Security of Implantable Medical Devices Still a Concern

Tuesday, July 6th, 2010

The vulnerability of medical devices to attacks by hackers is getting some renewed attention, thanks to a recently published article from the Boston Globe. The article cites the work of Kevin Fu, a computer science professor at University of Massachusetts Amherst whose work we referenced on medtechinsider last year. Although ...

Melding Man and Machine

Thursday, October 15th, 2009

[caption id="attachment_9578" align="alignleft" width="220" caption="Muscle cells that grow on a biological scaffold can connect to severed nerves remaining from a lost limb. Image courtesty of Paul Cederna"][/caption] From the Wire: Tiny implants that connect to nerve cells could improve control prosthetic limbs, according to an article recently published by Technology ...

Metallic Glass: New Bioabsorbable Option for Bone Implants?

Monday, September 28th, 2009

[caption id="attachment_9203" align="alignleft" width="300" caption="Arc melter in which a plasma of up to 3000°C is produced between a tungsten tip (center) and a water-cooled copper plate."][/caption] From the wire: Materials researchers at ETH Zürich have developed a metallic glass alloy that could herald a new generation of biodegradable bone implants. When ...

Polymer Platform Improves Mechanical Properties of Hip and Knee Implants

Monday, September 28th, 2009

A newly developed family of ultrahigh molecular weight polyethylene (UHMWPE) incorporates small, highly reactive molecules that cross-link at significantly lower radiation doses than previous formulations. This capability minimises the adverse effects that radiation has on the polymer’s mechanical properties. It will enable the fabrication of stronger hip and knee implants ...

Dutch Researchers Investigate Use of Cost-Effective ALP Coatings on Implants

Wednesday, April 1st, 2009

  While millions of people receive implants every year ranging from teeth to hip joints, developing the perfect material for orthopaedic and dental implants has been proven quite difficult. Scientists have discovered that the body's response to nanomaterials is different than its reaction to conventional materials and that nanopatterning of the ...

A Burgeoning Market and Plans for a US Joint Orthopaedic Device Registry

Friday, August 22nd, 2008

After publication of a study that the demand in United States (US) for orthopaedic implants is to grow by 8.9% per annum to be valued at US$22 billion in 2012 (source Freedonia), it has also been reported that the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is developing a programme that would ...

How Bioresorbable Interference Screws Entered My Life

Sunday, August 17th, 2008

When you're the editor of a medical device manufacturing publication, you don't really want to sample the products that are typically covered in the pages of your magazine. No offense, but I prefer to engage with catheters, say, on an intellectual level rather than in situ. Of course, stuff--for want ...

Feelin’ It–Haptic Technology Accelerates Implant Development

Friday, July 25th, 2008

A 3D modeling system that applies haptic technology recently made quite an impression at a conference on Advanced Digital Technology for Head and Reconstruction. Developed by SensAble Technologies, the device enables the rapid and accurate production of custom body parts from soft-tissue implants for eye sockets to titanium dental inlays.