3D Printing & The Future of Orthopedic Surgery
The way that we currently heal bones could be about to experience an exciting revolution of the 3D variety! Researchers at Northwestern University are in the process of perfecting a ‘hyper-elastic bone’ using innovative 3D technology.
This development in technology could soon be used to bind tendons and bones together using live tissue! This is a fairly new discovery and the technology is not yet approved for human use. However, the potential for improvements to ongoing care and post-surgery results for patients are potentially huge!
New Services Coming Soon
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Wearable Technology and Orthopedic Outcomes
As discussed in a previous blog post, wearable technology is an amazing way to boost your health and fitness efforts. There are a wide range of different gadgets in existence that can help you to track your exercise by storing data when you wear them during a workout.
Fiber Optic Technology and Surgery
As we discuss regularly on the Onto Orthopedics blog, technology is continuing to develop at an incredible rate. The benefits that this brings to patients are fantastic, far-reaching and not to be ignored!
Ultrasonography and Orthopedic Diagnosis
Ultrasonography is the practice of being able to visualise areas inside the body by using ultrasonic pulses. This is of course great for various medical purposes, such as those that fall into the category of orthopedics.
Deep Vein Thrombosis Prevention
New technology is continuing to revolutionise practically everything that we do! Innovations in technology have the potential to improve how surgery is conducted, enhance transportation, boost education, develop aviation and change the way that architecture is designed - to name just a few!
Robotics and the Future of Orthopedics
If you read this blog regularly then you will know that we are quite enthusiastic about the role of technology in the future of orthopedics. With new developments in technology come new advancements in medicine, and this is particularly true of orthopedic medicine. A fantastic new innovation is currently being explored and it is believed it could completely revolutionise how surgeons conduct surgery. Using robots in the operating room might sound like the stuff of science fiction but it is a very real universal possibility that is inching ever closer to reality.
In fact, there are already two robotic orthopedic surgeons in Southwest Louisiana that can now conduct certain surgeries. It is believed that the expertise of these robots means they are able to operate with an amazing level of precision that is just not possible for human surgeons to achieve. These robots have been labelled as RIO (Robotic Arm Interactive Orthopedic System) and are the creation of Stryker Orthopaedics. At the present time, they are only being involved in hip and knee replacements. However, the results so far have been fantastic and there is of course the potential that they could expand this involvement to other surgeries soon.
The Future of Medicine
It is true to say that the future of medicine depends on those who are currently studying it! The medical professionals of tomorrow are still being molded into the life-saving people they will become and they have a great deal of innovation to bring to the table. Medicine is a field that is constantly changing as new techniques, procedures and medications are discovered and invented.
The History of the X-Ray
The X-ray machine is an absolute staple of modern medicine! It makes the diagnosis of certain conditions possible as well as making several other problems much easier to diagnose than they were in the past. The X-ray was first discovered by a German physicist known as Wilhelm Rontgen in 1895 when he was attempting to pass electrical currents through a glass tube at low pressure. While he was doing this he realised that highly energetic electromagnetic radiation (X-rays) was able to penetrate solid objects. This was a breakthrough that literally immediately transformed the face of medicine. It was the first time that the inside of the body could be seen without having to cut into flesh and it was a discovery that amazed everyone!
3D Printing and the Future of Orthopedic Medicine
In July of 2014, Dr Vincent Fiere, MD, performed the very first spinal fusion surgery using 3D printed spine cages! This was a breakthrough in the world of orthopedic medicine, and we are going to talk more about it today!