause cancer in patients who have been overexposed to them.

A common machine in most health care environments, the CT scanner uses numerous x-ray blasts that allow clinicians to see a 3-dimensional image of specific areas of the body. CT stands for computed tomographic imaging, and has been used since 1974 for the diagnosis of many conditions. Thanks to recent advancements in computer technology, CT scanners are much faster and more efficient than ever before, which has led to improved imaging and better diagnostic capabilities. One of the main reasons doctors order a CT scan is because it can show organs and tissues in much greater detail than a typical x-ray.

However, with the recent news about the health risks associated with CT scanners, their future is now uncertain. According to one study, even normal doses of radiation from these machines can be four times higher than they should be. This is unwelcome news for many patients who have already undergone numerous CT scans during the course of treatment. For example, a patient who needs a CT coronary angiogram must submit to an amount of CT radiation that is equal to having 309 chest x-rays.

It is difficult to say how much of an impact CT scanning will have on the general population, since cancer caused by this type of radiation may not appear until 20 to 30 years after a procedure, but with 72 million CT scans being done in an average year, the medical community is understandably concerned.

As a result of this news, medical equipment manufacturers will be looking at ways to reduce the amount of radiation emitted from CT scanners, and are likely to perform regular testing on their existing equipment.

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