E ver since humans began to use tools, wove cloth andinvented the wheel, useful ideas have rippled outand fused with others to improve life. In our age, and

today at MEDICA, we may well wonder at how rapidlythat symbiosis occurs. Fromastronauts’ medical monitoringto baby safety garments, fromcomputerisation to telemedi-cine, from materials engineeringto the lifelike human forms thathelp teach tomorrow’s doctors -the stunning inventions of one dayare becoming the public normquicker than ever.

Welcome to MEDICA!

S P E C I A L I S S U E : M E D I C A L , T E C H N I C A L , P H A R M A C E U T I C A L , I N D U S T R I A L N E W S & M U C H M O R E

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TRUMPF Medizin Systeme GmbH

Carl-Zeiss-Strasse 5 · D-07318 Saalfeld

Telephone +49 (0) 36 71 / 5 86-0

Telefax +49 (0) 36 71 / 5 86-1 65

e-mail info@de.trumpf-med.com

Future included

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Anew US survey of schoolchild-ren underlines anxieties expe-rienced in the EU about

healthy lifestyles and the need toeducate the public - and particular-ly the young - for health reasons.

In the study, in rural N. Carolina,conducted by Professor JoanneHarrell, University of North Caroli-na and presented at an AmericanHeart Association meeting, resultsindicated that children are showingphysical changes that could makethem more likely to develop dia-betes or heart disease. Many wereobese, had high blood pressure orshowed potentially dangerous lev-els of cholesterol, factors whichcould lead to a syndrome linked toheart disease in adulthood.

Childhood obesity is rated as oneof the most significant threats tofuture adult health in western soci-ety, and evidence is emerging thatteenagers are well on the way todeveloping diabetes.

The 3,000 children studied werebetween eight and 17 years old,

Accident or emergency patients may be treated in inflatable 6-8 bedheated tents, to ease pressure on beleaguered wards in ‘unforeseen cir-cumstances’, according to the UK’s Department of Health. These tentsalso could be used for new admissions - until beds become available.

The plan is said to have come about because ambulances have beenused as temporary accommodation when space is not available in somehospitals. Although the ambulance service is reported as responding to75% of 999 calls within eight minutes, despite the number of thesecalls increasing by 40% in the last five years, Chris Grayling, ShadowHealth Minister for the Conservative Party, said the situation was‘appalling’ and that he knew of at least three emergency departmentsthat regularly have patients turned away from hospitals altogether, or ofambulances forced to wait outside for hours.

The tents, transported in a special vehicle and manned by trainedstaff, would be set up at or near A&E departments, said a Ministry ofHealth representative.

Tents prepared for A&E patients

The group Physicians for SocialResponsibility (PSR) has beenpublicly opposed the US war in Iraq,advertising this under the slogan ‘Noto Pre-emptive War’. Now, VictorSidel MD, Professor of medicine atthe Albert Einstein College ofMedicine in New York, and co-founder of PSR, has criticised theUS government for emphasising thepossibility of biological warfare tothe extent that public healthcaresystem resources are being divertedand healthcare could be adverselyaffected. Such attacks have notplayed a major role in wars orterrorism during the past century,he pointed out.

Americans are dying frompreventable infectious diseases andfood-borne illnesses, he said, addingthat the current fear of bioterrorismcould also lead to inappropriateimmunisation and use of antibiotics.As an example, he said Seattle hadexperienced its worst outbreak oftuberculosis in 30 years, yet thegovernment insisted that resourcesshould be used for smallpoxvaccinations. Source: The Canadian Medical

Association Journal (November 2003)

Forgetbioterrorismplans!

Western societyHealth

promotionis vital

leading ordinary lives, and theywere tested for a variety of physicalmarkers that have been linked towhat is called ‘metabolic syndrome’.In adults, this syndrome is seen asan indicator of future heart or dia-betic diseases.

Tests included measurements ofblood pressure, blood sugar, insulinand ‘good’ cholesterol.

Over 42% of the children had acholesterol problem, one in four wasoverweight, while over 16% hadhigh insulin blood levels. High bloodpressure was less common: under8% of the sample. Under 20%showed glucose intolerance - linkedto development of diabetes. One ineight showed a combination of threeor more of those risk factors.

Prof. Harrell said: ‘They were regu-lar, normal kids, but we found riskfactors that are clear danger signs forthe future. If nothing is done, many

of these children could develop type 2diabetes and heart disease.’

As the dietary habits of children inthe EU have altered, in terms of intakeof fast foods - and ‘junk’ foods - similarconcerns are being expressed here. InBritain, for example, where obesity insix-year-olds has doubled in the lastdecade, there have been calls to con-trol promotions for ‘unhealthy’ foodsthat are targeted at children by manu-facturers, and to force manufacturersto provide low fat, salt and sugarrecipes foods that aimed at children.

Additionally it has been suggestedthat the height and weight of childrenshould be monitored from aged 5years, and regularly as they develop.

Additionally, in Britain, it was foundthat only 30% of men and 20% ofwomen take enough daily exercise tokeep healthy - experts recommend10,000 steps, but the average adult isestimated to cover only about 3,000.

As part of the British Health Foun-dation’s ‘Walking the way to HealthInitiative (WHI)’ over 85,000 step-o-meters were distributed in 2002 topeople who wanted to increase theirwalking levels. And now general prac-titioners (GPs), in areas of Englandwhere there are high levels of heartdisease, are set to prescribe thesepocket-sized devices to encouragepatients to walk and so lower the riskof heart disease.

Health Secretary John Reid, whosupports the initiative, said that withthe help of GPs, patients could makechanges to their lifestyles which wouldhave long-term benefits for theirhealth, added: ‘For many of us, findingthe time and enthusiasm to exercise isnot easy. Over two thirds of adultsdon’t take enough exercise to benefittheir health. Tackling coronary heartdisease and obesity are governmentpriorities and lack of physical activityis a major contributory factor to both.’

Doctors cave in to patients’ demandsIn a study jointly conducted by consultants Cap Gemini Ernst & Young withthe French university INSEAD, it was found that over 30% of 1421 physi-cians questioned in the US, France and Germany and Great Britain* hadprescribed medications or therapies about which they were not sufficientlyinformed - or did not think were the right choice for certain cases - becausetheir patients had demanded them. Over 30% of patients questioned forthe study also said they had explicitly asked doctors for brands of medica-tion. (*In Great Britain, only eight physicians were surveyed, so the compa-ny said figures are not representative).

Nevertheless, the majority of the 4042 patients studied said they trust-ed their physicians.

In the study, 76 managers from pharmaceutical companies and 33providers such as health insurers were also surveyed in the period January-May 2003.

Information confuses patients - The patients’ level of information ismostly a result of their own research, the study found. Two thirds regularlyused sources other than their physicians for information on diseases andtherapies - whether their health insurers, friends and family, media or phar-macists. Surprisingly, the internet did not play a major role, the reportpointed out. Only 28% said they use it as a source of information (e.g. Ger-many: 34% USA: 40%). However, many patients complained that informa-tion overkill is confusing.

‘There is a high demand for information which is a challenge for all play-ers in the healthcare market,’ said Dr Rolf Badenhoop, Vice President, LifeSciences Division, Cap Gemini Ernst & Young, adding that pharmaceuticalcompanies could help doctors more.Source: Cap Gemini Ernst & Young. www.de.cgey.com.

Professor says fear adverselyaffects healthcare delivery

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11B26 ON MEDICA 2003

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Pamela G Bailey, President of theAdvanced Medical TechnologyAssociation (AdvaMed), U.S.A.

REMOTE TECHNOLOGIESChanging the healthcare paradigm

Advanced medical technologiesare transforming healthcare byaiding in the prevention, early

detection, diagnosis, monitoring, andtreatment of disease. They are alsocreating improved quality of life forpatients and increased long-termcost savings for many diseases.Healthcare experts are pointing tothe advent of a new health economyin which rapid breakthroughs intechnology are leading to betterhealthcare at lower costs.

This transformation is acceleratingand will continue to do so in comingyears, as the healthcare systemembraces innovations such as micro-miniature and computer-assistedsurgery technologies, non-invasiveDNA-based diagnostics, tissue-engineered organs and integratedadvanced information technologies.

Enormous promise exists in thearea of telemedicine to streamlinethe most expensive types of carewhile giving our clinicians muchbetter insight into the patients theytreat. For example:● Pacemakers can be monitored

through telemedicine, eliminatingexpensive hospital visits.

● Advances in implantablecardioverter defibrillators allowdata to be downloaded and savedonto a special Website sophysicians can monitor patients’heart functions through theInternet.

● A pilot programme for elderly careuses home telemonitoring systemsthat include a video screen,speakerphone, stethoscope andblood pressure cuff. This enablesnurses to make weekly ‘tele-visits’from a remote location to patientsto check blood pressure and listento heartbeats. These technologies are findingtheir way into every aspect ofmodern healthcare from:

● Portable and wireless patientmonitors that enable caregivers toobserve vital signs more efficientlyand effectively.

● Use of remote monitoringtechnology for electrocardiogramsthat allows physicians to adjusttreatments for heart failurepatients because of the addedinsight gained from thetechnology.

● Hospitals that have installedwireless access points fortechnologies that improveinformation systems, reducemedical errors and reduce hospitalcosts - as doctors can retrievemedical data at a patient’s bedsideand nurses can record medicationat the point of administration.

● Hand-held computer systems thatensure medications and bloodsamples for lab tests always matchthe correct patient to preventerrors.

● E-mail prescriptions sent directlyto a patient’s pharmacy.

One of the first generations of theremote medicine concept,telemedicine, has already proven tobe cost-effective: this can provideeffective patient monitoring for onlyUS$30 per day, less than half thecost of home care and a third thecost of nursing care in the US. Thecost savings are most dramatic whencompared with the average US$820per day for in-patient care.

The other exciting aspect of thesetechnologies is that they cantransform the doctor/patient

relationship, and empowerpatients - as in the use of moreconvenient treatment settings(out-patient clinics and patients’homes). This real life observationof patients can be continuous sothat physicians can trulyunderstand their own patients’issues and needs. The value alsocan be measured in terms ofoverall quality, efficiency and

economic benefits. Productivity is theother side of better patient outcomes -everyone gains if more patients can betreated better and restored to healthmore quickly.

Healthcare policies must reinforcethe importance of patient access toinnovation such as remote medicaltechnologies. Regulatory frameworksneed to streamline market clearancesand reviews with appropriate criteria.

In the US, many of these criticalservices are not yet recognised orreimbursed by our insurancecompanies and by the Medicareprogramme that pays for our seniorcitizens. This is also an issue in severalEuropean countries. Although these

products save money by reducinghospital and doctors visits, manyproviders are not reimbursed forusing advanced technologies. As aresult, patients are obliged to come toa physician’s office to access outdatedtechnology, instead of takingadvantage of better, morecomprehensive monitoring options.

New medical technologies can allowpeople to live longer, healthier andmore independent lives with fewermedical complications and reduceddisabilities. This transformation isreducing time spent in hospitals andnursing homes, and is making ourhealthcare system more efficient andproductive.

The Infinity Patient Monitoring System™ is integrated by design, notby chance. As a result, it can help you coordinate the work of yourcare team specialists by integrating ventilator, patient monitoringand charting data at the acute point of care. But that’s just the beginning. Close collaboration in the design of therapy, monitoringand information products – made possible by the Dräger-Siemensjoint venture – has resulted in the breakthrough concept of Inter-active Integration™. This concept will include a whole new categoryof clinical decision support tools made possible by cross-deviceinteraction.

Infinity Patient Monitoring System™ Opening a New Dimension in Patient Care.

www.draeger-medical.com

“When we think of changing ventilation,

we must be aware of thepotential impact

on cardiac function.”

Emergency Care . OR/Anesthesia . Critical Care . Perinatal Care . Home Care Because you care

Visit our boothNovember 19.–22., 2003Düsseldorf, GermanyHall 11 / 11 J 39

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In Europe an average of 8.6% ofGDP is spent on healthcare inEurope. Of this figure, only 6.37%

goes to medical technology (i.e.0.54% of GDP), according to theEuropean Medical TechnologyIndustry Association’s (EUCOMED)Industry Profile 2003, a uniquecompilation of facts and figuresabout the European medicaltechnology industry, which wasreleased Cannes, on the occasion ofthe Eucomed Annual GeneralMeeting events in October.

Whereas in the EU15 and EFTAcountries, 8.77% of GDP is spent onhealthcare, of which 6.38% goes tomedical technology (i.e. 0.56% ofGDP for medical technology), theaverage percentages are 4.88% and6.09% for the EU accessioncountries (i.e. 0.29% of GDP formedical technology). In the US,expenditure on healthcare is 13.9%of GDP, with 5.1% for medicaltechnology.

EUCOMED’sIndustry Profile 2003

The Eucomed Industry Profile2003 positions the medicaltechnology sector as a keyeconomic player and growth valuecreator in Europe: with some 9345medical technology companies,over 80% of which are SMEs, thesector achieves total sales of 54.8billion Euro (Germany, France,Italy, the UK and Spain account for78% of the total), employs some386,000 people, and invests heavilyin R&D (6.35% of sales).

The Industry Profile 2003contains more statistics about theindustry, and in each case, acomplete breakdown for the 15 EU

states, 3 EFTA countries and theAccession countries. The book (75pages) is divided into 6 sections:What is the Medical Technology

Industry? The Medical Technology

Market Place (12 pages); Today’s

Healthcare Priorities (28 pages -cardiovascular disease, cancer andmusculoskeletal disorders are amongthe 12 healthcare prioritiesdocumented); Medical Technology

and EU Legislation; International

Initiatives; and Challenges and

Opportunities Ahead.The medical technology industry

offers a wide variety of products -from the syringe or bandage, thewheelchair or hearing aid, to high-tech cardiac implants and dialysismachines, tissue engineered skin andblood safety devices. All thesemedical technology products are‘medical devices’ according to thedefinition of the EU Medical DevicesDirective (93/42/EC), article 1 ofwhich covers ‘...any instrument,apparatus, appliance, materials orother article, whether used alone orin combination, including thesoftware necessary for its properapplication intended by themanufacturer to be used for humanbeings for the purpose of:

* diagnosis, prevention,monitoring, treatment or alleviationof disease

* diagnosis, monitoring, treatment,or alleviation of or compensation foran injury or handicap

* investigation, replacement ormodification of the anatomy or of aphysiological process control ofconception and which does notachieve its principal intended actionin or on the human body bypharmacological, immunological ormetabolic means, but which may beassisted in its function by suchmeans’.

According to the Global MedicalDevices Nomenclature (GMDN) theproduct range includes the followingcategories:● aids for disabled persons:

wheelchair, crutch, standingsupport, electrical bed, hearingaids

● active and non-active implantabledevices: stent, cardiac pacemaker,hip implant, neurostimulator,insulin pump

● anaesthetic/respiratory equipment:oxygen mask, anaesthesiabreathing circuit, gas delivery unit

● orthopaedic devices: kneeprosthesis, orthopaedic shoe,spinal corset

● dental devices: dentistry tools &drills, alloys & resins, dental floss,tooth brush

● electromedical and imagingequipment: x-ray machine,scanner, electrocardiograph,monitor, laser, microscope

● in-vitro diagnostics: devices forclinical chemistry, microbiology,immunology, genetic tests

● ophthalmic devices: contactlenses, optometer, optical lens, eyeglasses, ophthalmoscope

● surgical instruments: scalpel,surgical drill, forceps, tube, drain,sutures, mask

● biotechnological products: tissueengineered bone, cartilage andskin

● medical disposables: bandage,dressing, syringe.

Further details:eucomed@eucomed.be

Eucomed, the European Medical Technology IndustryAssociation, has welcomed the official announcement,this November, of the amended EU-Hungary PECA - fromwhich the ‘rule of origin’ clause has been removed.

PECA stands for ‘Protocol to the Europe Agreement between the Euro-pean Community and a third Country on Conformity Assessment andAcceptance of Industrial Products’. This type of agreement creates anexpanded single market for certain products before candidate countriesjoin the European Union, Eucomed points out.

The association has been calling for the removal of the ‘rule of origin’clause in the agreement with Hungary, because this prevented CE markedmedical technologies manufactured outside the EU from being tradedfreely in Hungary without undergoing additional technical evaluation.

‘I am very pleased that the industry’s efforts to obtain this importantamendment to the PECA with Hungary have been crowned with success! Alarge number of innovative medical technology products are manufacturedoutside the EU - for example, in the United States. Once these technolo-gies have acquired the CE marking, there is no reason why they shouldundergo additional technical evaluation that would simply delay their avail-ability to patients and clinicians,’ said Maurice Wagner, Director Generalof Eucomed.

The EU Council decided on 22 September to remove the rule of originclause from the EU-Hungary PECA agreement. Eucomed very much hopesthat a similar provision will be introduced in any future agreement of thePECA type.

Hungary will formally join the EU on 1 May 2004.

EU-Hungary PECA amended

Uroplasty, world leader in tissue bulking technology for the treatment of urinary and

faecal incontinence, wishes to appoint distributors already working in the fields of

urology, gynaecology and proctology.

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faecal incontinence, wishes to appoint distributors already working in the fields of

urology, gynaecology and proctology.

Seeking New DistributorsSeeking New Distributors

Stand Number G18 in Hall 13

Stand Number G18 in Hall 13

Uroplasty BV, Hofkamp 2, 6161 DC Geleen, The Netherlands.

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This year marks the tenth anniversaryof a close co-operation between theUSA’s Commercial Service at the Dus-seldorf Consulate and MEDICA man-agement, led by Horst Giesen MEDICAEvent Director and his team. As aresult of this valuable and continuingrelationship the department is toaward a Certificate of Appreciation forAchievement in Trade at a reception inthe USA Pavilion (Hall 3 - C30-4) on 21November, at 6 pm.

Internationalgroup

purchasing

Help withdeviceapplications

According to a recent study con-ducted by a former principal ana-lyst at the Congressional BudgetOffice, hospitals save patientsover $30 billion each year by pur-chasing products through groupcontracts.

Health Industry Group Purchas-ing Association (HIGPA), a char-tered trade association ofapproximately 170 health carepurchasing and supply chainorganisations, which hosted itssecond Annual Global Summit onHealth Care Purchasing & Supplythis year, has a membership thatincludes many of the world’sleading healthcare product man-ufacturers, distributors, whole-salers and related suppliers.

The HIGPA said the fundamen-tal principle of its annual summitis to foster the creation of knowl-edge-based strategies and co-ordinated systematic approachesto healthcare group purchasingpractices worldwide. Topics cov-ered included: advancing health-care technologies, purchasingbest practices, bio-terrorism,global partnership opportunitiesand e-business standardisation. Details: www.higpa.org.

Obelis (OEARC) reports that it hasjoined with RAA (RegulatoryAffairs Associates) LLC, to offer ‘...a more complete international solu-tion’. RAA a US-based RegulatoryAffairs consultancy is a linked com-munity of experienced profession-als, each with about 30 years expe-rience in their field, who help smalland medium sized medical devicecompanies to complete 510(k) andPMA applications in the USA.

Award for MEDICA Event Director US Department of Commerceaward for Horst Giesen

The department pointed out that thefully-furnished space provided at MED-ICA as a Corporate Executive Office(CEO) plus additional support: ‘...hasbeen a critical factor in our being ableto expose innovative, small US med-ical and diagnostic products to theglobal medical business communityand to provide professional, on-siteservice to the American exhibitors,over the years the largest foreign con-tingent at MEDICA.

‘It is our wish to recognize Mr.Giesen for his outstanding effortsand the sustained support which hehas provided - support that hashelped scores of US companies inthe USA Pavilions and our CorporateExecutive Office incubator to intro-duce their products to the Germanand international markets andenabled our office to assist thosecompanies, effectively and efficiently,in doing so.’

THE ULTIMATE SAFETY

SYRINGE FOR CLINICAL

INJECTIONS

Unitract Limited is pleased to launch the world’s first auto-retraction

syringe with a re-use prevention (AD) feature at Medica 2003.

The Unitract Syringe is able to help eliminate both needlestick injuries andsyringe re-use. It is available at a price competitive with normal disposablesyringes and shares the same common steps of injection. An interchangeablecannula feature can also be applied to larger sizes of the Unitract Syringe.

For a demonstration of the unique, fully automatic Unitract Syringe, comeand see us at the North American Pavilion, Hall 14 (14A24).

UNITRACT LIMITED HEAD OFFICE

LEVEL 14, 210 GEORGE STREET SYDNEY NSW 2000 AUSTRALIA

PHONE: +61 2 9251 6566 FAX: +61 2 9251 6033

EMAIL: INFO@UNITRACT.COM WEB SITE: WWW.UNITRACT.COM

6

B I O M E D I C A L F A B R I C S

Molecular scientists workingin nanotechnology andpolymer research have pro-

duced biomedical textiles that candeliver slow release drugs trans-dermally - e.g. hormones, painkillers and nicotine doses, nowcommonly absorbed by patientsfrom drug infused skin patches.Other new textiles are used topatch up hernias and are fashionedinto vascular prostheses, and manyother medical devices.Smart clothing - with integratedsensors - is another exciting field ofwork, because garments can beused to monitor and transmit vitalpatient data and, in time, maydeliver medications in a perhapsgentler way for patients who sufferneuro-dermal problems, or antisep-

Report byBrenda Marsh

tic substances to those recoveringfrom burns injuries. Diabeticscould also be better served ifinsulin could be delivered moresimply.

However, producing suchclothing would not be easy,said Astrid Bason in a reportfor marketing consultantsFrost and Sullivan. ‘The coatingof textiles with suitable mole-cules for drug containmentand delivery is a big scientificchallenge. Examples includecyclodextrins, a unique groupof cyclic oligomers of glucose,which can incorporate andrecognise other molecules intheir molecular cavities. Thisunique characteristic can be usedto incorporate active substances

into their molecular structure lead-ing to a variety of potentiallypromising medical applicationsincluding transdermal drug deliv-ery.’ Theoretically the possibilitiesare endless, the report added. ‘Itremains to be seen if such smartclothes are technically feasible toproduce and, not less important,within acceptable costs. However,such applications are not likely tobe ready within the next 5 years.’

Nonetheless, some biomedicalclothing is already a reality.

From space to baby wearThe Mamagoose pyjama, developedby Verhaert with the University ofBrussels (ULB), draws on technol-ogy used in two space applications:the analogue biomechanicsrecorder experiment (ANBRE) andthe respiratory inductive plethys-mograph suit (RIP). This transferof technology designed for space toearth application is partiallyfinanced by IWT, the Belgian insti-tute for the promotion of scientificand technological research inindustry.

Dany Robberecht, responsiblefor Marketing at Verhaert NewProducts & Services, recalls thatthe initial idea to create a baby suitto research sudden infant deathsyndrome (SIDS) - commonlyknown as cot death - came fromProfessor Paiva of ULB. In 1993,

Textilestake off

Smart cloths andsmart clothes

The Vivo-Metrics LifeShirt

Hall 14,

Booth A-34-8

Free samples of all Otoscope, Opthalmoscope,Laryngoscope, and Diagnostic Medical Lamps

for all brands & styles of instruments.Quality Lamps at Discount Prices.

Carley Lamps, 1502 W. 228th St., Torrance, California 90501 USAwww.carleylamps.com

Starplex Scientific Inc. Hall 3, Booth D66

Starplex will be featuring, StarTox and OraTox, the latest technology inrapid, on-site testing for drugs of abuse. Starplex has over 20 years ofexperience in manufacturing premium quality specimen collection and

transportation devices and supplying the North American market.

www.starplexscientific.com

&

For nearly 40 years, BG Industries has designed, manufactured andmarketed the healthcare industry’s finest therapeutic support surfacesfor the prevention and management of skin breakdown.

As the leading hospital mattress manufacturer in the United States andJapan, we continue with our commitment in offering the most cost effective

support surfaces available for any healthcare setting.

Our revolutionary new AccuMax Quantum Convertible™ mattress offers pressure relief with or without a gentle alternating pressurepump. In addition, our MaxiFloat™ pressure reduction mattress systems have served to change the pressuremanagement protocols of healthcare institutions and virtually eliminate the use of foam overlays.

Come see the future of therapeutic support surfaces at stand #B24/5, Hall 14 during Medica 2003.

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TheMamagoose

Pyjama

7

B I O M E T R I C S F A B R I C

ULB and Verhaert developed therespiratory inductive plethysmo-graph suit to study the respirationof astronauts during space mis-sions.

Prof. Paiva had the idea of adapt-ing this concept to create a babysuit to continuously monitorinfants during sleep and to soundan alarm at the first symptoms of apossible unexpected death. In part-nership, numerous models wereproduced and tested leading to thedevelopment of the Mamagooseprototypes.

Since then, the prototypes havebeen tested on many babies in dif-ferent hospitals, environments andconditions. These include babies ofvarious weights and sizes, whenthey are in different ‘moods’ such

cians with feedback on theresearch results.

The Mamagoose system canalso be connected to a PC, whichfurther analyses and stores thedata. As more data are collectedmore situations can be pro-grammed, more precise monitor-ing can be carried out and thesystem will generate fewer falsealarms. This data will also enablepaediatricians and the ULBResearch Institute to carry outfurther research into the cause ofcot deaths.

According to Dany Robberecht,

the Mamagoose product is ready tobe manufactured and marketed bya commercial partner.● The compact Mamagoose-based

BabyGuard - a low cost spin-offfor consumers - combines highlyaccurate sensors integrated in achest pad with a miniaturizedcomputer unit, which sounds analarm if a critical event occurs. Itis based on an intelligent algo-rithm and the firm reports that itprovides full baby monitoringfeatures in combination with ababy phone, even when a babysleeps.

as calm, nervous or upset, andwhen they are sleeping in differentpositions. To date, the results havebeen extremely promising. ‘Theefficiency of this new applicationhas now been demonstrated,’ DanyRobberecht said. ‘These Mama-goose prototypes offer marketopportunities as high-end medicaldevices, but also downscaled spin-off products may find market appli-cations as low-cost consumer prod-ucts complementing current careproducts such as baby phones.’

The pyjamas have five specialsensors positioned over the breastand stomach: three monitor theinfant’s heartbeat and two monitorrespiration. This multi-sensor sys-tem guarantees a high level of mea-suring precision, Dany Robberechtpointed out. The special sensorsare actually built into the cloth andhave no direct contact with thebody, thus creating no discomfortfor the baby. The control unit withalarm system is connected to thegarment and continuously moni-tors and processes the signalsreceived from the five sensors. It isprogrammed with an alarm algo-rithm that scans the respirationpattern to detect unexpected andpossibly dangerous situations. Iffound, the alarm system is activat-ed. In addition, the selective mem-ory records data for a certain peri-od before and after the alarm toassist physicians to make a diagno-sis.

The garment has two parts: thefirst, which comes into direct con-tact with the baby, can bemachine-washed and the second,which contains the sensor system,can be washed by hand. Made ofnon-allergic material, and designedto keep the sensors in place duringuse, the pyjama comes in threesizes.

Verhaert will be responsible forproducing Mamagoose once thetests currently being carried out inGermany have been completedwhile the biomedical physics labo-ratory of ULB will be responsiblefor improving the processing algo-rithm and for providing pediatri-

The LifeShirtWorn during daily life, the LifeShirtSystem, made by US firm Vivo-Met-rics, has been used in variousresearch projects, for exampleobserving heart failure, coughs andsleep. The LifeShirt has also givenresearchers the opportunity toobserve how daily emotional eventsand reactions relate to changes inrespiratory and cardiac parameters,and they believe this kind of moni-toring could present a physiologicalbasis for developing therapies for amany psycho-physiological disor-ders, such as muscle pain and irrita-

ble bowel syndromes, non-cardiacchest pain and panic disorders.

People living decades from now,may smile when they look back at ourawe of such developments, for suchmedical aids will surely advance,become more refined and reduced insize, and perhaps be merely com-monplace as daily items of wear - justas ‘Liberty bodices’ were during mychildhood - but they were only usedto keep the chest warm and hopefullystave off pneumonia, or worse, TB!These newer concepts may lead tolife-saving of a far more positive andeven interventional nature.

The BabyGuard

8

H E A L T H & S A F E T Y

MONITORINGelectromagnetic fieldsThe RadMan is a small, personal

radiation monitor, producedby Narda Safety Test

Solutions, specialist inmeasurement and analysis ofelectromagnetic fields. Worn on thebody, the device is used to detectleaks and make quick pre-tests ofEMF exposure, and provides visualand acoustic warning signals whenthreshold values are exceeded, e.g.during service work on transmittingequipment for radio relay, satelliteand broadcast communications aswell as radar andtelecommunication facilities.

By moving the yellow absorbercap to a different socket, RadMancan be transformed from a personal

The wearable RadMan

monitor into a pre-tester and leakdetector.

The sensors are integrated in anorthogonal pattern, allowing themto measure electrical fields up to40 GHz, and magnetic fields up to1 GHz, separately andindependently of direction.

The XT version has long-termdata memory for monitoring andrecording the minimum, maximumand average radiation levels. Viaanalysis software it is also possibleto evaluate results as easy-to-readgraphics or tables, the makerpoints out.

The firm has also launched theType 11C probe for isotropicmeasurement of high-frequency

In July this year a newborn was abducted from a Dort-mund hospital. Such an ‘abduction of newborns won’tbe possible anymore,’ says byometric systems Inc ofMitterfelden, reporting that it has installed an irisrecognition system in the Helios Hospital in Borna, toprotect the infants department. A year ago this firmalso installed a system at Bad Reichenhall’s city hos-pital. The firm works under a license agreement withIridian Technologies, the patent holder for iris recogni-tion systems.

‘Highly accurate technology now permits only autho-rized individuals, like mothers, doctors and nurses, togain access to the infants department,’ the firmreports. ‘These people will enrol their iris in the sys-tem by glancing at an iris-recognition camera. In sec-onds, a unique iris code template is generated thatwill later be matched against “live” samples of theiris whenever that person wants to enter the room.Once the child is released from the infant station, themother’s iris code data is removed from the systemand they are no longer allowed access.

Germany - During in-patient care, over 500 mil-lion cannulas, catheters and vein-sets are used inGermany annually, and the number of stab, cutand scrape injuries in hospitals is estimated to beat least 500,000 annually. Experts assume thatonly 10% of all cases are reported, and the esti-mated number of unknown cases is clearly higher.

During October’s BVMed workshop (attendedby over 40 representatives from worker safetyorganisations, statutory accident insurances andindustry) entitled: ‘Sharps injuries: causes,

effects and avoidance’, it was pointed out thatthe new regulation on biological work-related sub-stances in healthcare and nursing servicesrequires that, during a fundamentally risky activi-ty that presents an infection risk: ‘pointed, sharpor breakable work devices should be replaced by

communication facilities and radiorelay antennae in the 55 GHz rangeas well as all high-frequencycommunication equipment.

The firm’s new calibrationlaboratory in Pfullingen calibratesdevices up to 60 GHz fullyautomatically. Together with theprobe, the user receives anextensive report about theindividual calibration factors for thewhole frequency range. Thisdocuments all 24 frequency points.

Both these devices aremanufactured by Narda Safety TestSolutions, of Pfullingen, Germany,which is owned by L-3Communications, New York. Thelatter supplies securitycommunications systems andproducts, avionics and marinesystems, radio relay componentsand telemetry, measurementtechnology, space and radiotechnology, to organisations suchas the US Defence Department, USgovernment intelligence agencies,foreign governments and civiliantelecommunications groups.

Save injuries

‘Iris recognition technology identifies people bythe unique patterns of the iris - the coloured ringaround the pupil of the eye. The system examinesover 240 degrees of freedom in the human iris tocreate a 512-byte data template used to identifyindividuals and/or authenticate user privileges. Irisrecognition is deemed to be the highest-accuracy,single-factor byometric identification in the world,’the firm points out, adding that this is a cost effec-tive security system.

electromagnetic fields. The Type11C probe measures the broadfrequency range from 27 MHz to 60GHz, and the firm says it is alsounusually sensitive due to itsdiode-based design. It can alsomeasure from extremely low levelsof 0.7 V/m to a maximum of 300V/m, which enables it to gather themeasurements frequently neededat base stations for mobilecommunications.

‘ With the high frequency EMR-200 and EMR-300 measuringdevices, the Type 11C probe is theideal measurement solution forhigh-frequency fields up to 60 GHz.It is also possible to collect data inthe vicinity of satellite

SAFETY SYSTEMIris

recognitionused in German

hospitals

appropriate work devices that con-tain a smaller danger of stab or cutinjuries’. The regulations also empha-sise the responsibility of healthcareemployers to prevent injury fromneedles, and that educational mea-sures and investments in the avoid-ance of sharps injuries should reducethe potentially enormous danger tomedical staff, patients and those whoclean or handle waste.

In terms of medical, social and ulti-mately the economic value of protec-

Prof. Friedrich Hofmann and Dr Nenad Kralj, both fromWupertal University, estimated the cost of sharpsinjuries at 30 million euros annually

Over 40 representatives fromworker safety organisations,statutory accident insurancesand industry discussed theproblem of sharps injuries atthe BVMed workshop

EMF hazardsRecently, a survey of electromagnetic fields (EMFs) creat-ed by 100 mobile radio transmitters was carried out inNorth Rhine-Westphalia, by EMV-Services, a firm in the T‹VNord Group, on behalf of the Information Centre MobileRadio e.V. Berlin. Radio frequencies and radiation fromfixed network cordless landlines were also measured. Theteam reported: ‘Readings were consistently well below thelegal limits. Transmitters with the lowest fields could havecreated fields 4,000 times higher, but still have beenwithin legal limits.’

However, the readings may not reflect the possiblehealth effects of the radiation, said Simon Best, publisherof the quarterly news report EMFs -Electromagnetic Hazard& Therapy (www.em-hazard-therapy.com). ‘All presentnational and international exposure limits are based onlyon thermal (heating) effects on biological systems, where-as there is growing evidence and a body of opinion (mainlyof scientists independent of telecoms or governmentalbodies) that levels of EM radiation well below those atwhich heating occurs can have significant adverse effectson people. No present legal limits takes account of thisevidence and thus should be treated with caution. As anexample, a very recent, peer-reviewed study by the DutchMinistry of Health has found adverse effects on peoplefrom mobile phone mast radiation at levels as low as 1volt per metre, far below the current guidance level!The report is being submitted for publication in a medicaljournal but is available onhttp://www.ez.nl/beleid/home_ond/gsm/docs/TNO-FEL_REPORT_03148_Definitief.pdf.

The Commercial Service of the United Statesinvites Medica Visitors to the USA CEO Centerto meet with high level executives of UScompanies. Please stop by to meet with thefollowing participating companies:

Advanced Medical Technology Association (AdvaMed)Mr. Frank Wilton, Vice President Membership Servicese-mail: fwilton@advamed.org, www.advamed.orgAdvaMed represents more than 1,000 innovators andmanufacturers of medical devices, diagnostic productsand medical information systems.

American Bionostica, Inc.Mr. Richard Thompson, e-mail:rthompson@comcast.net,www.americanbionostica.comAmerican Bionostica develops and manufactures rapidimmunochromatographic tests for a broad range ofapplications for diagnostic labs and clinics.

Case Medical, Inc.Ms. Marcia Frieze, CEOe-mail: mfrieze@casemed.com, www.casemed.comCase Medical ® offers innovative products for theworld healthcare community.

CPIMr. Robert Deerine-mail: redeerin@msn.com,www.protectiveunderwear.comCPI is one of the leading manufacturers forincontinence underwear for men and women, bedpadsand hospital gowns.

DM Systems, Inc.Dr. Dennis B. Drennan, MDe-mail: ddrennan@dmsystems.com,www.dmsystems.comDMS Systems offers ulcer treatment/prevention andpressure relieving products, resistance cord for aportable exercise regimen and the GaitKeeper cast shoe.

Healthpoint, Ltd.Mr. Jay Nisbete-mail: jay.nisbet@dfb.com, www.dfb.comHealthpoint markets medical devices and over-the-counter drugs for the management of intact skin andthe treatment of acute and chronic wounds.

Lee LaboratoriesMr. Steve Palancee-mail: Steven_Palance@BD.com, www.leelabs.com Lee Laboratories develops and manufactures productsfor the identification of bacterial infectious diseases.

Michigan Instruments, Inc.Ms. Maureen Oostendorp, Marketing Directore-mail: maureeno@michiganinstruments.com,www.michiganinstruments.comMichigan Instruments offers a CE marked VentilatorTraining and Test Lung System and a MechanicalCardiopulmonary Resuscitator System.

Noah Systems, LLCMs. Andrea Cugini, Marketing Coordinatore-mail: noah@noahsys.com, www.noahsys.comAir-Aid is a Portable Room Air Management Systemused to destroy pathogens, particles, and VOCs. Air-Aidcontrols staph, SARS, and anthrax, amongst others.

Perfecta Products, Inc.Mr. Scott Gorley, Presidente-mail: msmith@crackcreme.com,www.crackcreme.comPerfecta is the sole distributor/marketer of theDisintegrator Plus and Disintegrator Pro, a portable andeasy-to use needle-destruction device.

Schick Technologies, Inc.Dan Michaeli, Product Managere-mail: dmichaeli@schicktech.com,www.schicktech.comSchick Technologies is committed to the furtherdevelopment of diagnostic imaging for the good of thedental and medical professions.

Spacelabs MedicalMr. Terho Hoskonen, Director, Global ChannelRelationshipse-mail: terho.hoskonen@datex-ohmeda.comSpacelabs Medical produces innovative patient caremonitors and clinical information systems.

Stryker Osteonics SA.Ms. Maria Elena Stoicae-mail: maria.stoica@strykereurope.com,www.strykerexport.comStryker develops, manufactures, and marketsspecialized surgical and medical products worldwide.

Contact:The Commercial Service, U.S. Consulate GeneralDuesseldorfMs Anette Salama, Sr. Commercial Specialist, Medical,Pharmaceutical, Health Caree-mail: anette.salama@mail.doc.gov,www.buyusa.com, www.buyusa.de, www.export.gov

USA CEO CenterHall 14 D58

H E A L T H & S A F E T Y

9

Germany - TÜV Süddeutschland, aleading technical service provider inthe industrial, product andtransportation sectors, has 11,600employees in over 130 locationsworldwide. The company’s servicesinclude consultancy, testing,certification and training in safety,quality, environmental protectionand operating efficiency. TÜVProduct Service specialises inproduct testing, evaluation andcertification, with regard to safety,electromagnetic compatibility,telecommunication competency,usability and quality. About 1000employees carry out tests incompliance with currentinternational safety standards.

Experts from this company willbe at MEDICA (19-22 November,Dusseldorf. Hall 12, Stand 12/F71)to give further information on ENISO 13485:2003. Additionally,Yasushi Murayama, TÜV ProductService Japan will give apresentation on ISO 13485:2003, aswell as on new Japanese regulations(MEDICA.19 November. Room D).

The firm points out that, as of 14July 2006, the standard EN ISO13485:2003 will supersede thecurrent versions EN ISO13485:2000 (formerly: EN46001:1996) and EN ISO13488:2000 (formerly: EN 46002)to become a standard CE mark formedical device manufacturers whodistribute medical products in theEuropean Union. EN ISO 13485 andEN 46001 are applicable tocompanies that perform their owndesign activities. EN ISO 13488 andEN 46002 are valid formanufacturers and serviceproviders without design activities.

EN ISO 13485:2000 is theEuropean version of the ISO13485:1996 and is based on ISO9001:1994 elements, just as EN ISO13488:2000 is based on ISO13488:1886 and ISO 9002:1994.Hence the newly revised ISO9001:2001 has had a significanteffect on the new medical devicequality standard that follows asimilar processing approach. The(EN) ISO 13485:2003 has some

additional requirements compared with theold standards that need to be fulfilled withregard to quality objectives, resourcemanagement, risk management throughoutproduct realization, data analysis, customerfeedback and internal & externalcommunication.

(EN) ISO 13485:2003 allows theexclusion of processes from the productrealisation phase if not required forregulatory purposes. Via the ‘permissibleexclusion’ of the design and developmentphase from the quality managementsystem, (EN) ISO 13488:1996 is no longer

Use safety sharpsand costs

ADVICE: changing rules for device qualitynecessary and will become obsolete at theend of the transition period.

The responsible ISO standardisationcommittee has proposed a three-yeartransition period beginning 15.07.2003.During this time both the new and oldstandards will co-exist. On 14.07.2006 thetwo old ISO standards will be fullywithdrawn. But manufacturers beware:Transition periods for the use of (EN)ISO 13485:2003 for regulatory purposese.g. in Europe and Canada may bedifferent!Source: TÜV Süddeutschland Holding AG

Meet the TÜVexperts at Medica

tion from sharps injuries has beenproved in several studies.

For example, a US study foundthat 84% of sharps injuries could beavoided by using the new safetyproducts on the market, in conjunc-tion with organisational measures.

This also makes economic sense,BvMed explained, because, in Ger-many alone, worker safety organisa-tions and statutory accident insur-ances estimate related accident coststo be 12 million euros annually.

With just a 6 µl blood sample, the ecoSolo II issaid to evaluate the blood glucose level in 5-10seconds. For use directly in wards, this portabledevice, which utilises wet chemical strip testing,contains a self-cleansing chip that evaluateswhole blood. Each chip is usable for four weeks.

The manufacturer, Care diagnostica GmbH,also reports that the German Ärzteblatt stated, inits September report on expenditure, that the wetchemical method is the better choice.

The firm also points out that ecoSolo II, a lowcost point-of-care testing solution, meets thecriteria of the new German General MedicalCouncil guidelines.

Data is recorded automatically and can beforwarded to a central server, where themeasuring device is checked. If the quality normis not met, blocking is automatic.

At MEDICA, the Care diagnostica GmbH teamwill present ecoSolo II in Hall 3 Stand 13.

10

L A B O R A T O R Y

Nanotechnology andbiotechnology/medicine areinteracting in a number of

surprising and inventive ways tocreate the new disciplinenanobiotechnology. From earlier,simpler disease detection,improved imaging and rapidassessment of potential drugcandidates to optimal drugdelivery, nanobiotechnology isbrimming with possibilities, saysGirish Solanki, Technical InsightAnalyst. ‘Besides facilitatingdetection of the minutest traces ofdiseases such as cancer - orperhaps detecting a single spore ofpathogen - nanostructured

Eindhoven, The Netherlands - Hand Held Products(specialising in auto identification data collection (AIDC)for 30 years) has launched two new mobile computersfor in-house and in-transit data collection.

Powered by the firm’s 4th generation AdaptusImaging Technology, and with an ultra-slim, yet strongand lightweight design, the devices incorporate acomputer, digital camera, and triple-radio withintegrated wireless WAN, LAN and PAN. They alsoinclude an Intel X-Scale processor; the MicrosoftPocket PC operating platform; a lithium-ion battery,and colour display.

The firm reports that Dolphin 9500 and 9550are ideal for decoding bar codes, capturingsignatures, taking photographs, communicatingwith vendors and dispatchers, and more. (Theopen software architecture provides a flexibleand scalable platform for easy integrationinto any mobile data collectionrequirements).

HAND-HELD DATA CAPTURE

BLOOD GLUCOSE TESTS

Nanotechnology‘Microchips will soon edge out unwieldy, lab-based procedures’

materials and nanodevices couldprovide better diagnosis ofcomplex diseases and enableunprecedented drug delivery,’ hepoints out in a new report frommarketing consultants Frost andSullivan.

‘With a new generation ofnanochips we could obtain muchmore accurate medical diagnosis;quickly and efficiently screen themind-boggling array of drugcandidates and perform targeteddelivery of drugs and vaccines asnever before,’ he adds.

The report continues: Forecastssuggest that nano-enabled servicescould potentially represent up to

$180 billion annually in medicineand healthcare by 2015.Investments in a few biomedicalnanotechnology firms appear tomirror the upbeat sentiment: at$10 million or more each, theseexceed those for firms in manyother nanotechnology sectors.

There has also been significantprogress in other areas: novelnanostructured materials thatserve as templates for tissuereplacement and enable bettertreatment of burns and bonereplacement have been developed.While this has certainly reducedthe incidence of burn relatedfatalities, researchers are still inthe early stages of their attempt toinduce bone tissue growth throughpolymer templates.

In terms of drug delivery,developments in nano-encapsulation offer the promise ofenhanced delivery and absorption.Here, the relatively inertnanocapsule adheres to andreleases the drug solely at thetarget tissue site, thereby obviatingtoxicity concerns. Immunereactions associated with the useof modified viruses as the vector ofgene-delivery, have trained thespotlight on carbon nanotubes,now being considered for drugdelivery in gene therapy.

Additionally, researchers arelooking at magnetic nanoparticlescontaining drugs for delivery tospecific body areas by means of amagnetic field. This is likely toboost therapeutic benefit whileminimising side effects elsewherein the body.

Similarly, there have beenencouraging advancements inmicrofluidics, which enablemodification of drug levels withinthe body in real time, therebyavoiding fluctuations in drugconcentration.

Researchers are also working onelectrospun fibre bandages as anattractive alternative to traditionalgauze and elastic bandages.Created from flannel-like fabric,

they are said to instantly staunchbleeding and can be left in situbecause the body can absorb them.

Nanotechnology is also likely toenhance biomolecular imaging.Researchers are focusing on waysto use AFM on organic materials,to scan materials in vivo quicklyand accurately but minimallyimpact on organic material. Inaddition, non-invasive imagingtechnologies, such as diffusiontensor magnetic resonance imaging(DT-MRI), are likely to providedetailed images of soft tissuestructure, which will enable betterdetection of the development,degeneration, disease and ageingin the tissue.

In terms of detecting DNAsequences in the body, implantednanosensors might enable simplerand more effective diagnosis. Forinstance, implanted devices coulddispatch a signal to a pump torelease more insulin for diabetics,and in time, similar devices could

be developed to deliver a widerrange of medications.

Quantum dots, which can bondchemically to biological moleculesand emit bright, fluorescent light,also could become effective earlycarcinoma-detection agents. ‘As apromising bar coding technologythat can encode genes andproteins, quantum dots couldpotentially be employed toenhance the sensitivity ofdiagnostic tests for molecules thatare hard to detect, such as those incancer cells, or even AIDS orhepatitis viruses,’ Girish Solankipoints out, who concludes thatthere is, ‘frenetic R&D activity innanobiotechnology, which couldlead to real devices that will edgeout unwieldy lab-based procedureswith economical, accuratemicrochips in the near term’. Details: Report: NantotechnologyIndustry Impact Research Service.Code: D254. www.technical-insights.frost.com

Quick andat the

bedside

11

L A B O R A T O R Y

Haematology - automated testing

Beckmann Coulter launchestwo new instruments

The need to reduce overall costsby improving laboratory effi-ciency and maximising labour

resources - whilst maintaining oper-ator safety and error limitation - hasincreased in recent years. BeckmanCoulter, a leading provider ofhaematology and automated solu-tions for the diagnostics laboratory,says it regularly responds to theseuser needs through an on-goingresearch and development (R&D)programme that brings new andinnovative instrument systems tomarket.

At this year’s Medica, the compa-ny is launching two new instru-ments - the LH1500 series, a newline of haematology automated sys-tems, and the COULTER LH500, ahigh-performance testing instru-ment.

The new LH 1500 series featuresthe diagnostic industry’s only com-prehensive haematology automationsystems, the firm points out. ‘Eachsystem can manage the entirehaematology testing process frompre-analytical sorting to post-ana-lytical storage. Systems in the series

perform sample tracking, sortingand processing, as well as automat-ed cassette loading and unloading,retrieval of tests for repeat andreflex testing - and more.’

Currently, 12 standard configu-rations are available and includetwo to four COULTER LH 700series haematology analysers, withor without integrated slide-makingand slide-staining capabilities. Con-figurations may include an inletunit with a 200-tube capacity, out-let unit with 200-tube capacity,stockyard with 1,000-tube capacityand LH connection units.

‘With the LH 1500 series, tech-nologists place samples directlyinto the inlet; the tubes are theninserted automatically into individ-ual carriers and routed to theappropriate haematology analyseror outlet for non-CBC tests, suchas HbA1c, sedimentation rates andnon-haematology tests. Tubes forhaematology testing are trans-ferred to instrument cassettes,which are loaded into the analyserby a robotic arm.

‘STAT samples can be added to

the line at any time. The LH 1500series can switch from automationmode to independent mode withfull feature capability, including theuse of cassette and manual modes.After analysis, the tubes are auto-matically removed from theanalyser and sorted into the outletor stockyard,’ the companyexplains.

Beckman Coulter expects tooffer additional configurations ofthe LH 1500 series, including cus-

tom configurations to help meetlaboratories diverse testing require-ments. Among these configura-tions, the company intends to pro-vide laboratories with the flexibilityto connect haematology lines tocoagulation and chemistry lines.

‘Designed for mid- to high-vol-ume laboratories, the LH 500 offerscomplete blood counts with five-part differential analysis and fea-tures advanced three-dimensionalVCS (volume, conductivity, scat-ter) technology, which provides thehighest level of sensitivity, speci-ficity and efficiency in white bloodcell (WBC) differential analysis.

‘The instrument’s expanded lin-earity limits extend from zero to200,000 cells/µL for WBCs, whileplatelet linearity extends from zeroto 2 million cells/µL. The systemalso features improved platelet per-formance, decreasing flags and theneed for manual reviews whenplatelet numbers are less than20,000 cells/µL. In addition, the LH500 helps reduce operator inter-vention by offering continuoussample loading for complete walk-

Beckman Coulter Inc is a leadingmanufacturer of instrumentsystems, chemistries and suppliesthat simplify and automatelaboratory processes. Thecompany’s clinical diagnosticssolutions aim to simplify andautomate laboratory processes andthese include automation, clinicalchemistry, haematology, immuno-diagnostics and flow cytometrysystems, as well as rapid test kits,reagents and quality controlchemistries. Employing over 9,500people internationally, the firm hasplaced over 125,000 instrumentsystems in 130 countries. In2002, the firm’s annual salesreachedUS$2.06billion.

away operation. Stat samples canbe run with minimal interruption toroutine workflow.

‘The system allows user-defineddecision rules, which can then betransferred to COULTER LH 700series haematology instruments,simplifying system set-up and labperformance across multiple sys-tems. Approximately 20,000 sets ofresults and graphics can be storedon the instrument.’

‘The system seamlessly inte-grates with COULTER LH 700series instruments, sharing thesame reagents, controls and cali-brators for consistent results. Inaddition, the LH 500 has virtuallythe same user interface, eliminatingthe need for additional technologisttraining,’ the firm points out. ‘TheLH 500 can perform up to 75 sam-ples per hour. Sample volume is185 µL in primary mode and 125 µLin manual mode. Pre-diluted sam-ples, including sodium citrate sam-ples, can be processed and the LH500 will calculate the final result.’

Visit us at Medica: Hall 1/Stand 1D04

ANAESTHESIA AND VENTILATION

MAQUET is one of the world’s leading suppliers of products for operating theatresand ICUs. MAQUET products and services contribute to the improvement of patientcare and the optimisation of medical procedures in hospitals, clinics and doctor’s surgeries all over the world. MAQUET – THE GOLD STANDARD.

Visit us at MEDICA 2003 in Düsseldorf between 19 and 22 November, Booth 12, Stand D 51/D 52, and meet the new MAQUET family.

WELCOME TO MAQUET

MAQUET offers practical solutions for three areas.

Surgical Workplaces: equipment of operating theatres with operating tables, lighting

for operating theatres, ceiling pendants and modular construction systems for operating

theatres. Cardio-Pulmonary: heart-lung machines, oxygenators and disposable pro-

ducts for open-heart surgery. Critical Care: anaesthetic and ventilation systems for

operating theatres and intensive care.

MAQUET GmbH & Co. KG · Kehler Strasse 31 · D-76437 Rastatt · www.maquet.com

3M has launched the 4020Data Logger - an electronic mon-

itor that records up to 18,000measuring points, while loggingtemperature and time during wash-ing, rinsing and drying. This, saysthe maker, provides ‘reliable, inde-pendent monitoring of washing anddisinfection equipment, such asclocked transfer line systems andtunnel washers.’

After programming in activationtime, temperature sensing frequen-

12

P R O D U C T D E S I G N & S U R G E R Y

BRANDING:medical technologyReport by Fred Held, industrial designer at

Corporate product design isimportant for medicaltechnology, and firms

paying little attention to thiswill be left behind because theincreasingly complextechnologies and functions ofproducts are hard todifferentiate and experience.

Purchasing decisions rest onbeliefs that one product isbetter than another, and/or oneproduct is cheaper thananother. This is very dangerousfor manufacturers of highquality products because pricedominates decisions, which isrational. So, products made inlow wage countries can easilybecome successful. It isimportant to counteract thesedevelopments by ensuring thata product’s quality andinnovation are readilyrecognisable by customers.Therefore, aesthetic design andoutstanding ergonomics areessential. Nonetheless, abrand’s refinement andcompetence are vital for long-term success and should be inthe forefront of product

presentation. Our company not only

focuses on the design of aproduct, but also on itsergonomics. We also develop auniform brand design.

A few years ago we looked atresearch into the psychology ofperception and recognition,which was used to develophandbooks for the design ofproducts and productprogrammes based on theirfeatures. From this, wedeveloped a method.

For example, mostcompanies tend to manufacturean entire product range in onecolour, usually placing the logoat the top left corner. Thisworks - if at all - only withsmall product ranges. However,if you are looking at 20products or more - forexample, we have worked withOlympus Winter & Ibe foryears, and this firm marketsover 600 instruments - youmust come up with more ideasto achieve a unified look. Youneed many differentcharacteristics, so that each

Argon assistedelectrosurgery

Argon plasma coagulationconsiderably extends thepossibilities of monopolar

electrosurgery, says Bowa,manufacturer of electrosurgicalunit arc plus. In this process, thefirm points out that ionised argongas reinforces the known effectof non-contact high-frequencyspray coagulation and offersmany important advantages.

As an inert gas, Argonproduces a low-oxygenatmosphere at the point ofcoagulation. Traumatisation ofthe tissue is reduced, necrosisminimal and coagulation depthrestricted to a few millimetres,which reduces intra-operativebleeding and effects betterwound healing.

The argon plasma beamproduces a constant degree ofcoagulation, particularly in thecase of larger working areas. Theplasma beam prefers tissue withlow electrical resistance, so itcan be applied not only axiallybut also laterally, with respect tothe electrode.

The coagulation electrode isalways applied in a non-contact

mode, which avoids any sticking ofthe tip to biological tissue

The action of smoke is drasticallyreduced during argon plasmacoagulation, which, particularly inendoscopic applications, leads tobetter vision and less frequentcleaning of the lens.

New surgical applicationsIn the resection of

parenchymatous tissue, for examplein liver surgery, uniform coagulationresults can be achieved over a largearea in the lowest possible time.

The low penetration depth ofcoagulation ensures the greatestpossible safety in all applications inareas where there is a risk ofperforation, such as ingastroenterology.

The process may be used inflexible as well as rigid endoscopyand has found a firm place inbronchoscopy, laparoscopy andthoracoscopy.

The arc plus unit, an addition tothe BOWA range of electrosurgicalunits, has an interface that ensuressmooth communication between thegenerator and the argon unit;however, with suitable modificationarc plus, can also be adapted to

Bowa’sarc plus

unit

On show at MEDICA

third-party equipment.● The manufacturer adds that this

easy-to-operate equipment offers● Continuous self-testing● Gas connection for two gas

tanks● Auto purge rinsing function with

electrode-dependent gaspressure control

● Individual gas flow control for‘cut’ and ‘coag’

● Automatic monitoring whenigniting the argon plasma beamin combination with the arc 350HF unit

● Automatic or manual changeoverto reserve tank

● Automatic saving of settings● Error documentation● Uninterrupted documentation of

the arc plus operating data inconjunction with the arc plus HFunit

The equipment - comprised of thearc plus HF electrosurgical unitand argon unit - has a relatedrange of reusable handles,electrodes and flexible probes,and a customised trolley tocontain the generator and argonunit, plus two argon tanks, and alaptop.

The integrated OR.First class Consulting, Design,

Installation and Service for grea-

ter efficiency in your future OR.

You are welcome atour stand 10 D 57

RICHARD WOLF GmbH · D-75434 Knittlingen · PF 1164 · Tel.: +49 70 43 35-0 · Fax: +49 70 43 35-300 · Subsidiaries in Belgium · Germany · France · Great Britain · Austria · USA

Your partner in Endoscopy and ESWL info@richard-wolf.com · www.richard-wolf.com

ServiceConsulting In

stal

lati

on

Des

ign

13

P R O D U C T D E S I G N & S U R G E R Y

Held & Team, Hamburg

Automatic instrumenttracking and tracing

product - independent offunction - has at least a few. Inthis way, an individual brand’svalue is perceived andconfirmed with each individualproduct - this is particularlyimportant when a product isregarded as outstandinglyinnovative and/or of very highquality. Look at Mercedes,Coca-Cola, Gucci, Nivea and soon; to be readily recognisablethese brands maintainpermanent features.

These rules also apply tomedical equipment. Inpackaging design for consumergoods - an area in which Iworked after my degree -brands have been developed inthis way since the 1930s. I wassurprised to find this was notthe case for technicalproducts. We apply thismethod to a different range ofproducts. The essential pointis: ‘Product recognitionconfirms brand quality’. So,apart from quality, thecustomer also buys theprestige and status of a brand.This also makes it easy to use

a complex product range - byrecognisable handling,compatible functionality and, ofcourse, homogenous aesthetics.

Product components such askeyboards, logos, typography,connections, colouring,surfaces, materials, buildinggroups etc. are described andseparately defined byappearance. The definedfeatures must represent thecompany and brand’s objectives- in visual, haptic and acousticterms. With medical equipmentit is always beneficial for asmany features as possible to belinked to functions and tointegrate fully into theproduct’s appearance.

Branding means that you donot deal with one single issue,but with a manufacturer’sentire product range. Thedevelopment of characteristicsis usually completed in a fewmonths, but because medicaltechnology products are usuallyreplaced in long cycles coveringover five years, putting ideasinto practice with all theproducts in a brand takes acorresponding period of time.

All the companies whosecorporate product design wehave undertaken are doingeither well or very well! Thereal ‘art’ is to develop uniquefeatures and make them areality, and still maintainingthose features after five years.Quite often, after such a period,companies have the urge to trysomething new - but that maybe the point in time whenconsumers are learning torecognise the brand’s products- and that recognition period isonly the first step towardsdeveloping a true brand image.

An integrated, automatic tracking and tracingsolution will be demonstrated at MEDICA by SATODeutschland GmbH, a subsidiary of Japan’s SATOCorporation, which specialises in label and bar-code printers, and data collection systems.

The equipment automatically scans wristbandsto identify patients, and enables quick, easymanagement of surgical instruments.

A joint development between SATO and UK firmScantrack Healthcare Systems, the device lasers a2-D code onto surgical instruments, which avoidsdelivery of incorrect instruments or incompletetrays to operating theatres, and reduces shrinkageof high-value items, the firm points out.

Additionally: ‘The system provides completevisibility over the entire lifecycle of key hospitalassets. All instruments, medicines, blood products,and treatments are logged in a database, and areclearly assigned to individual patients.’

MEDICA. Hall 16 - stand G05

MB 200. The portable printerenables use of the identificationtrack anywhere

2-D code, lasered onto surgical instruments

The CT 400. Antimicrobial casing makesthe series suitable for use in clean rooms

Monitorchecksprocess

cies and sensor time, the compactData Logger is placed inside wash-ing/disinfection equipment, anddata obtained can be downloaded,edited and interpreted via 3M’s4021 interface and 4022 DataLogger Software, and integratedinto any existing tracking system.

Annual calibration is recom-mended to guarantee high releasesecurity - for which the firm pro-vides a special service, includingcertification.

Hall 6 - Stand F06

Disinfectionof surgicalinstruments

Please see us at

Hall 12, Booth

D32

60 percent of all vision deficiencies in children, such as crossed eyes(strabismus) are detected too late, according to the German Organisa-tion of Professional Othalmologists (BVA). Eye tests during infancy aretherefore indispensable, because therapy with spectacles or occlusivepatches is only possible if the disorder is detected early enough.

The 3M Company’s range of colourful Opticlude patches is very popu-lar among young patients, and the firm has extended the range with newversions specifically designed to meet the taste of boys and girls.Design motifs were developed following a survey held in kindergartens,which revealed that girls prefer colourful star and heart motifs, whileboys prefer airplane and racing car designs. However, a unisex version -with dinosaur motifs - appeals equally to boys and girls.

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O P T H A L M O L O G Y

Melbourne, Australia - Contents in the eye’s lens can hardenwith age and so reduce vision. In the late 80s, US scientistsshowed that the substance inside an ageing monkey’s lenscould be replaced with silicone oil, and this restored the ani-mal’s ability to focus - but then the oil leaked out.

Now scientists at the Australian Government’s multi-nationalVision Co-operative Research Centre (Vision CRC) have devel-oped a gel to replace the natural lens contents, and this theybelieve will reverse vision deterioration and eliminate the needfor cataract surgery. Tested with success on rabbits, the gelwill now be tested on monkeys, after which human trials mayfollow, before the end of 2004, said Arthur Ho of Vision CRC,in a report in the journal New Scientist.

Inserting the gel follows a similar procedure for cataractremoval, except the lens itself is not replaced - instead itscontents are sucked out. After the gel is pumped in to replacethem, it is given a burst of UV light and this turns it from athick oil consistency into a jelly-like substance - a 15-minuteprocedure, Arthur Ho pointed out.

The research is obviously still in progress, but Hugh Taylor,director of the Centre for Eye Research Australia, said thetechnique has enormous potential and could ‘... totally changeophthalmic surgery - if we can get it right.’

HF surgical equipment

At MEDICA visitors can meetmanufacturers of endoscopes andother surgical instruments plusoptical devices for minimallyinvasive surgery (MIS), and thereare also researchers and otherexperts in this field to recountadvances.

In the ten years since keyhole orminimally invasive surgery (MIS)began, much has progressed, andstatistics from Berlin’s MoabitHospital underline the rapid pace.For example, ten years ago 20% ofall gallstones were disintegratedwith shock waves by the internistsat Moabit. However, today the gallbladder is firmly back in thesurgeons’hands and no patientsreceive cholelithotripsy. Also inthat period, open gall bladdersurgery declined to its currentlevel of 3%. Almost all gall bladderremoval is now done withminimally invasive techniques.

Today, MIS techniques can bescientifically evaluated, and thepreliminary balance is somewhatsobering. Of the three mostcommon operations, whichconstitute 50% of all surgicalinterventions, only the stone-plagued and inflamed gall bladdershows convincing rates: about 80%

Established 120 years ago,the surgical instrumentmanufacturer Downs Surgi-cal is based in Sheffield,England, where, tradition-ally, Britain’s world famousand best steel productshave been made.

The company will be pre-senting its surgical productsat MEDICA, and has a directsales operation in the UKsupported by an internation-al network of distributionpartners.

Through theof all gallbladders are nowremoved in keyhole operations.

The appendix was also a likelycandidate for removal with bikini-compatible miniature incisions.But the use of MIS for this has notseduced all surgeons. In Germanyonly every other appendix isremoved in this way, and onlyevery third inguinal hernia isapproached with keyhole surgery.

The gentle removal of theappendix is an established, butnot a standardised procedure.While gall bladder patients canvote with their feet, appendixpatients are emergency cases -and the incision size is asecondary consideration.Nonetheless, the trend towardskeyhole surgery is gainingstrength for the appendix also.

The use of the keyholetechnique in inguinal herniaoperations remains controversial.These are common surgical cases- about 150,000 operationsannually in Germany. Those whowould prefer to use MIS facedefenders of an established andvery safe open surgery technique.Over the past 20 years threeconventional open procedures andtwo endoscopic procedures have

The Elektrotom 630, equippedwith microprocessor and sensortechnology, ‘...is revolutionisingthe high-tech class of HFequipment with its unsurpassed,simple, practical and brilliantdesign,’ says the manufacturer.The equipment provides:● PACC - Patient contact control,

Heartsfor girls,planesfor boys

Gel may eliminatespectacles or laser surgery

A tight necktie, although smart,could result in false eye testresults and, worse, could lose thewearer his sight, according to newresearch published in the BritishJournal of Ophthalmology [Effect ofa tight necktie on intra-ocular pres-sure. 2003; 87: 946-8].

Dr Robert Ritch, and team, atthe Department of Ophthalmology,New York Eye and Ear Infirmary,USA, tested the internal bloodpressure of one eye in each of 20healthy men and 20 male patientswith glaucoma. This was done inthree stages: when participantswore an open shirt collar, threeminutes after donning a tight neck-tie, and three minutes after loosen-ing their ties. The healthy mentended to be younger than thosewith glaucoma.

60% of men with glaucoma and70% of the healthy men experi-enced an increase in internal eyeblood pressure after wearing atight necktie for three minutes;there were no differences betweenthe two groups before necktie tight-ening and after necktie loosening.The increases ranged from over 2mm Hg to over 4 mm Hg. Men ofall ages were affected.

Raised internal eye blood pres-sure is the most important knownrisk factor for the development andprogression of glaucoma, say theauthors. But the effect of wearing atight neck tie while undergoing aneye test could also lead to a falsediagnosis of high intra-ocular pres-sure or even glaucoma itself, par-ticularly for men with thick necks,they point out.

The researchers speculate that atight neck tie constricts the jugularvein, which raises venous pres-sure, which then raises intra-ocularpressure.

Loosen up -to save sight!

OPTH

ALM

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Sheffield’s steelfor surgery

permanent and dynamic neutralelectrode monitoring

● GSC - Unit self check - thedevice is checked duringoperation

● Bi-Co-Start - Activation of thebipolar generator due to tissuecontact with the forceps tips

● GastroCut - a special current forpolypectomy and papillotomy

● BSP - Beamer-spray-power,capacity from 10 watts,developed by Berchtold

● MFC -Microprocessor functioncontrol - microprocessormonitors all functions

● FDC - Faulty dosing control, HFpower monitored bymicroprocessor

● Two monopolar HF outputs,activated via two independentfoot switches or handles

● One bipolar output, activatedvia foot switch or by Bi-Co-Start

Held + Team

Industrial designspecializing in medical equipment

www.HeldundTeam.dee-mail: info@HeldundTeam.deRehmstr. 3a D-22299 HamburgTel.: ++49(0)40-480 7075Fax. ++49(0)40-480 7076

Quality leader* in industrial design for medical equipment since 1999!

*source:Ranking: Design 2002/ 2003Ranking: Design 2001/ 20022000/2001 not published!Ranking: Design 1999/ 2000

Cardiac insufficiency is not only atherapeutic challenge, but

also an economic one. Thisis the most common diag-nosis at the time of hos-pital discharge - causingalmost every tenth hos-pital admission. Nearly

80% of patients afflictedwith cardiac insufficiency

15

S U R G E R Y

Greece - Hypoallergenc latex surgical gloves, manufactured by Greekcompany Demophorius Ltd, covering all surgical applications, will be onshow at MEDICA.

Straight edged Demotek Surgical Gloves are anatomically shapedand are available with a smooth or textured surface. Demotek LatexExamination Gloves are class 1 disposables and are non-sterile,ambidextrous with straight finger and beaded cuff. They are availablewith smooth or textured surface, powdered or powder free. The firmalso makes vinyl and nitrile examination gloves. All conform to CErequirements.

The new halux Iris examination lamp has a specially designed reflectorsystem, combining facet and parabolic technology, which, says themanufacturer, guarantees precise, true-colour and neutral white light -ideal for the most sophisticated examinations.

With a compact and closed hinge system, the lamp also offersincreased smoothness and maneuverability due to the spring relievingarm.

Produced in wall or free-standing versions, the casing design hassmooth surfaces to satisfy stringent hygiene.

This light complies with EG 93/42, class 1 and has been constructedand tested according to EN 60 601.

Eschmann Equipment, a specialistfirm producing operating theatretables and electrosurgery equip-ment, has launched a range ofoperating lights. Based on theneeds of users internationally, the

keyholebeen developed. Like thefickleness of fashion, methods ininguinal hernia surgery havealternated. Presently, there is nogeneral standard.

Less complications and fewer returnsHowever, there does appear to bea reason for replacing theconventional inguinal herniaoperation with an endoscopicmethod: every tenth patientreceiving conventional surgery willcome under the knife againbecause the hernia recurs. With athird needing repeat surgery,keyhole clearly yields betterresults with a lower complicationrate.

Keyhole surgery on the intestineis similar to endoscopic surgery ofan inguinal hernia. Nothing hasbeen clarified. Recommendationson how to operate on the rectumand large intestine presentlycannot be given. Even inconventional open intestinalsurgery, surgeons are far fromstandardising the procedure.

Surgery is still a ‘craft’.Individual experience counts morethan the conducting of scientificstudies. So it is not surprising thatthe claim that keyhole surgery

causes less wound pain still remainsto be confirmed. In terms of gallbladder removal, expert opinions inmedical literature diverge to suchan extent that an evaluation ofprovable pain reduction isimpossible. With respect to inguinalhernia operations, at most a trendtowards less pain after a keyholeoperation can be detected.

The formula ‘Small incisionsequal less pain and quickerrecovery’ does not stand up toscrutiny. Certainly it would bedesirable if the choice of surgicaltechnique could affect thefrequency of chronic pain.

As before, it remains unchangedthat opinions and not scientificproof determine how operations areperformed in the 21st century. Nooperating technique has beenintroduced recently that is basedon scientific studies that meet thiscriterion. At a time whenhealthcare resources are becominglimited, the call for more rationalityin the introduction of new medicaltechniques will become noticeable.Physicians and patients can observewith anticipation how keyholesurgery fares over the next tenyears. Source: MEDICA

Cardiology:resynchronisation devicesEach year, only about 400out of some 5,000 Germansneeding a heart transplantcan receive them - and thewaiting period is one year.The Heart Centre in BadOeynhausen is using aspecial ultrasound techniqueto determine the degree ofbeat asynchronicity of theventricles, to ascertainwhich patients of this kindcould benefit fromresynchronisation therapy.Could this new treatmentkeep them going indefinitely?

one year is anticipated, despite fullexploitation of the standard drugtherapy. Nevertheless, 10-15% dieannually from a mild form of cardiacinsufficiency.

Approximately 3 million Germanssuffer from myocardial insufficiency.100,000 new cases are added annual-ly. Three in four patients are over 65.With progressing cardiac insufficien-cy, family doctors observe dramati-cally declining physical endurance intheir patients, the onset of dyspnea,and a decline in general well-being.The patient is hospitalised withincreasing frequency.

Now, however, about 180,000 Ger-man patients suffering advanced car-diac insufficiency are benefiting fromresynchronisation therapy - usingelectrodes in both ventricles in apacemaker-like implant.

It remains unclear whether hearttransplantation can be delayed foronly a few years - i.e. whetherimplanting the heart co-ordinatormerely serves as a temporary bridgeuntil transplantation - or if this canbe a permanent therapy. However, itis certain that the ventricle implantincreases pumping capacity andrestores the shrunken ventricle.According to current experience, onein five patients can be taken off theheart transplant list due to resyn-chronisation. This new therapy alsoappears to offer an alternative forthose who cannot receive transplants- whether due to age or concomitantdiseases.

are hospitalised at least twice ayear. One in two patients have twoor more concomitant diseases.

The course of heart insufficiencyis dramatic. When the mass ofheart muscle capable of contract-ing declines, the pumping organloses its contractile force and suf-fers from overload - the result isinsufficiency. For example, amongolder people arterial hypertensionleads to myocardial insufficiency.In a cross-section of the generalpopulation coronary heart diseaseis the dominant cause.

Anyone suffering from myocar-dial insufficiency has a significant-ly reduced life expectancy. Themortality rate for symptomaticmyocardial insufficiency five yearsafter the diagnosis is more than 50percent. In cases of advanced ill-ness a 20% mortality rate within

A decade of MIS

Gloves

Theatre lights: a new rangefirm reports that its modular sys-tem features ‘...flat screen tech-nology, finger touch manoeuvrabili-ty and exceptional deep cavity illu-mination and shadow control’.

‘Customers are constantlytelling us that firms too oftenignore the reality of working in abusy operating theatre,’ said PhilipKennedy of Eschmann. ‘We havedeveloped a system of lights andmonitors which provide hospitalswith unparalleled flexibility andsubstantially improved clinical out-comes.’

High-tech exam lamp

Many of these people suffersevere pain for several years,they would even accept opensurgery but the indication is notyet there. Many of them becomedepressed and then undergo aanti-depression treatment. Theirpsychology becomes altered andtheir memory registers pain.Often, after 10 years of continu-ous treatments, their spine hasdeteriorated to a point whereopen surgery is indicated, but

16

S U R G E R Y

RADIOSURGERYThe radio surgical device radio-SURG 2200 has high frequencywaves of 2.2 MHz that are soprecisely adjusted, says themaker, that incisions made arehistologically barely distinguish-able from those made by ascalpel. Using a ‘brush tech-nique’ for incisions, there is nopressure or tension, and nothermal damage occurs in thesurrounding area due to cuttingor coagulation. ‘The adjustablecoagulation degree (1-9) andthe adjustable coagulationduration - from 0.05 secondsto permanent - allows for aimmediate gentle hemostasis

of smaller and larger vessels,and a high output of 100 Wattsfor cutting and 90 Watts forcoagulation, coupled with a fre-quency of 2.2 MHz, makes theradioSURG 2200 clearly distin-guishable from other units,’ thefirm adds.

A clear and highly functionalarrangement of operating ele-ments also makes it easy tomaster this device. The digitalindicator displays chosen para-meters and a built-in memorystores the latest settings. Thechange between cutting andcoagulation mode can be donewithout having to touch the unit

Obesity is on theincrease - and tradition-al operating tables areoften pushed to the lim-its of their capacitiesunder great weights.They are particularlystretched when extremeinclines or repositioningis needed. Now a newtable has beendesigned to meet thisspecial need.

The name says it all -Titan - a new universaloperating table from specialist manufacturer Trumpf Medizin Systeme,based in Saalfeld, Germany. This , specially designed for heavy patients.The heavy-duty table, specially designed for overweight patients, easilycarries up to 450 kg. Yet it is as flexible, mobile and adaptable to vari-ous surgical needs as any other Trumpf operating table, the firm reports.

Patients can be positioned with the help of electromotor adjusters. Theworking height of the table platform can be adjusted infinitely within a500 mm range to suit the surgical need. The option to adjust the table toa very low position is also particularly advantageous, the firm adds. ‘Sur-geons no longer have to stand on steps to work optimally. The longitudi-nal displacement, with a range of 300 mm, and the large adjustmentangles of the individual table components set standards in this weightclass. Anaesthesiologists particularly praise the good adjustment optionsof the head section for intubation and ventilation of obese patients, pro-cedures that are often difficult.’

The Titan rolls on four freely-moving, low-resistance wheels, and anextra electrically driven wheel can be lowered and used during patienttransportation. Patients can be collected on this table on arrival andneed not be transferred to another in the operating theatre. The electricbrakes prevent this table from moving during surgery.

Titan’s many options are controlled by infrared remote control or viacorded manual devices or foot pedals.

The table has extensive modular accessories for adaptation to all sur-gical specialties, the firm adds. ‘The coupling points between the individ-ual table panel components ensure stable fastening as well as easy set-up and conversion. Special carbon segments allow 360-degree radiogra-phy without any interfering metal elements and enable problem-free useof the various imaging methods.’

during surgery, the firm pointsout.

The device also meetshygienic standards and itswide range of applications(cutting, cutting with simulta-neous coagulation, unipolarand bipolar coagulation) ren-der it suitable for a large vari-ety of treatment methods, sothe acquisition of one unit issufficient for an entire clinic orpractice, the firm adds.

TITAN the tablefor heavy patients

MIS for spinalstabilisation

During open surgery a median inci-sion is made to uncover the spineand to fix several vertebrae togeth-er with pedicle screws and platesor rods. This posterior vertebralsurgery takes hours and generatesmuscular trauma, significant bloodloss, and infection risks. Opensurgery also requires generalanaesthesia.

Using the WSH percutaneoussystem, only neurolept analgesicwith local anaesthesia is need, and17mm incisions are made wherethe screws will be implanted.Through the small incisions, all theimplants are inserted, using dila-tors and a working tube, until bonecontact is made and they are fixed.Because muscles are simplypushed aside, they suffer no trau-ma, and blood loss or infection riskis limited. Surgery time is alsoshortened.

The WSH system is also an eco-nomically sound choice, says NeuroFrance, because no special equip-ment is needed. The x-ray materialnecessary is the same as for opensurgery: a C-arm mobile x-ray. Theinstrument set of the WSH systemis incredibly simple, the firm adds.

The system will not replace opensurgery in the future, because thepercutaneous technique is still lim-ited to some very specific indica-tions; the main one being the inval-idating unstable spine without neu-rological signs. When there is aneed for a neurological interven-tion, the WSH system cannot beused.

Why did Neuro France developthe WSH system? ‘Many peoplesuffer from unstable spine. Up tonow their treatment consists ofdrugs and physiotherapy. Some-times the patient will feel better,but in many cases it does not help.

often even if that is successful,they still feel the former pain,even if less, because it has beenregistered in their memories.

The WSH system was devel-oped to prevent patients fromyears of suffering. The stabilisa-tion of the vertebral articulationwill suppress the pain, consider-ably diminish the quantity ofdrugs taken and it participatesin the restoration of the patientspsychology.’

The WSH percutaneous arthrodesis system offers aminimally invasive surgery (MIS) technique to correct anunstable spine without open surgery and in a shorter time,with less blood loss, less post-op pain, and significantreduction in the costs of surgery and hospitalisation, saysNeuro France Implants, the system’s manufacturer

Posteriorvertebral

osteosynthesis

See the latest innovationin sterilization

at stand 12D33

SciCan Medtech AG, Alpenstrasse 16, CH-6300 Zug, SchweizPhone +41 (0) 41/727 70 27 Fax +41 (0) 41/727 70 29

www.scican.comStatim and Hydrim are trademarks of SciCan.

SealedDelivery

17

O R T H O P A E D I C S

Dr Goettfert Systems, which holdsthe world patent for developmentsin pulsed magnetic field therapiesfor mobile use in surgeries, clinicsand at home, reports increasingdemand from surgeries and clin-ics, which ‘... reflects therapists’and patients’ interest and satisfac-tion, and also highlights the limita-tions of equipment previouslyavailable in this market. Businesspeople, freelance professionals,managers, sales reps and sportspeople have ever busier lifestylesor are always on the move,’ thefirm adds, ‘and despite needingtreatment it cannot be performedin a surgery or at home.’

The firm points out that itsmobile G-ogo sport device is ‘...theideal solution for this patientgroup. It combines all the advan-tages of a professional pulsed

Mobile therapyPulsed magnetic fields

Navigation systemsreduce implant errors

‘Computer-supported navigationwill prevail’

Orthopaedic specialist andexpert in endoprosthetics,Erwin Morscher, of Basel,Switzerland, said: ‘I am con-vinced that computer-supportednavigation technology will pre-vail and the number of unhingedjoints will certainly be reducedas a result.’ Planning before ahip endoprosthesis should be amatter of course in any case. Headded. ‘If you don’t plan, youare planning to fail.’

However, it still remains to beseen if deviations of the headfrom an ideal position affectwear, loosening or the stability

Placing prostheses is noeasy task, and somebelieve perhaps 50% are

inserted askew. But now novelnavigation systems can help toprecisely implant for example,artificial hip joints. Among themany innovations on show atMEDICA 2003 are state-of-the-art imaging systems to aidinsertion of endoprosthesis.‘Hip, knee, shoulder, elbow, fin-ger and ankle joints - there’shardly a joint that isn’t replace-able,’ the organisers point out.Arthritis is primarily the dis-ease that makes endoprosthe-ses so necessary. ‘Among180,000 implants annually in

Germany, artificial hip joints lead infrequency, followed by artificial kneereplacement - with at least 60,000interventions.’

Whilst surgical researchers workingon orthopaedic and accident patientshave concentrated on the firm fittingof a prosthesis stem in the thighbone,not nearly as much attention has beengiven to the correct position of theartificial head and socket. As a result,numerous socket alignments arecrooked, perhaps in 50% of thesepatients - and if the location of thesocket bed is extremely misaligned,the hip may unhinge and destabilise.Then the patient must undergoanother operation.

Precise pre-surgical measurementsThree different angle positions mustbe maintained, two in positioning thesocket and one in positioning theshaft. The objective of optimal biome-chanical room for movement in thehip joint has only been achieved ifthese three angles are correct. How-ever, a means of measuring theseangles and maintaining them in theoperating theatre has not been satis-factorily solved. But, say the organis-

PercutaneousdiscectomyUS firm Clarus Medical LLC,which specialises in endoscopic,minimally invasive products totreat spinal pain and also pro-duces fibre optic products for air-way management, will be at thisyear’s Medica.

Among the firm’s offerings: theNucleotome system, which thecompany says, has set the stan-dard for safety and efficacy in per-cutaneous discectomy in well over125,000 uses. The equipment hasan automated shaver and providescontinuous irrigation to removedisc nucleus. Surgical instrumentsare available for use through theworking cannula. The Nucleotomehas a blunt distal tip and producesno heat to cause safety problemsor patient comfort. Nuclear mater-ial is aspirated and collected forpossible later examination.

Arthritis: relieving pain Medicure, a pulsating magnetic-field device used to relieve pain, measuresjust 25 x 76 x 110 mm, and comes with a velcro bandage for applicationon painful areas.

The manufacturer says this device meets with the Medicinal ProductLaws (Class IIb) for pain relief, and that scientific studies have shown thatMedicure ‘... is particularly effective in the treatment of arthritis’. Thedevice has three frequency programmes, which are, the firm adds: ‘... veryeffective in treating head and joint complaints, general arteriosclerosis,poor concentration etc.

Sports trainingIn an interview with ‘Neue Apotheken Illustrierte/Gesundheit’ (1/11/03),Georg Hackl, bob sleigh racer and Olympic medallist, said he has sufferedarthritis in his joints for seven years. ‘The more I trained and liftedweights, the better I became in my sport. But I trained excessively andobviously caused myself damage. Less would have been more.’

He recommends moderate weight training to strengthen the neck andsupporting muscles, but only under competent instruction, in fitness clubsand therapy centres. He also describes in the magazine how he stillachieves top sporting results despite arthritis. Details: http://www.nai.de

ers, a solution is in sight. A newlydeveloped, computer-supported navi-gation procedure improves the posi-tioning of instruments and implantsduring the operation and enablesinteractive measuring of angles.The principle: The surgeon placesartificial ‘markers’ in the bony part ofthe joint, and the markers are imagedtogether with x-rays before surgerytakes place - and they must not sub-sequently be moved. The preliminaryimages in the theatre monitor canthen be reconciled by patient posi-tioning on the operating table - butinstrument positioning is still missing.The solution: The instrument is fit-ted with infrared light diodes that arerecorded via a stereo camera, so thatthe instrument’s position in three-dimensional space can be deter-mined. Magnetic and ultrasound-based systems are also used as alter-natives to the optical procedure. Theinstrument will be shown with itsmarkers in its exact position on thex-ray monitor no matter where it is.All three demands in surgical naviga-tion are now fulfilled: instrumentpositioning, patient anatomy and pre-liminary x-rays are reconciled.

of artificial hips. It must be assumedthat an unfavourable angle causesmore wear but no one knows wherean unfavourable angle begins.

The experts agree that inexactimplant and axial deviation will resultin a premature loosening of knee jointprosthesis. Studies demonstrate thatevery third knee replacement resultsin a poor positioning on the operatedknee - with significant consequencesfor the implant’s durability.

Digital image processing goes astep further than advanced markingfor surgical navigation. A new x-rayprocedure allows for real time imag-ing directly at the operating table,with the x-ray apparatus performing asemicircular swinging motion aroundthe surgical site. The result is up to100 images of the same region fromdifferent positions within two min-utes. Three imaging planes of thesame region from three differentangles are the outcome. Patient mark-ing for navigation can be omitted.

Currently, this system is being usedfor precise fitting of the joint surfacesof broken bones. In principle, controlimages of this type could be pro-duced, at will, during the operation, ifradiation exposure did not set a limit.

magnetic field device with the bene-fits of its mobility. Comfortable towear and without needing power, itoffers a wide range of convenientapplications for patients and thera-pists.

‘Within a very short time we havebecome a consultant for orthopaedicspecialists and a market leader forpulsed magnetic field therapy sys-tems,’ the firm adds. ‘Our expertteam realises the dynamic and effi-cient implementation of new develop-ments such as the patented G-ogosystems or our G-support CD-ROMwith a mix of courage, an entrepre-neurial spirit and without externalinvestors.’ Explaining why it does notuse intermediaries or a sales force,the firm point out that it relies ongood recommendations from doc-tors, therapists and patients: ‘... theaim and result of our work’.

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The stability shoefor achilles injuries

Künzli AG Schuhfabrik · CH-5210 Windisch · info@kuenzli-schuhe.chTelephone +41 56 450 26 21 · Telefax +41 56 441 19 18 · www.kuenzli-schuhe.ch

18

S U R G E R Y & T H E R A P I E S

It is now compulsory to provide full documenta-tion/evidence that medical care meets current stan-dards, from the initial diagnosis of decubitus ulcersonwards (even for first grade ulcers, according toSeiler). This can be achieved through photographyor digital data and image processing.

A programme to document wound treatment andprogress should - apart from clearly showing pro-gressive images - capture the wound anamnesis,therapy suggestions, key data, treatment planning,

Working on electronic drug deliverysystems, the firm Q-Core has nowproduced the AP 34-M AmbulatoryInfusion Pump and the EF 34-MAmbulatory Feeding Pump. Thesecan be seen in Hall 6 - Stand G57.The company reports that thesedevices can vastly improve patientlifestyles by allowing them toreceive therapy outside a hospitaland bringing them mobility duringtherapy, and that the devices arecost-effective, and cut healthcarespending by shortening hospital in-patient days.

Based on Electromagnetic FlowControl (EFCTM) technology, Q-Core’s technological platformleverages software algorithms topower pump and valve applications.The software enables deviceminiaturisation and allows pumpoperation both horizontally andvertically, without restrictions onoperating position.

The pumps’ include a modularcontrol unit employing graphic

Electronic wound management

reporting and statistics, the firm Akestes GmbHpoints out. ‘The system should also supply formsfor those purposes. Programmes should also beclearly structured and user-friendly, to gain theacceptance of even the most sceptical membersof staff, thus speeding up workflow.

Akestes believes its dedicated wound manage-ment programme (in German, English and Dutch)meets those demands. You can see this system inHall 17 - stand C19. Or details: www.akestes.de

Ambulatory infusionand feeding pumps

touch screen for data entry, aspecially designed body that fitsinto a frame for convenientbedside use (hospital/institutional)and optional remote supervisionthrough a cellular network.

Q-Core CEO Eran Resheff said,‘With the healthcare market’sgrowing emphasis on shifting

patient care from hospitals toalternative care sites, including thehome or office, an increasinglyaging population in North Americaand Europe and more attentionbeing paid to proper painmanagement therapies, Q-Core’ssolution represents cutting-edgetechnology ready for deployment.’

‘With a multitude of new enhancements our suc-cessor to the P91E outshines its predecessor,’said Mitsubishi Electric when launching its newanalogue, black and white video printer, the P93Eto document images for ultrasound, endoscopyand microscopy. ‘256 greyscales at a resolution of325 dpi (12.8 dots per mm) ensure the reproduc-tion of pictures in the finest detail. In comparison:the predecessor P91E delivered 260dpi. For finecorrection the new printer also offers 39 steps forbrightness and contrast (from -19 to +19).

‘The print speed for an image in normal formatis 3.9 seconds - the P93E is almost 1.7 secondsfaster than the previous model. Time is also savedwhen printing in the side format: here the printerneeds just 8.4 seconds - over a second less thanthe P91E. A further enhancement: the picturememory now delivers 10 frames, which you canselect individually. Seven different paper formatsare available. And the P93E can print an imagefrom 0.5 to 2.0 times its original size in 0.1 steps.

It also comes with a Test Print function and a PaperSave function for multiple printouts.’

By further adaptation, the picture adjustment set-tings are now controlled by a turn-switch at the frontand the values can be read on the LED display. ‘Thenew video printer is also lighter and smaller than theprevious model - by about 18% (volume), the firmadds. ‘It now fits easily into most workspaces and,weighing just 2.8 kg, is the ideal solution for mobilemedical equipment.’

The new 325 dpi printer

Ecolab Rescue SheetThe “missing link” of a complete rescue strategy

For the rescue of hospital patients and immobileresidents in old people’s homes Ecolab hasdeveloped a brand-new evacuation system.What looks like an advanced mattress cover

is a piece full of high-tech – it makes a signifi-cant contribution to a complete rescue strategy.

Form your own opinion at Medica 2003:Ecolab GmbH & Co. OHG

Hall 10 / Booth C 04

Visit us in Hall 1, Booth 1A02

� � ������� � � � � �

Medline Industries, Inc.is a 1.7 billion dollar manufacturer anddistributor of medical supplies andequipment in the United States. Medline manufac-tures and distributes over 60,000 products to ourinternational distributors that service hospitals,extended care facilities, hospital laundries, andhome care dealers markets. Medline is seeking newinternational distributors to join our partnershipprogram. Grow and Profit with Medline.

Medline Industries Inc., One Medline Place, Mundelein Illinois 60060, USAPhone 941-922-9522, Fax: 941-923-3213e-mail: medlineint@aol.com, Web: www.medline.com

Hall14, A10

19

T H E R A P I E S

MobiletractiontherapyDisk Dr. is an ambulatory tractionbelt that widens the intervalbetween the vertebrae by apply-ing air pressure. The maker pointsout that the device ‘... is useful toreinforce the extensor at the lum-bar vertebrae’.

The two models - for waist andneck - are contoured for bodyshape and can be worn insideclothing. To prepare for use with-out assistance, a portable air pumpcan be used.

Meeting ISO 9002, ISO 13488and EN 46002 standards, thisproduct is patented in the USA,Japan and Korea and has CEapproval and FDA listing (Docu-ment No.:B 115761).

London, UK - A bio-active gel that issaid to heal wounds in half the timeit currently takes, has won theaward for the Best BiotechnologyStart-Up at the Medical FuturesInnovation Awards.

Developed by scientists at Univer-sity College London, ‘Nexagon’works by speeding up the rate ofwound closure and reducing inflam-mation, and the researchers believethe gel has a wide range of poten-tial applications, including cosmeticsurgery and chronic wounds, as wellas a possible application in reduc-ing the spread of damage followingspinal cord injury. Elderly patientscould particularly benefit from itsuse, because they are more proneto slow healing wounds and infec-tion.

It is anticipated that the gel’spotential impact on treatment andrecovery times could reduce lengthof hospital stays and result in sub-stantial savings to health services.

Dr David Becker, of UCL’s Depart-ment of Anatomy and Developmen-tal Biology, who led the project,said: ‘An estimated 95 million peo-ple world-wide suffer wounds eachyear, and yet few effective woundhealing treatments have beendeveloped, so there remains a largeunmet need. I would like to see thisproduct go through to clinical devel-opment so that patients can takeadvantage of this revolutionary tech-nology as soon as possible.’

The sleep diagnosis equipment marketgenerates revenues of some US$90 millionannually in the United States alone ( Frost& Sullivan ). Sleep disorders problemsaffect 50 to 70 million Americans of allages, an anomaly giving rise to high bloodpressure, strokes, congestive heart failure,depression and an overall decreasedquality of life. Recently, Andromed Inc of Montreal,Canada, an innovative high-tech medicalcompany, and Medcare, which specialises

in equipment for the diagnosis of sleep-

related disorders, agreed to jointly evaluatethe clinical advantages of integrating theiri-stethos electronic stethoscope and theAndrosonix biological sound sensor.

The Androsonix is a single-use, non-invasive, active acoustic contact sensorthat is applied directly to the patients’ skin,where it captures and continuouslytransmits vibrations generated by the heartand lungs. The Androsonix is the onlyinstrument allowing for the recording ofsuch biological sounds in order to helpassess the patient’s clinical condition, thefirm reports.

In April 2003, Andromed filed aninternational patent application covering

115 countries. The Company’smanagement has announced that itspatent, registered as ‘PiezoelectricBiological Sound Monitor with PrintedCircuit Board’, has been officiallyaccepted in the USA.

Andromed Inc says it created theworld’s first fully electronic stethoscopeand specialises in producing non-invasivepatient monitoring systems andtelehealth.

Medcare (est. 1994) specialises inequipment to diagnose sleep disorders. In1999, with ResMed, the firm formulatedan alliance aligning sleep diagnostics andtherapy solutions.

Award forwoundhealing gel

Sleep-related disorders

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20

I T & C O M M U N I C A T I O N S

Only hospitals that make in-patients into out-patientsquickly but with quality care,

will survive the DRGs accountingsystem, which determinesinvoicing at a flat rate dependingon the diagnosis and not durationof in-patient stay. In seeking anefficient answer that meets bothmedical and business needs, an IT‘clinical pathway’ concept nowseems the only route forward, andthe MEDICA meet.IT section atthis year’s show is packed withexhibitors displaying theirprogress in process-oriented ITsolutions.

But what is this buzz phrase‘clinical pathway’? In theory, usingIT for case planning and muchelse, will eliminate chanceoccurrences, long periods indepartmental waiting rooms,

postponed surgery, orunnecessarily long bed occupancythat’s the pathway - i.e. astandardised approach andthorough process management forcontrolling complex structures -and it should also indicate howspecific illnesses must be treated,what is happening where in theclinic and how much it costs.

However, this is easier said thandone. Gall bladder removal is agood example of the problemsfaced, for this intervention ispoorly standardised. Neither thetime sequence in which patientsare moved, from admission todischarge, nor the operationprocedure is uniform in, forexample, German clinics. Themultitude of surgical materialsused in this procedure alsodemonstrates difficulties in

standardisation. However, there are fields in

which success has beenexperienced - the surgical team ina Franconian hospital was able tosave two-thirds of laboratory costsby implementing processpathways. 16 post-operative bloodexaminations per patient used tobe requested, but now an averageof 1.5 are needed. Routineultrasound checks after anoperation, performed for years,were recognised as superfluousand abandoned. Discharge dates

COMINGOF AGEThe versatilestethoscope

Andromed Inc of Montreal,Canada, and Hewlett-PackardHealthcare Solutions, haveagreed to promote the hpiPAQ Pocket PC h5450/STG/i-stethos DiagnosticMobility Solution in NorthAmerica. The firms say thiswill enable healthcare profes-sionals use their stetho-scopes to visualise, interpret,transmit, store and emailheart and lung sounds.

‘Medical professional’sworld-wide will benefit fromenhanced non-invasive point-of-care devices which includecost-effective and diagnosticproducts to better managepatient care. Andromed iscommitted to working withindustry leaders to betterleverage our core technologyas leaders in the acquisitionof biological sounds.’ saidRodney Williams, Andromed’sVice President, Sales/Market-ing.

‘It’s exciting to see firmslike Andromed utilizing HPTechnology integrated withdiagnostic equipment such asa stethoscope,’ Ken Jarvis,Manager HP Healthcare Solu-tions & Alliances added.

Berlin software specialist AlgoVision LuraTech, developer ofJPEG2000 implementations andtechnology for the compression ofdigital images like x-rays andscanned documents in colour, hasproduced LuraDocument.jpm - ahigh-performance compressionsoftware based on the new ISOstandard JPEG2000/Part 6 for doc-uments scanned in color that con-tain both bitonal elements such astext or tables as well as pictures.

An original can be scanned inhigh-res during hospital admissionand compressed with LuraDocu-ment.jpm. In the process, text andimages are segmented, then com-

were also tightened up and thelogistics improved to such anextent that the stay of gallbladderpatients in the surgical departmentwas reduced from 6.2 to 4.7 days.

Possibly the biggest hurdleencountered in introducing suchpathways to a process-orientedhospital is openness withinformation. Data transparency isoften a taboo topic in Germanclinics, and many hospitals have noentrepreneurial culture.Nonetheless, hospitals do developtheir own patient pathways and,occasionally, clinics even createtheir own software - albeit acumbersome and inefficient

approach - and some hospitalshave individual pathwayscompletely represented inelectronic data processing. Thenext step in paperless clinicalpathways is the paperless visitwith the small handheld computersnow available.

In halls 16 and 17 over 330exhibitors are offering medical ITsolutions that show developmentsin this field and a route towards atransparent holistic system. Theobjective is to represent the entirehospital and all its resources, withall diagnostic and treatment stepsavailable at any time, both from amedical and an economic

perspective. MEDICA meet.IT offers lectures

and presentations under the titleMEDICA meet.IT Das Forum, andthe SpitzenverbandInformationstechnologie imGesundheitswesen (CentralAssociation for InformationTechnology in Healthcare) invitesyou to attend. Software users canreport their experiences ofprocess-oriented, comprehensivesolutions, and experts can discusstheir latest IT workflow products. ● And don’t forget MEDICA

meet.IT Der Club where thehospital decision makers meetsoftware manufacturers.

Colour for theelectronic medical record

pressed separately, each with theoptimal algorithm. This methodguarantees an excellent visual qual-ity and files of a very small size, thefirm reports. ‘LuraDocument.jpmhas already been successfully inte-grated into our modular, web-basedhospital management system iMe-dOne and this is already in use inhospitals in Neuss, Gummersbach,Dinslaken and Essen in Germany,’adds the Cologne-based companyITB AG. The software will be presented byITB AG at MEDICA, Hall 16 - StandC40

Further details: www.algovision-luratech.com or www.itb-ag.com

Experienceadvancessystems

Clinical pathways found -at MEDICA

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Hall 14, Stand G48

Lower costs, higher securityAutomatic identification system for hospitalsAt the Medica 2003trade fair, bar-code and data collection specialist SATO and scanner manufacturer DENSO will present an integrated solution for automatic tracking, tracing and stock control in the healthcare industry.

• Accurate records of all treatments, medicines and blood products.

• No errors in treatment.

• No loss of expensive instruments.

SATO Deutschland GmbHSchaberweg 28 · 61348 Bad Homburg, GermanyTel: +49-6172-681-80 · Fax: +49-6172-681-8199info@sato-deutschland.de

Medica, November 19 – 22, 2003, hall 16, stand G05.

www.sato-deutschland.de

Using Soarian Cardiology, madeby Siemens Medical Solutions(Med) a cardiac care team can

build a continuous, comprehensiveelectronic patient record, whichincludes medications, lab results,images, ECG, physiological wave-forms, plus documentation, the firmreports: ‘Used departmentally or inconjunction with the hospital-wideSoarian health information system,this provides a holistic solution tothe cardiology professional andseamless, real-time integration with

21

I T & C O M M U N I C A T I O N S

Soarian Cardiology provides individual electronic patient records (EPRs),available at any workstation or bedside wireless system

the complete enterprise patientrecord.’

In managing and controlling theadministration of medicationsSoarian Cardiology also issueswarnings on contraindications orhazardous interactions, leading toimproved patient safety.

Used successfully in the USAsince 2002, cardiologist have docu-mented and reported treatmentsteps and diagnoses - in anysequence, at any time, and by anumber of people, says the firm.

Nurse-patient communications -and more

EccoLine - a new hospital com-munication system from Tun-stall - was lancuhed this year

as a successor to NewLine. Com-patible with its predecessor, Ecco-Line’s PrimusGlobal control centresoftware can be extended bydiverse functional modules asneeded. The tasks of PrimusGlobalinclude displaying and co-ordinat-ing all messages, protocolling allsystem events and supportingother communication and organisa-tion systems. Links with pagingand DECT systems from estab-lished manufacturers are an impor-tant aspect of this, Tunstallreports. ‘PrimusGlobal has provencredentials as software for call con-trol centres, but ward implementa-tion also brings useful advantages.’

Another innovation from theWestphalian light call specialist is

the EccoLine ComTerminal, whichacts as a communication mediumbetween patients’ bedrooms andnurse stations or a control centre.‘The new ComTerminal not onlyoptimises staff communication, butalso provides major support whenstreamlining organisational work-flows. Call forwarding is an inte-grated feature, and voiceannouncements can be transmitteddirectly to specific rooms orthroughout the ward or unit.Excellent voice quality ensureseven better communicationbetween nursing staff, while forpatients the reassuring virtues ofvoice contact come fully into play,’the firm points out.

The new, ergonomically designedEccoLine bedside combination unitfor patients is multifunctional, aswell as water and shock proof.

Apart from the generous red callbutton with precise pressure point,it has an integrated location light.The full range of peripherals, suchas radio and TV, are under perfectcontrol, the firm adds.

‘The synthesis of value and con-venience is equally reflected inperipheral interfacing. Tunstall’sOpenConcept philosophy builds ona customised interface architectureto integrate the best system com-ponents for the job in hand - forexample, telephones, radios or TVsets. EccoLine’s various compo-nents, with and without voice func-tions, can each be tailored to meetthe particular requirements ofclient operations.Details: www.tunstall.de. Or e-mail:info@tunstall.de

INTRODUCING Soarian Cardiology‘To create the report, the systemautomatically compiles informationfrom a variety of sources. Forexample, it integrates data fromthe haemodynamic system, thehospital information system (HIS),electrocardiography (ECG), or thelaboratory and pharmacy system.Information on consumed materialscan be automatically transferred tothe hospital’s material managementsystem, thereby optimising inven-tory management and ensuringgreater cost transparency.’

Professor Erich R Reinhardt,Chairman of the Board of SiemensMedical Solutions says the systemhas produced: ‘More efficient work,shorter examination times, fewererrors - Soarian Cardiology canhelp providers save time and costswhile increasing satisfaction forboth hospital personnel andpatients.’ Patient data - In additionto personal data, a variety of clini-cal information, such as medicationadministered, lab reports, imagedata, physiological waveforms, ormedical-nursing documentation areincluded. In addition, it provides aclinical summary of the completepatient history over a period ofyears. It is available at any worksta-tion: in the OR, the physician’soffice, or - using a wireless tabletPC, for example - at the bedside.Soarian Cardiology can be imple-

mented as a stand-alone departmen-tal system or in connection with thehospital-wide Soarian solution.

‘Finally, integrating functions thatsupport registry submissions is alsoextremely important. By using Soari-an Cardiology, the required informa-tion can be transmitted promptlyand completely. This includes infor-mation regarding possible complica-tions during cardiac treatment. Hos-pital personnel can also access thisinformation: the documentation sta-tus is transparent for every patient,and missing information is displayeddirectly in the task list of the treat-ing physician. Forms are pre-popu-lated with information, and the doc-umentation can be completed stepby step.’

The user interface is based on‘syngo’, the software standard devel-oped by Med. In addition to thepatient record, a list of work steps tobe completed is displayed based on

the user’s role - physician, techni-cian, nurse, etc.

This system is in use at theSouth Carolina Heart Centre(SCHC), and Siemens Med says byusing the software the timerequired to create a diagnosticreport, e.g. after a catheter exami-nation, has been reduced from atleast 24 hours to only a few min-utes. This workflow improvementhas increased annual profits atSCHC by up to $720,000, the firmadds. ‘The system received theprestigious TEPR-(Towards theElectronic Patient Record)-Awardfor 2003 due to the significant prof-it gain SCHC was able to realize.

Siemens adds that it sees enor-mous growth potential for cardiolo-gy information systems in theEuropean market as well as in theUSA. ‘For example, in Germany20% of planned investments forcath labs include IT systems.

22

Änderungen vorbehalten/Subject to alteration/Stand: 07/2003

35. Weltforumder Medizin

35th World Forumfor Medicine

Düsseldorf19.–22. Nov. 2003

Öffnungszeiten/opening hours

MEDICA

19.–21. November 10 –18.30 h

22. November 10 –17 h

www.medica.de

ComPaMED

19.–21. November 10 –18.30 h

www.compamed.de

Eingang SüdSouth Entrance

CCD. Stadthalle

A

CCD. SüdCongressCenterDüsseldorf

B

1

2

34

5 910

11

17

8

6 13

CCD. Pavillon

C

7

Eingang OstEast Entrance

Eingang NordNorth Entrance

15 14CCD. OstCongressCenterDüsseldorf

Erweiterungim Bau

Expansionunder construction

Erweiterungim Bau

Expansionunderconstruction

12

16

H A L L M A P

Hall 2Roche Diagnostics booth A07

Hall 8Korea E & Ex booth E23

EUROPEAN HOSPITAL booth E15

Hall 1Beckmann Coulter booth D04DAS Digital and Analog Systems booth A02Tekia booth E16

Hall 63M Medica booth F06Hsin Kuang Yeh booth L50Q-Core booth G57Smiths Medical booth H30

23

Messe Düsseldorf GmbH

Postfach 10 10 06

40001 Düsseldorf

Germany

Tel. +49(0)2 11/4560-01

Fax +49(0)2 11/4560-6 68

www.messe-duesseldorf.de

Hallen/Halls 1, 2, 3Labortechnik, Diagnostica, ArzneimittelLaboratory equipment, diagnostics, drugs

Halle/Hall 4Physiotherapie/OrthopädietechnikPhysiotherapy/orthopaedic equipment

Hallen/Halls 5, 6Bedarfs- und Verbrauchsartikel, TextilienCommodities and consumer goods, textiles

Hallen/Halls 7 – 15Elektromedizin, MedizintechnikElectromedicine, medical technology

Halle/Hall 7Schwerpunkt Chirurgische InstrumenteFocal point: surgical instruments

Halle/Hall 12Schwerpunkt SterilisationstechnikFocal point: sterilisation technology

Halle/Hall 8.1 ComPaMED 12. Internationale Fachmesse – Komponenten,

Vorprodukte und Rohstoffe für die medizinische FertigungComPaMED, 12th International Trade Fair – Components,Parts and Raw materials for Medical Manufacturing

Halle/Hall 15OP-Ausstattung, medizinische Versorgungseinheiten,medizinisches MobiliarMedical support units, operating tables,medical furniture

RaumeinrichtungRoom furnishing

Halle/Hall 16Informations- und KommunikationstechnikSchwerpunkt KrankenhausInformation and communications technologyFocal point: hospitals

Facility Management

Halle/Hall 17Informations- und KommunikationstechnikSchwerpunkt ArztpraxisInformation and communicationsFocal point: doctors’ surgeries

H A L L M A P

Hall 9Esaote Biomedica Deutschland booth A22Mitsubishi Electric Europe booth E63Parker Laboratories booth D41Toshiba Medical Systems booth D05

Hall 13Listem booth C26Mars Medical Products booth C44-2Uroplasty booth G18

Hall 10BOWA-electronic booth G05Ecolab booth C04Richard Wolf booth D57Siemens Medical Solutions booth A18WISAP Gesellschaft für wissenschaftlichen Apparatebau booth F39

Hall 16Nations HealthCareer School of Management booth D61Sato Deutschland booth G05

Hall 12Maquet booth D51SciCan booth D33Schaerer Mayfield Schweiz booth D32

Hall 14BG Industries booth B24-5Burlington Medical Supplies booth G41Carley Lamps booth A34-8IPAS booth G48Medline Industries booth A10Unitract booth A24USA CEO Center booth D58

Hall 3Starplex Scientific booth D66Wescor booth D95

Hall 17Akestes booth C19

Hall 11Derungs Licht booth B26Dräger Medical booth J39Dr. Goettfert Systems booth B02Komet Medical, Gebr. Brasseler booth A26Nonin booth D42

Hall 15Trumpf Kreuzer Medizin Systeme booth C23

24

The Netherlands - The Sint-Maartenskliniek Hospital, Nijmegen(one of Europe’s leading hospitalsin orthopaedics, rheumatology andrehabilitation) has signed a multi-million euro supply and servicingcontract with Agfa for a completeADCTM CR (ComputedRadiography) solution, togetherwith a hospital-wide RIS/PACSsystem.

Belgian and Luxemburg

hospitals - Earlier this year Agfaalso signed agreements (worth c.six million euros) with sevenhospitals to provide in-housedigital care networks and link withthe hospitals’ surrounding carenetworks, involving ADCComputed Radiography (CR) andintegration of the RIS/PACS withIMPAXTM.

Luxembourg is generallyconsidered a pilot case forLuxemburg hospitals, with whomextensive communication exists.Working closely with its ITdepartment, Agfa managed toright-size CR and IMPAXsolutions. The two campuses ofthis hospital share data over afixed leased line, using the samearchive and offering the

In addition, University hospitalsAZ Brugmann (Brussels) and AZDamiaan (Ostend), introduced five-year plans to change to a digitalenvironment. With Agfa, theBrugmann hospital (part of IRIS,the largest healthcare group inBrussels) will digitise radiology andclinical information in theoutpatient clinic, emergency centreand central services department.

AZ Damiaan, a merger of twoprivate hospitals two kilometresapart, transports patients by busbetween the campuses forexaminations. The introduction byAgfa of ADC CR solutions on bothsites, connecting them with an AgfaRIS/PACS Broker (RIS Gateway), isthe first step to complete use ofIMPAX. Agfa Finance offered aflexible solution for the hospital toannually budget a fixed operationalcost for seven years.

The Cliniques du Sud

surrounding care network to accessthe information with a web browserover Agfa’s IMPAX WEB1000TMserver.

Additionally, the new HôpitalKirchberg, will install ADCTM CRsolutions, including CRmammography, and Agfa’sRIS/IMPAX solution, and the CentreHospitalier du Nord wanted itsIMPAX solution connected to theexisting RIS and to expand its ADCCR infrastructure.

The digital network will be thebasis for growth towards a full-blown EPR (Electronic PatientRecord) at the hospital. Dr MObradov, Head of the RadiologyDepartment, said the network willhelp in planning, preparation andsurgical procedures.Australia - In September, Agfaalso agreed a $17 million PACS/RIScontract. Perth’s primary teachinghospitals and, ultimately, the state’ssecondary and regional centres willaccess the system.

David Chambers, GeneralManager of Agfa HealthCare SalesAsia-Pacific said the project - calledWA PACS - is designed forcomprehensive health imagemanagement in Western Australia(WA) and will be the largest of itskind in the Oceania region.

Unlike similar large-scale projectsundertaken by Agfa HealthCare atmajor hospitals in Queensland andin Auckland, the WA tertiaryhospitals will use one commonPACS database and storage sub-system, rather than operating asseparate site-linked entities. Theconsolidated informatics systemwill be designed to have complete‘redundancy’, so that it willcontinue functioning even if theprimary data centre fails.Connection to the data centres forall hospitals will be via a dedicatedgigabit wide-area network.

T E L E M E D I C I N E

VITAL DUST - for resuscitationAlthough small, a new device

can give doctors the ‘big pic-ture’ of patients’ vital signs,

researchers reported this month,at the Resuscitation Science Sym-posium at the American HeartAssociation’s Scientific Sessions2003. Called Vital Dust, it mea-

Protective clothing at MEDICA - Anko Europa SA. specialisesin radiology accessories and Anti-X Protection, distributingproducts in Europe, Canada and South America, etc.The customer care department also advises aboutequipment use and provides technical assistance

sures just 6x5 centimetres, andconsists of a small, low-power com-puter connected to a sensor thatfits over the patient’s fingertip.Running on two AA batteries thedevice includes an embeddedmicroprocessor, memory, and awireless communication interface.

Vital Dust transmits patient datato a hospital, or centralised loca-tion, allowing others to see the dataand also gain a global view of allpatients in the field who are beingsimilarly monitored. It measuresheart rate and the percent of oxy-gen saturation in the blood, animportant indicator of a person’scardiopulmonary status. A radiotransmits the information to awearable or handheld computer,where it is displayed for a medicalteam.

‘If there is a mass casualty event,having this information on all thevictims will allow the emergencymedical technicians to triage rightthen and there, giving the sickestpeople priority. In single-personcasualties, we’ll know right away ifthe patient has a sudden change instatus and needs immediate atten-tion,’ said Matt Welsh PhD, assis-tant professor of computer scienceat Harvard University, one of VitalDust’s developers and the leadauthor of the study.

‘This advance may lead to a morerapid triaging system,’ added SteveMoulton MD, one of the researcherswho tested the device.

Another unique feature of VitalDust is its ability to store the pre-hospital electronic medical recordtogether with a record of the

Agfa : Communicationscontracts flow in

“

25

monitoring

Bernd von Polheim, Vice President of GE Medical SystemsCentral Europe, describes the present and future impact of

acquisitions and mergers, in an interview with DanielaZimmermann, Executive Director of European Hospital

GE: ventures into new avenues

DZ: How will your recent links

with the two big companies,

Instrumentarium and

Amersham, affect the

European medical technology

market?

BvP: The acquisition ofInstrumentarium and the plannedmerger with Amersham signal GE’sambitious growth targets outsidethe United States. While GEalready holds major market sharesin the US, the European - andparticularly the German - marketstill offers enormous growthpotential. Currently, GE isinvesting heavily in Europe - toexpand its market presence to newfields. This strategy encompasses

the acquisition. However, we willhave to hive off the c-armsdivision of Ziehm Instrumentariumdue to monopoly issues. Themomentum we are currentlygaining lies above all in the GEMedical Systems InformationTechnology division, whichencompasses intensive care,cardiology, respiration, and ourRIS/PACS solutions. DZ: What do you expect from

the merger with Amersham -

one of the biggest diagnostics

and biotechnology

companies?

BvP: Currently, we are waiting fora go-ahead from the GermanMonopolies and MergersCommission, but are confident wewill have the green light for thismerger very soon. Possiblesynergies with Amersham areexpected, above all in imagingdiagnostics - that is, contrastmedia, which are increasinglyused in those procedures - and inthe future in molecular imaging:genetics. Thus we will openentirely new applicationpossibilities for imagingdiagnostics. DZ: Your competitors Philips

and Siemens are also

focusing on molecular

imaging. Is this the horse to

bet on?

BvP: Developments in basicresearch and medical technologyhave reached a point where closerco-operation betweenpharmaceuticals and medicaltechnology is absolutelynecessary. We are no longertalking about merely maintainingand recovering health. Today weare focusing on positivelyinfluencing health. To develop thenecessary research potentialdifferent disciplines must worktogether. The time has come toventure out on new paths. This issomething the entire industryunderstands pretty well - be itPhilips, Siemens, GE, or whoever.The only question is: How can webest achieve that objective? Wethink that with Amersham wehave found a partner who ideallycomplements our portfolio andwith whom we can optimallyrealise our common goals. On aglobal scale, Amersham holds

administration-oriented. This is important in terms of DRGs- to consolidate all data. On theother hand, the modules have togenerate all patient-related data,and these must be channelled intoone system. This process requiresdigitisation - whether in thecontext of telemedicine or off-sitedepartments. With digitisation youcan communicate via the internetor intranet directly with adiagnostics department withoutloss of quality. This is the essentialadvantage of digital information. DZ: This is not new - it has

been talked about for years.

R A D I O L O G Y & T E L E M E D I C I N E

company philosophy and the SixSigma quality managementsystem. Existing know-how isadequately integrated into thenew company organisation. Thisis a top-priority decision for GE,as you can easily see from thefact that Amersham’s Board ofDirectors has been appointeddirectly to GE seniormanagement - the body whereall group-wide strategicdecisions are made. This meansthe Amersham staff will have theopportunity to shape thesedecisions. DZ: What are GE’s plans for

2004?

BvP: We will firmly continue ourstrategy to develop and expandexisting market potential inEurope. Above all, thisencompasses offering ourcustomers complete diagnosticssolutions. DZ: Does these mean more

acquisitions?

BvP: If it makes strategic sense,yes! We have not been active inall fields for some time andundoubtedly there’s one orother field that would nicelycomplete our portfolio - forexample, therapy, which was anarea we made a consciousdecision to quit some years ago.Or hospital information systems,an area in which we are not yetdirectly active. So far, we haveco-operated with manufacturersof existing systems, but it mightmake sense to intensify thoseco-operations. DZ: The latter is a delicate

issue - we have been talking

about EPR, HIS and RIS

and the need to integrate

hospital data, as well as

cope with DRGs for some

time...

BvP: Yes. Presently all or almostall hospitals have different ITsolutions. Although everybodyprovides interfaces to link thedifferent systems so that theycan communicate, there aredifferent philosophies on how tointegrate. When you talk withusers in various hospitals yourealise that not everyone ishappy with what they’ve got -particularly since the firstsystems were merely

patient’s vital signs. ‘This form of data management

enables a copy of the pre-hospitalrecord to travel with the patient,giving hospital-based personnelthe ability to review what wasdone in the field and determinehow those maneuvers may haveinfluenced the resuscitationprocess,’ said Moulton.

Moulton and his study co-authors are integrating Vital Dustsensors with iRevive, a pre-hospi-tal, mobile database, to automatethe process of capturing patientinformation.

One of the unique features isthat the radio can adjust thepower for transmitting informa-tion, Dr Welsh said. ‘If a patient’sheart rate slows dangerously orhis oxygen saturation level dropsprecipitously, the system willautomatically adjust the transmis-sion power so that a stronger sig-nal is sent out and has a greaterchance of being received by theparamedic. The radio would backoff transmitting other patients’data, thus giving a criticalpatient’s signal an even greaterchance of going through.’ This isthe first wireless networkdesigned to give priority to vic-tims that are in critical condition,he added. ‘Continuous real-timemonitoring of vital signs in thefield should greatly improve theeffectiveness of emergency med-ical care.’

● Co-authors: Dan Myung AB

and Mark Gaynor PhD. Abstract

P11303

the acquisition of companies suchas Instrumentarium or Amershamso as to widen existing platformsand gain access to new markets. DZ: Apart from economic

benefits what kind of

innovation potential do you

see in those acquisitions?

BvP: All initiatives in our operationreflect the GE companyphilosophy: we focus on thecustomer and thus - by extension -on the patient. We put enormousefforts into transforming technical

innovation into top-qualityproducts. With this strategy, wewant to contribute, from very earlyon, to the prevention of diseasesand symptoms, which means weexpand our product portfolio tomeet the demand for acomprehensive one-stop-shoppingsolution and that we develop newareas of applications for innovativetechnologies. This is where theacquisition of Instrumentarium fits- with this acquisition westrengthen our surgery-operatingtheatre and intensive caredivisions, so we can offercustomers even better completesolutions. Our mammographyproduct range also benefits from

BvP: But very few have realised it!GE is, and remains convinced thatdigital technologies are the futureof the healthcare system. Nomatter whether you are talkingabout early detection, moreprecise and faster diagnoses,improved data exchange amongphysicians or basic research - themedical benefits of digitisation areobvious. It also enables betterworkflow and greater costtransparency. The acquisition ofInstrumentarium and Amershamwill help us optimise our completesolutions and push digitalisationahead.

major market shares. The contactsAmersham has with hospitals -contacts that are not necessarilyidentical with ours - are veryinteresting for us. DZ: You are talking about

partnership. But in fact GE

will buy Amersham?

BvP: For GE, acquisition above allmeans integration and use ofsynergies. In practice, acquireddivisions profit from GE’s

26

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Germany - The GISMA BusinessSchool has become a partner in ajoint venture between KrannertBusiness School, Purdue Universi-ty (USA), Tias Business School,Tilburg University (Netherlands),Graduate School of Business, Cen-tral European University (Hun-gary) and ESCP-EAP EuropeanSchool of Management (France).Together they are providing the‘International Master’s in Manage-ment (IMM)’ course - an executiveMBA programme that leads to anMBA degree with an optional spe-

Vilnius University Hospital, a1,000-bed teaching hospital han-dling about 300,000 out-patientsand 30-000 in-patients annually,has been chosen to showcase aPACS.

Two years ago doctors at the Vil-nius joined the Baltic InternationalTelemedicine Network, a projectthat offers Estonian, Latvian andLithuanian hospitals the opportuni-ty to discuss difficult clinical caseswith colleagues at Uppsala Univer-sity Hospital, Sweden. At first,images were sent to Sweden by theVilnius radiologists as hard copy orby e-mail, then a document camerafor printed images and a directDICOM connection were used.

Although this experimentaltelemedicine project is over, digitalimaging is continuing, due to thePACS installation. The radiology

Sweden & Baltic telemedicine links

Automated guided vehicles that can be usedfor transporting food, medication, laundry,sterile items, medical equipment, and wasteetc. made by the MLR System GmbH compa-ny, of Ludwigsburg, Germany are going onshow for the first time at this year’s MEDICA.(Hall 14)

The firm points out that the open vehicle in the Caesar series is designedfor the kind of roll containers commonly used in hospitals. The vehicle runsunder the containers, lifts them and transports them to the area determinedby the AGV host computer - also a MLR system. Each container displays abarcode that is read by the AGV, so that the control system LogOS-hospital -which also manages the containers - can track the exact location of eachcontainer.

The Caesar is an extremely compact vehicle, so hospital lifts can be usedfor collectin and deliveries between floors, and it can move close to workareas. Manual handling is restricted to a minimum, the firm also points out.

Also on show at MEDICA: French company TLV focuses strongly on infectionprevention by producing supply units that have smooth surfaces and anti-dust contours as well as the necessary cutting-edge technology. The firm willlaunch a new modular concept at Medica, which is the work of top interna-tional designer Christophe Pillet.

TLV products include a bed head unit and the Multicare ICU ceiling supplyunit. ‘Designed for wards by the internationally famous designer/architectJean-Marie Massaud, the new Hi-beam bed head unit offers user friendlyergonomics, easy to clean surfaces and cost-saving T5 technologies,’ thefirm adds.

Manual handling is minimal

The Sectra MicroDose Mammogra-phy system reduces radiation five-fold, compared with traditionalfilm-based examinations, says itsSwedish manufacturer. The firsttwo systems from this IT and med-ical technology firm are being usedin the Swedish municipal hospitalin Helsingborg, and will be used inthe 1100-bed + Klinikum Krefeld,Germany, following their recentorder, said Dr. Torbjˆrn Kronander,President of Sectra Imtec AB.

‘With Sectra’s system, we aim toavoid exposing women to higherradiation levels than necessary,while at the same time maintaining,or in some cases, increasing thevery high image quality requiredfor mammography examinations,’said Professor Fiedler MD, head ofKrefeld’s radiology department.

With Sectra MicroDose Mam-mography images are available on adiagnostic workstation in seconds,

Eastman Kodak Company plans toexpand the availability of its radiol-ogy information system (RIS) tomedical facilities in the USA in2004. The firm adds that its RIS2010 - already available in Europeand Australia - will debut in coun-tries beyond the U.S. at a later time.

‘Almost 80% of US hospitals haveradiology information systems thatare over 10 years old, so a largeopportunity exists to install newsystems,’ said L. Jeffrey Markin,General Manager of HealthcareInformation Systems and Vice Pres-ident, Kodak’s Health ImagingGroup. ‘We also see the potentialfor integrating these systems withother Kodak medical imaging tech-nology.’

Medical facilities almost alwaysintegrate radiology information sys-tems - which serve as the informa-tion management backbone for aradiology department - with picturearchiving and communications sys-tems (PACS). This combination ofimage-centric PACS and informa-tion-centric RIS enables hospitalsand imaging centres to simultane-ously manage and archive medical

cialisation in healthcare manage-ment, through collaboration withMedical School Hanover (MHH).

Executives who presently holdsignificant responsibilities in theirorganisations are participating inthe two-year part time MBA Pro-gramme. As promising managers,the school says, ‘They are adept atmanaging their time, challengingthemselves intellectually, and wantto interact with people of differentfunctional and cultural back-grounds while maintaining theirfull job responsibilities.’

department’s MR scanner, four-sliceCT scanner, and two digital x-rayunits are linked by digital network,and the radiologists either reportsoft-copy images on four worksta-tions, each located next to a RIS ter-minal, or review images on an addi-tional double-monitor workstation.Nine other clinical departments,including neurology and surgery,are linked to the PACS via a Webserver.

Dr Nomeda Valeviciene, associateprofessor of radiology at the hospitalsaid some radiologists were ‘suspi-cious’ of the system at first, but nowfind it easier to view a case historyand compare images, and discusscases interdepartmentally.

The hospital is now discussingtransmitting images electronicallywith a nearby hospital, which has anew computer system.

R A D I O L O G Y P L U S T R A N S P O R T & F I T T I N G S

so that a patient could receive theresult immediately after the exami-nation. The doctor can evaluate theimages and be further aided in hisdiagnosis by digital image process-ing. A further advantage with thedigital system is that all images arestored in a digital archive, whichmeans that access to old and newimages is immediate.

The system is based on a com-pletely new detection technology,counting every individual X-rayphoton, the firm added. Close to95% of X-ray photons that passthrough the breast are detectedand used for diagnosis, resulting insignificantly lower doses of radia-tion without compromising imagequality.

The mammography unit isinvented and developed by the co-owned development companyMamea Imaging AB, Stockholm,Sweden.

images and other patient data,thus improving productivity, thefirm pointed out.

The trend toward such systemsis apparent in a ‘2003 Hospital CIOSurvey’, conducted by Bank ofAmerica Securities, which indi-cates that 58% of chief informationofficers in US hospitals plan to pur-chase PACS within the next threeyears. Based on research by Frost& Sullivan, Kodak also estimatesthat the PACS market is growingrapidly at 12-15% annually.

In May, Kodak completed a RIS2010 installation at John HunterHospital in New South Wales, Aus-tralia, which performs approxi-mately 87,000 radiological

examinations per annum. Thecompany is now completing instal-lation of RIS 2010s in seven otherregional hospitals, which compriseHunter Area Health Service.

In addition to PACS/RIS, Kodak’sHealth Imaging Group offers digitalmedical image capture technolo-gies, such as Kodak DirectViewcomputed radiography and digitalradiography systems.

1st PACS in Lithuania

Digital mammography

Pocket radiation meter

RIS for US market

Goods transportation

Designer supply units

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Germany - The GISMA Business School has become a partner in ajoint venture between Krannert Business School, Purdue University(USA), Tias Business School, Tilburg University (Netherlands), Grad-uate School of Business, Central European University (Hungary) andESCP-EAP European School of Management (France). Together theyare providing the ‘International Master’s in Management (IMM)’course - an executive MBA programme that leads to an MBAdegree with an optional specialisation in healthcare management,through collaboration with Medical School Hanover (MHH).

Executives whopresently hold signifi-cant responsibilitiesin their organisationsare participating inthe two-year part timeMBA Programme. Aspromising managers,the school says,‘They are adept atmanaging their time,challenging them-selves intellectually,and want to interactwith people of differ-ent functional and cul-tural backgroundswhile maintainingtheir full job responsibilities.’

‘Requirements imposed on doctors that are outside the medicalfield are steadily increasing,’ said Dr Michael Daum, explaining whyhe is currently studying in the two-year programme offered by TheHanover School of Health Management (HSHM). Dr Daum aims toobtain an international Executive MBA with a specialisation inhealthcare management. ‘The MBA ties in with my professionalexperiences. It’s highly practical and intense.’

The HSHM course was initiated by Professor Matthias Schoener-mark (left) and Prof Volker Amelung (right) professor of Health Ser-vice Research at the Medizinische Hochschule Hanover. Centre:Courses are run in co-operation with the GISMA Business School, ofwhich Prof Karlheinz Schwuchow (centre) is managing director.

27

E D U C A T I O N

Five business schools uniteInternational MBA in healthcare management

REALISTIC ORGANS Researchers at the University atBuffalo are combining 21st-centurymaterials and computerised sensorsto create a simulator for surgicaltraining with artificial organs thatfeel, smell and respond like livingtissue in the human body.

Leading the project, DavidFineberg, a clinical assistantprofessor of surgery and oral andmaxillofacial surgery in the UBSchool of Medicine and BiomedicalSciences, said he wants to changethe way surgeons train. He alsowants to change the way content isdelivered across many industries anddisciplines, including the teaching of

Trainingreduces ICUpneumoniacases‘Educating healthcare workers whocare for mechanically ventilatedpatients can decrease the rate ofventilator-associated pneumonia,’said Jeanne E. Zack, BSN, Wash-ington University School of Medi-cine, Department of Hospital Epi-demiology and Infection Control,co-author of a study published inThe Society of Critical Care Medi-cine journal Critical Care Medicine.

The results of the survey, carriedout in Barnes-Jewish Hospital,showed a decline of 57.6% in venti-lator-associated pneumonia. Inaddition to reducing pneumonia,the programme also resulted incost savings estimated to bebetween $425,606 and $4.05 mil-lion.

The education programme,developed by a multidisciplinarytask force, consisted of a ten-pagestudy module on risk factors andpractice modifications involved inventilator-associated pneumonia,training at staff meetings, and for-mal lectures. Fact sheets andposters reinforcing the informationwere posted throughout the ICUsand the department of respiratorycare services. The education pro-gramme was directed at respirato-ry care practitioners who care forthe mechanically ventilatedpatients and intensive care unitnursing staff.

NURSEStrainingON SHOW AT MEDICASpecialising in nursing educa-tion models, the Smile GroupCorporation has produced anew model named the SilverAge Doll. Made of silicon andwith PU foam stuffing withbone, the model is 150-155 cmtall and weighs 11 kgs. Practising exercises: bathing,body wiping, clothing changes,patient transfer techniques,denture removal and cleaning.The fingers and toes are flexi-ble and can be bent.

mathematics and science. Dr Fineberg and Thenkurussi

Kesavadas, PhD, UB associateprofessor of mechanical andaerospace engineering and directorof UB’s Virtual Reality Laboratory,are working on one organ at a time,with $100,000 in development fundsfrom the New York State Office ofScience Technology and AcademicResearch (NYSTAR).

Using cadaver organs, the teamhas made casts of the liver andspleen, and are working with amaterials company to find polymersthat feel like living tissue with whichto fill the casts. Dr Kesavadas is

translating the tactile informationinto electronic data, and trying tocapture the properties of humantissue by using a virtual-realityglove, and a database of informationis being created to accuratelydescribe the biomechanicalproperties of soft tissue undervarious conditions.

Initially, the model organs will beused as individual teaching tools. DrFineberg plans to market them andthe technology platform for anumber of uses to generate funds tofinish the surgical simulatorprototype. He then plans to producea ‘liver trainer’, to help teach liverphysiology, and to follow this with apancreas model.Source: University at Buffalo

Breast cancer trainingWhen three highly

motivated disabilitynurses approached Dr

Nick Tucker, a University ofWarwick plastics engineer, theyasked him to help them create ateaching aid that could assist inteaching breast cancerawareness and self-inspection topeople with learning difficulties.

The resulting mannequinconsists of a fibreglass torso,which can be fitted with 4different interchangeable typesof breast implants, all containingdifferent tissue anomalies(lumps). The torso with thesilicone rubber breast implantshas a latex ‘skin’ that makes themodel appear and feel true-to-life.

The device enables individualsto learn self-examination. It willbenefit all women but will be ofparticular benefit to those withlearning difficulties who’slimited reading skills limit howmuch they can learn from manybreast cancer self examinationtraining methods. Themannequin will also beparticularly useful whenworking with women with

cultural inhibitions thatotherwise impede them learningabout self-examination.

Clinical trials are underway toinvestigate the use of themannequins in a GP surgery, aresidential home for learningdisability and a cancer treatmentcentre. The team report thatearly results of these trails havebeen very positive. Now DrTucker and the nurses areinvestigating the development ofa similar model for testicularcancer. Source: University of Warwick

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