New Atlas

Medical Audio available

Autonomous robotic device helps heal live pigs' hearts

Ben Coxworth April 26, 2019

For some time now, we've seen surgical devices that can be remotely guided within the body. And while they do make surgery more precise, they still have to be continuously operated by a surgeon. Recently, however, a robotic catheter successfully navigated beating pig hearts on its own.

In a procedure known as a paravalvular aortic leak closure, the catheter is used to help ...

Medical Audio available

"Molecular surgery" reshapes cartilage while sparing the scalpel

Ben Coxworth April 3, 2019

Currently, in order to reshape cartilage such as that within the nose, incisions and sutures are typically required. Not only is the procedure invasive, but it can also result in scarring. Now, however, scientists have demonstrated a new method of cartilage-reshaping that requires no cutting.

While the technology could be utilized for cosmetic procedures such as rhinoplasty (pictured above), it may ...

Medical

Haptic gloves add a sense of touch to surgical training tech

Ben Coxworth March 13, 2019

It was just last year that we heard about the Fundamental Surgery simulator, which utilizes dual haptic feedback arms to provide the "feel" of performing various surgical procedures. The system has now been taken a step further, with the demonstrated integration of whole-hand VR gloves.

A HaptX Glove, along with a haptic feedback arm, is used with the Fundamental Surgery system

Medical Audio available

Skin-sucking device made to minimize surgical scarring

Ben Coxworth March 11, 2019

Like many other materials, human skin has a "grain" to it. What's more, cutting across that grain leads to more visible scars than cutting along it. A new device, currently in prototype form, could help surgeons ensure that they're doing the latter.

A schematic of Binghamton University's scar-minimizing device

Medical

Almost three quarters of type 2 diabetes patients enter remission after gastric bypass surgery

Rich Haridy February 6, 2019

In an effort to better understand the effects of bariatric, or gastric bypass, surgery on type 2 diabetes, a new study has tracked the real-world experiences of over 1,000 patients to reveal 70 percent experience diabetes remission after the procedure, and remain disease free for up to five years.

A new study confirmed that long-term remission rates of type 2 diabetes are high, with the ...

Biology Audio available

Neuroscientists zap patient’s brain to induce laughter ... during surgery

Michael Irving February 4, 2019

Neuroscientists discovered that electrically stimulating the cingulum brain region creates a mild euphoria complete with laughter, and used it to calm down a patient undergoing a brain surgery where she needed to stay awake. It could be used as a treatment for anxiety, depression or chronic pain.

An illustration highlighting the cingulum in the brain, and how the electrode was implanted there in ...

Medical

Little pacemaker may do away with big surgeries on babies

Ben Coxworth November 9, 2018

Typically, if an infant is receiving a pacemaker, open-chest surgery is required. Should a new prototype miniature pacemaker reach commercialization, however, all that will be required is a single small incision – that means shorter surgeries, less pain and faster recoveries.

Members of the Children's National team run through the procedure used to implant the pacemaker

Medical

Surgical training system lets students feel what they're virtually doing

Ben Coxworth August 14, 2018

While there are already surgical training systems that use VR headsets to "place" students in an interactive computer-generated operating room, a new simulator goes a step further. It incorporates haptic feedback, allowing users to actually feel the pressure exerted by digital tissue.

A student uses the Fundamental Surgery system to perform a virtual knee operation

Medical

Smart stent stands guard for narrowing arteries and sends alerts

Michael Irving June 19, 2018

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.

It may look like a regular stent, but the smart stent has a tiny sensor to ...

Medical

Brain signal discovery may let Parkinson's patients sleep through brain surgery

Darren Quick May 6, 2018

Researchers at the Bionics Institute in Melbourne have discovered a unique brain signal that might allow sufferers of Parkinson's disease to have electrodes inserted at the correct location in their brain without them needing to be conscious.

The discovery of a unique brain signal will allow Parkinson's disease patients to undergo deep brain ...