Medical progress through technology
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This paper describes: 1) the measurement method of electrical bio-impedance; 2) presentations of models of bio-impedance and their applications to some impedance analyses; 3) the analyses of steady state and dynamical state of electrical properties of the skin; and 4) the applications of bio-impedance. The applications include: 1) the influence of skin impedance to biological potential measurement; 2) skin moisturization measurement using skin admittance; and 3) gait analysis using lower leg electrical impedance.
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Comparative Study
Patient monitoring during and after open heart surgery by an improved deep body thermometer.
The deep body thermometer developed by Fox was improved by Togawa by thermal insulation of the probe. The present status of medical progress in clinical thermometry through the improved deep body thermometer was reviewed from the view point of cardiac surgery. The forehead and sole temperatures obtained by this improved thermometer were monitored and recorded by a multipotentiometric recorder continuously up to 12 days in the patients admitted to the ICU who underwent open heart surgery. ⋯ A state of shock can be diagnosed when the arterial systolic pressure is less than 90 mmHg and the urine output less than 1 ml/min/mg in addition to the dissociation. The effect of treatment and the prognosis for the patient are predictable according to the trends of the two temperatures as divergent or convergent. The dynamic thermometry by this thermometer is very informative and the procedure is noninvasive without discomfort to the patient.
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Kinking and compression of endotracheal tubes may lead to serious problems. Such complications are assumed to occur more often for smaller endotracheal tubes used in adult practise in order to reduce to trauma of intubation. ⋯ Only small differences were measured between different dimensions and types. In contrast smaller endotracheal tubes were considerable less resistant to edge compression than larger dimensions.
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This paper focuses on two major areas of US federal policy that relate to medical devices, regulations regarding premarketing approval and arrangements for financing the use of devices. Other relevant areas, such as patents, liability, and taxation, are discussed more briefly. In 1976 legislation authorized the federal Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to require manufacturers of medical devices to show that their products meet acceptable levels of safety and effectiveness. ⋯ Although procedures vary for institutional and individual providers, payment is usually made after the medical care has been provided and covers the provider's costs or charges. Prevailing insurance coverage and payment methods contain incentives for the innovation and use of medical devices that are part of mainstream medical care. At the same time, these financial arrangements discourage preventive and rehabilitative devices, which are generally excluded from insurance coverage.
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The various factors that influence intracranial pressure are described as well as the threat to the patients health of increased intracranial pressure. Of the different methods for measuring intracranial pressure the epidural method is described extensively with the emphasis on coplanarity and stability of the transducer. ⋯ The conclusion drawn is, that the method has proved its clinical value. But more fundamental research, both methodological and clinical is needed for better understanding of the method and to resolve the remaining problems.