injections
O YGEN
What happens when a patient codes on our favorite TV medical drama? They call in the crash cart carrying the defibrillator and all sorts of medications. You sit on the edge of your seat wondering if they will get the person’s heart beating in the precious seconds it takes before their brain is damaged irreparably, or they die. Boston Children’s Hospital research scientists report they have found what may be the newest addition to crash carts in hospitals, ambulances, and medical transport helicopters. This discovery will assist
medical personnel treating patients in instances of catastrophic respiratory failure. They have designed oxygencarrying micro-particles that can be injected into a patient’s bloodstream. These particles keep all the cells in the body oxygenated for up to one-halfhour without the patient taking a single breath. By injecting this new miracle elixir, doctors buy themselves time to diagnose and treat patients who have quit breathing and are at risk of brain damage or death. John Kheir, M.D., at the Department of Cardiology at
Boston Children’s Hospital, and his colleagues discovered a way to suspend oxygen in fatty particles made up of layers of lipids that can hold 3–4 times the oxygen of a red blood cell. Tests completed on animals showed rabbits injected with these oxygen-carrying particles were able to survive for 15 minutes with their windpipes completely blocked. This breakthrough has the potential to save millions of human lives each year. Source: http://www.newser.com/story/149114/injections-keep-peoplebreathing-in-emergencies.html; http://gizmodo.com/5921868/scientistsinvent-particles-that-will-let-you-live-without-breathing (Accessed September 10, 2012)
+Glasses
smar
Let there be light. Technology is shining its light into the land of perpetual darkness as researchers seek pathways to bring sight to the blind. The most innovative idea comes from Japanese designer Xu Guang-suo. Their “sonar glasses” are fitted with sensors that detect solid objects in front of, beside, and behind the person wearing them. This information is transformed into auditory cues (different ranges of sound) that enable the wearer to “see” what is in front of him or her. This version of smart glasses also has a microphone that enables the wearer to communicate with the glasses and ask them questions such as, “Is the stop light green?” Another concept undergoing clinical trial is a pair of glasses created by Joseph Rizzo III, the director of neuro-ophthalmology at Mass Eye and Ear. Dr. Rizzo’s smart glasses consist of a camera that not only maps out objects in front of and beside the wearer but can also read signs using text character recognition software. Data is fed into a GPS-enabled processor, and the wearer “sees” their surroundings through auditory signals sent to speakers on the earpiece and also through small vibrating devices placed behind the ear and near the temple. SOURCE: Navigation Glasses For The Blind Help Visually Impaired See Through Sound; http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/06/15/navigation-glasses-for-the-blind_n_1599573.html; http://www.bostonmagazine.com/articles/2011/11/top-docs-14-medical-breakthroughs/10/ (Accessed August 30, 2012)
+
a brief his ory of medical breakthroughs
1. Human Anatomy (1538)
Andreas Vesalius dissects human corpses, revealing detailed information about human anatomy and correcting earlier views. Vesalius believes understanding anatomy is crucial to performing surgery, so he dissects human corpses himself (unusual for the time). His anatomical charts detailing the blood and nervous systems, produced as a reference aid for his students, are copied so often that he is forced to publish them to protect their accuracy. In 1543, he publishes De Humani Corporis Fabrica, transforming the subject of anatomy. www.naturecoasthealthyliving.com
| 35