This week, the Health Techzone witnessed a series of innovations ranging from big data solutions to 3D-printed bronchial tubes. Let's take a moment to review the news from the healthcare technology sphere this week.
How many of us remember that scene from "Office Space" in which a printer meets an unfortunate but well-deserved end? As you've cleared out paper jams over the years, you've probably never thought of your printer as a life-saving device. However, this week, doctors from the University of Michigan saved a baby's life using a 3D printer.
Kaiba Gionfriddo was born with a missing bronchial tube and was regularly experiencing respiratory and cardiac arrest. Doctors printed a polymer bronchial tube and implanted it to connect Kaiba's trachea to his lungs. The tube will biodegrade naturally after healthy tissue grows around it.
Also this week, a company called First Aid Shot Therapy (FAST) received a round of Series-A financing for its liquid shot medications. These 1.35 fluid ounce shots are designed to deliver quick relief for ailments including upset stomach and pain. Liquid medications tend to get into the bloodstream more quickly because they don't require as much digestion as pills, liqui-gels or capsules.
The University of Granada in Spain released research showing how doctors are using Skype and other connection services to diagnose and treat lower back pain causes and injuries. In one example, physical therapists led patients through a series of movements that were captured on video clips, and the captured clips were analyzed with Kinovea video motion analysis software. Researchers hope that the procedure could shorten wait times for patients and lower patient loads for doctors.
Finally, some not so good news: If you're a doctor or nurse and you make a serious medical error, you probably wouldn't expect your botched procedure to end up on Reddit. Unfortunately, on April 29, Reddit featured a botched intubation on its front page. An NG tube was inserted into the brain of a 59-year-old patient instead of going through the patient's nose, into the throat and then into the respiratory system. The post received over 800 comments from users.
Join us every week in the Health Techzone for the latest innovations in healthcare technology. Until next week, enjoy your long weekend, and don't forget to tune back in.
