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News
The "Top 10" Medical Innovations for 2009
December 10, 2008
by Lynn Shapiro, Writer
Imagine if a simple blood test could detect recurrent cancer earlier,
while also predicting a patient's prognosis, Cleveland Clinic physicians
say. Or imagine if a device the size of two decks of cards could
help a paraplegic breathe without a bulky ventilator. Or imagine
if a machine could essentially keep harvested organs alive until
they're transplanted in the recipient.
Now imagine that these innovations already exist, because they do,
along with seven other emerging technologies that make up Cleveland
Clinic's Top 10 Medical Innovations for 2009. The list of breakthrough
devices and therapies was selected by a panel of Cleveland Clinic
physicians and scientists and was unveiled during Cleveland Clinic's
recent 2008 Medical Innovation Summit.
The innovations touch on avian influenza, electronic medical records,
and various minimally invasive surgeries to treat uterine fibroids,
to repair heart valves, and to remove organs through the body's
natural orifices.
"Once again, we are seeing a diverse list of technologies that
have the potential to make an enormous medical impact in the near
future," said Michael Roizen, M.D., who chaired the Top 10
Medical Innovations List.
The Top 10 Medical Innovations for 2009:
10. Private Sector National Health Information Exchange:
A comprehensive system of electronic health records that link consumers,
general practitioners, specialists, hospitals, pharmacies, nursing
homes, and insurance companies is in the process of being established.
Primarily a private-sector effort, this computerized system has
the potential to replace paper-based medical files with digitized
records of patients' complete medical history.
9. Doppler-Guided Uterine Artery Occlusion: Fibroid tumors
occur in upwards of 40% of women older than 35, triggering pelvic
pain, pregnancy complications, and heavy bleeding. There is a new,
non-invasive approach to treat fibroids called Doppler-guided uterine
artery occlusion, or DUAO.
8. Integration of Diffusion Tensor Imaging (Tractography):
Diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) is the new technology that allows
neuroscientists to non-invasively probe the long-neglected half
of the brain called white matter, with its densely packed collection
of intertwining insulated projections of neurons that join all four
of the brain's lobes, allowing them to communicate with each other.
7. LESS and NOTES Applications: LESS (laparoendoscopic single-site
surgery) takes laparoscopic surgery to an entirely new level by
reducing the process to a small cut in the belly button. NOTES (natural
orifice transluminal endoscopic surgery) bypasses normal laparoscopic
incisions altogether. Instead, the surgeon gets to an appendix,
prostate, kidney, or gallbladder through one of the body's natural
cavities, such as the mouth, vagina, or colon.
6. New Strategies for Creating Vaccines for Avian Flu: A
newer vaccine approach that uses a mock version of the bird virus
called a virus-like particle (VLP) may offer a better solution to
protect people against infection from the deadly avian virus.
5. Percutaneous Mitral Valve Regurgitation Repair: Using
a tiny barbed, wishbone-shaped device, the heart is fixed non-surgically
from the inside out. A catheter is carefully guided through the
femoral vein in the groin, up to the heart's mitral valves. The
clip on the tip of a catheter is then clamped on the center of the
valve leaflets, which holds them together and quickly helps restore
normal blood flow out through the leaflets.
4. Multi-Spectral Imaging Systems: The imaging system is
attached to a standard microscope, where researchers can stain up
to four proteins using different colors and look at tissue samples
with 10 to 30 different wavelengths, allowing for the accumulation
of more information than is currently available. This helps researchers
to better understand the complicated signaling pathways in cancer
cells, and to develop more targeted therapies, which might allow
physicians to better personalize treatment for individual patients.
3. Diaphragm Pacing System: Four electrodes are connected
to the phrenic nerves on the diaphragm. Wires from the electrodes
run to and from a control box about the size of two decks of playing
cards worn outside the body. When the electrodes are stimulated
by current, the diaphragm contracts and air is sucked into the lungs.
When not stimulated, the diaphragm relaxes and air moves out of
the lungs.
2. Warm Organ Perfusion Device: Once a heart becomes available
for transplant, surgeons have just four hours before the organ begins
to decay. The perfusion device recreates conditions within the body
to keep the heart pumping for up to 12 hours.
1. Use of Circulating Tumor Cell Technology: A blood test
that measures circulating tumor cells - cancer cells that have broken
away from an existing tumor and entered the bloodstream - has the
ability to detect recurrent cancer sooner, while also predicting
how well treatment is working and the patient's probable outcome.
The test results will allow physicians to better monitor a patient's
progress, adjusting treatment if necessary.
"Cleveland Clinic was founded by innovators, and this Top Ten
list reflects the continuing passion for innovation of its scientists
and clinicians," said Christopher Coburn, executive director,
Innovations, the Cleveland Clinic's corporate venturing arm.
"Four major criteria served as the basis for qualifying and
selecting the Top 10 Medical Innovations. Nominated innovations
were required to:
-- Have significant potential for short-term clinical impact (either
a major improvement in patient benefit or an improved function that
enhances healthcare delivery).
-- Have a high probability of success.
-- Be on the market or close to being introduced.
For more information about next year's Medical Innovation Summit
and the conference agenda, visit http://www.clevelandclinic.org/innovations/summit/default.htm
.
About Cleveland Clinic Innovations
CC Innovations, the commercialization and innovation arm of Cleveland
Clinic, organizes the Medical Innovation Summit, promotes innovation
and is responsible for commercialization of all Cleveland Clinic
technologies. CC Innovations advances product-oriented innovation
and transforms promising therapies, devices and diagnostics into
beneficial medical products, via spin-off companies, licensees and
equity partnerships.
Source: http://www.dotmed.com/news/story/7605
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Sheldon J. Schlesinger, P.A. represents clients throughout
the state of Florida including the cities of Boca Raton, Boynton
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Jupiter, Lake Worth, Miramar, Miami, Oakland Park, Palm Beach, Palm
Beach Gardens, Palm Springs, Pompano Beach, and Rivera Beach
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