Used Medical Equipment Discussion about reconditioned medical equipment

According to several articles that broke last month throughout the scientific and medical communities, the risk for cancer among some heart patients may be greater than previously expected. This is primarily because they are subjected to so many tests that emit low doses of radiation. Like any other radiation-based diagnostic imaging test, frequent CT scans and cardiac imaging done are causing an increased risk of cancer, but according to a study that was published in the Canadian Medical Association Journal, this problem is more worrisome among heart patients.

The medical community is understandably concerned whenever a patient who already has one chronic illness becomes more susceptible to another. But has heart disease has increased in the United States, so has the use of procedures that use radiation. Not every test for heart disease is unsafe however. EKG testing and EKG machine stress tests have no known side effects, nor do an echocardiograms, or ultrasounds of the heart.

Coronary angiography is another popular procedure for heart patients, and also uses a low dose of ionizing radiation. The link found by researchers at McGill University’s health center, in conjunction with Montreal’s Jewish General Hospital, showed specific evidence of higher cancer risk among patients who suffered a severe heart attack. Over 82,000 patients were included in this study. According to the researchers, it is incumbent upon physicians and patients to keep this fact in mind when undergoing procedures where ionizing radiation is used. Some hospitals have started to replace older medical equipment, particularly CT scanners, for newer machines that emit less radiation.

Of the 12,000+ cases of cancer that were diagnosed in patients studied, all of whom had suffered a heart attack, most were located in the areas around the pelvis and abdomen, which also speaks to the possibility of radiation exposure as the cause.

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Among the many types of used medical equipment available today, digital mammography systems are in greater demand than ever. The reason for this may be based on patient concerns about the higher radiation exposure that comes from older mammography equipment. Plus, these machines offer a higher degree of spatial resolution and they store images more efficiently than older models. According to the American Cancer Society, breast cancer rates are on the rise. In their most recent published study, it was estimated that 192,370 new cases of invasive breast cancer would be discovered in 2009, with more than 40,000 women expected to die from the disease in that year alone. Only lung cancer was responsible for a higher number of deaths among women.

Greater awareness of the need for early detection of breast cancer has led many patients to be their own advocates. Beyond the regular mammograms recommended by their gynecologists, women are seeking out digital mammography specifically. This is especially true among women with dense breasts or a family history of breast cancer who wants to be sure their test results are accurate. Buying used digital mammography equipment is usually the best option for women’s healthcare clinics and hospitals, but there are three different technologies in use today. Before looking at used medical equipment in this area, you should know if you want a direct or indirect x-ray conversion detector, or a slot scanning system.

Images created by digital mammography systems are usually displayed on two high resolution monitors within the examination area; with a third monitor displaying patient information. Digital mammography machines are known to have a deeper dynamic range than film and/or screen imaging medical equipment, but it is important to keep in mind that pixel size is not always a good indicator of high resolution with these systems. Blurring and noise within the detector system can have a negative impact on resolution. The type of digital imaging used in mammography utilizes pattern recognition software to highlight any suspicious findings in the image, thereby bringing a potential tumor to the attention of the doctor.

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Healthcare costs have been a source of much debate in this country lately, with many citizens concerned about how recent healthcare reform legislation will impact the availability and quality of care. But even before the healthcare debate got started, hospitals were already cutting their budgets. The rising cost of malpractice insurance and a growing number of uninsured patients has caused many medical centers to either close or find a way to get by with less. Shrinking budgets for new equipment have created more demand for used medical equipment than ever.

The growth of the refurbished medical equipment market has opened up new opportunities for small hospitals to keep up with demand, while allowing larger hospitals to defray the cost of new equipment. Doctors and patients should not be concerned about the quality of used equipment. Better technology has made it possible to use most medical devices long after a newer model has been released, and trained technicians ensure that used medical equipment is in good working condition.

Even as the market for used monitors and diagnostic imaging equipment grows in the United States, it is also expanding in overseas markets. The availability of good medical care in developing countries is creating a huge overseas demand for affordable medical equipment. Many of these startup medical facilities are looking for everything from hospital beds to carts, patient monitors and EKG machines. As more US hospitals look to replenish their supply with refurbished equipment, it may take longer for them to find what they are looking for. In other words, what is available at a used medical equipment dealer today may be sold by tomorrow.
If you are seeking a reputable resource for refurbished medical devices and equipment, the best place to look is in the online marketplace; specifically with a dealer that specializes in buying and selling equipment. For nearly a decade, Absolute Medical Equipment has been providing new and reconditioned medical equipment to private practice physicians, hospitals and clinics. They stand behind their products and they guarantee the equipment they sell will perform to the manufacturer’s specifications.

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What are the differences between buying new medical equipment and getting refurbished equipment from a reputable dealer? The main difference is in the price. In many cases, buying a used EKG machine, ultrasound scanner or patient monitor will save you more than 50 percent. For hospitals and medical practices that are dealing with severe budget cuts, used medical equipment is a great way to save money without sacrificing the quality of care.

Surprisingly, most of the medical equipment that can be found new can also be purchased used, or refurbished. This includes everything from patient monitors to EKG machines, defibrillators and bone densitometers. When a piece of medical equipment is refurbished, it has been thoroughly cleaned, sterilized and tested to ensure it is fully operational and safe. In many cases, gently used medical equipment will still be under warranty.

Who refurbishes medical equipment?

Most of the equipment for sale today in the used medical equipment marketplace has been refurbished by technicians who are trained in the biomedical field. Because these technicians are aware of the exacting standards for these devices, they take great care to ensure they are in great condition.

Are there still advantages to buying new equipment? Yes. First of all, it is a lot easier to find good quality medical equipment with a warranty when you buy it new. While some used medical equipment comes with a warranty, it will not last as long as the warranty on new equipment. Also, when you need new equipment in a hurry, it can be hard to spend the time it takes to find what you’re looking for in the used and refurbished marketplace.

Ultimately, most hospitals find it much more cost-effective to buy refurbished medical equipment, saying it is worth the extra work. However, before purchasing used medical equipment from a dealer, be sure you review their credentials, return policy and quality standards.

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According to the American Cancer Society, prostate cancer caused 27,360 deaths in 2009, with over 192,000 new cases diagnosed. This type of cancer forms in the tissues of the male prostate gland, and is most commonly seen in older men.

Early detection of prostate cancer may not be enough to reduce the death toll from this silent disease. According to research presented at the annual SNM meeting in Salt Lake City last week, a new imaging agent could help doctors uncover the biological process that causes cancer to form in the prostate. Additionally, this new imaging agent can help clinicians better understand the molecular structure of prostate cancer, including the various tumor types and how the disease progresses.

Using medical equipment designed for optical imaging, researchers were able to capture the light emitted from a peptide-based imaging agent that targets activity within the receptors of certain tumor cells. By viewing those cells that show an overabundance of certain building block proteins, much can be learned about how prostate cancer thrives, migrates, and potentially invades other areas of the body.

By developing a unique “fingerprint” for each case of prostate cancer, this new type of medical equipment will allow oncologists to recognize the stage of the cancer more readily and prescribe a more personalized treatment program for patients. This new technology may represent a major development for understanding and treating prostate cancer.
According to the study by researchers at the Molecular Imaging Center at the Keck School of Medicine, certain tumor cells known as PC-3 were most visible with the peptide agent. The team expects similar imaging agents with medical equipment to be developed, which may be useful in tracking the effectiveness of new prostate cancer drugs.

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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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