Researchers at the University of British Columbia (UBC) have developed a surgery-ready smart stent that keeps watch for the early warning signs of narrowing arteries, and sends out a wireless signal to alert the patient and doctors.
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After a heart attack occurs, non-beating scar tissue forms on the part of the organ that was affected – and this can lead to heart failure. There could be new hope, however, in the form of an implanted device that delivers medication directly to that tissue.
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Many of the many people who receive artificial hips will require replacement surgery. This is due to a condition called osteolysis, in which the adjacent bone deteriorates, causing the implant to loosen. Soon, however, it may be possible to determine who will develop the condition, via a urine test.
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Traditional batteries are large, contain toxic chemicals, and need to be periodically replaced, meaning they're not ideal for powering medical implants. But new research from MIT and Brigham and Women’s Hospital has demonstrated a new way to power implanted devices using radio waves.
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The transparent sections of the glasswing butterfly's wings barely reflect any light, which is why we've previously heard about them inspiring glare-free device screens. Now, their antireflective quality has led to an improvement in a glaucoma-monitoring eye implant.
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Scientists at the University of Waterloo have developed a promising new medical device that could help protect women from HIV. The technology consists of a vaginal implant that basically reduces the amount of targets the virus can latch onto during sex.
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When an implant is introduced to the body, there's a chance that its surface will be colonized by bacteria. In some cases, such infections require the implant to be removed. It's recently been discovered, however, that coating implants with graphene flakes could help keep that from happening.
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There may be a new method of monitoring the alcohol intake of people in substance abuse treatment programs. Led by Prof. Drew Hall, scientists at the University of California San Diego have developed an alcohol-sensing chip that can be implanted in the body.
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Over the past few years, Profusa Inc has been developing tiny biosensors that get injected under the skin, and then provide the user with health information via their smartphone. The technology was recently approved for marketing in Europe, with US approval possibly following soon.
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Titanium is very biocompatible, which is why it's so often used for medical implants. That said, chemical compounds in the metal sometimes do result in implants being rejected by the body. Scientists at RMIT University are attempting to address the problem, by coating such implants with diamonds.
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