Medical Technologies

3D Printing

Dentistry
  • The largest user of 3D printing in medicine
  • Used to create models, night guards, dentures, retainers
  • 3D printing is used often because the products are small in size
Prosthetics
  • Used within the products and in the manufacturing process
  • Used to create moulds for prosthetics
  • Lowers production costs
Medicine
  • Used to create personalized medication
  • The first 3D-printed drug was approved in 2015
Medical Research
  • Used to create prototypes for research
  • the Canadian Space Agency used 3D-printed centrifuges
Bioprinting
  • Use of living tissues to print working organs
  • None have been approved for human use though some organs have been connected to oxygen
  • 3D-printed organs can curb the transplant waitlist and reduce the chance of rejection

Bionic Limbs

What It Is
  • Advanced prosthetic limbs that restore motor functions
  • technology is used to mimic natural movements
  • Can establish a connection between the limb and the user’s nervous system
Importance
  • Improved quality of life for amputees
  • Allows users to regain independence
  • Improves their psychological well-being
How it has Changed Medicine
  • Spurred research and innovation in neuroprosthetics
  • Positively impacted patient outcomes, rehabilitation, and individual well-being

Defibrillator

What It Is
  • Delivers an electric shock to the heart to restore its natural rhythm
  • Used in emergency situations to prevent loss of life
  • Modern defibrillators are automated external defibrillators (AED)   * Portable   * Designed for use by non-medical personnel
  • AEDs analyze the heart’s rhythm and will charge itself and deliver a shock if necessary
Uses
  • Cardiac Arrest   * sudden loss of heart function
  • Ventricular Fibrillation   * Type of abnormal heart rhythm
  • Sudden Cardiac Arrhythmia   * Heart beats irregularly or too fast
Portable Defibrillator
  • Increased likelihood of survival with immediate defibrillation
  • Found in places such as hospitals, clinics, cruise ships, trains
  • Availability in public areas has led to increased knowledge of this issue

Computerized Tomography (CT) Scan

What It Is
  • Type of X-ray technology where beams are rotated along a patient’s body
  • Generates images of structures including organs, bones, and veins
  • Gives more information than a 2D X-ray
Uses and Applications
  • Used to search for abnormalities across the body
  • Can find:   * Tumours in the abdomen   * Blood clots in veins   * Excess fluid in the lungs   * Fractures in bones   * Heart disease   * Diabetes
How it has Changed Medicine
  • It has replaced more invasive procedures
  • Can detect diseases much earlier

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Endoscopes

What It Is
  • A long, thin tube with a camera in the end
  • Used in an endoscopy
  • Used to look inside the body to diagnose different diseases
  • Used in:   * The digestive system   * Ears   * Nose'   * Throat   * Heart   * Urinary tract   * Joints
Importance
  • Used to diagnose:   * Gastroesophageal reflux disease   * Ulcers   * Cancer   * Precancerous abnormalities   * Inflammation   * Celiac disease   * Blockages

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mRNA Technology

What Is mRNA
  • Single-stranded RNA
  • Carries the instructions which direct cells to make proteins
  • Created through transcription and translation
  • Transcription   * DNA is copied to make RNA molecule
  • Translation   * Carries the information of the protein from the nucleys DNA to the cytoplasm   * mRNA sequence is read   * Protein antigens that match with the corresponding pathogens are built
Applications
  • Cell therapy   * Using “trained” immune cells to fight diseases in patients
  • Gene Editing   * Can introduce non-native proteins into cells   * Can include gene editing tools such as CRISPR
  • Vaccines   * Antigen for a disease is directly introduced rather than creating a natural defense response
  • Antibodies   * more attractive alternative to traditional antibodies
  • Protien Replacement   * many genetic diseases are caused by a malfunctioning or absent protein   * mRNA can replace or code for these proteins

Insulin Pump

What It Is
  • Mimics the way a pancreas works
  • Used to help people with diabetes manage blood sugar levels
Importance
  • Helps patients keep blood sugar at a constant level
  • Lowers the risk of having low or high glucose levels
  • More flexible and accurate than injections
  • Ensures the continuous delivery of insulin

Stem Cells

What Are Stem Cells
  • Embryonic Stem Cells   * Derived from early stage embryos   * Can differentiate into any type of cell   * Used for organ regeneration and tissue repair
  • Adult Stem Cells   * Can anly become cells from the tissue where they reside     * Ex. bone marrow stem cells can only become blood cells   * Used for stem cell transplants/therapy and therapeutic cloning
Stem Cell Therapy
  • Regeneration medicine designed to repair cells within the body
  • Transplantation through IV infusion
  • Can be done with:   * Hematopoietic Stem Cells     * Used to treat blood and other cancers   * Mesenchymal Stem Cells     * Used to treat neurological disorders   * Induced Pluripotent Cells     * Used for a wide variety of diseases
Other Uses of Stem Cells
  • Tissue Regeneration   * Repair or replace damaged tissues
  • Drug Discovery and Testing   * Testing the safety and efficiency of new drugs and therapies
  • Gene Therapy and Genetic Editing   * Stem cells can be genetically modified to correct mutations responsible for inherited diseases
  • Immunotherapy   * Stem cells can be used to modulate the immune system   * Valuable for autoimmune disease treatment
  • Personalized Medicine   * Creating medications to develop patient-specific therapies and medications

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Healthcare Apps

What It Is
  • Apps that allow people to manage their own health and wellbeing
  • Used to:   * Track symptoms   * Monitor vital signs   * Set medication reminders   * Keep track of medical history   * Set up appointments
  • They can reduce healthcare costs
  • Can help diagnose conditions
  • Provided healcare providers with new resources

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Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI)

What It Is
  • Uses a strong magnetic field and radio waves to produce images
  • Does not use radiation
  • Can show organs, bones, muscles, blood vessels
  • Used for:   * A medical diagnosis     * Brain or spinal cord injuries     * Tumours     * Joint disorders     * Other abnormalities   * Research   * Sports medicine   * Veterinarian medicine   * Industrial uses   * Forensic science
Importance
  • Safer option as it doesn’t use radiation
  • Non-invasive testing
  • Can diagnose things that are difficult to detect with other technologies

Nano Technology

What It Is
  • Use of nanoscale particles and robots to interact with specific targets in the body
  • Non-invasive and very safe with few side effects
  • Four types:   * Biosensors   * Surgical Procedures   * Gene Editing   * Carriers/drug releases
Applications
  • Drug delivery systems   * Encapsulating drugs and delivering them to specific areas
  • Gene editing   * CRISPR-Cas9 gene editing to remove/replace genes
  • Tissue Engineering   * Nanoscale scaffolding to support growth and recovery
  • Cancer treatment   * Nanoparticles specifically target cancer cells, reducing harm to healthy cells

Pacemaker

What It Is
  • An implantation that helps to control the heartbeat
  • Single chamber pacemaker   * Connects to one chamber of the heart
  • Dual chamber pacemaker   * Connected to both right-side chambers of the heart
  • Biventricular pacemaker   * Connects to both sides of the heart
  • Leadless pacemaker   * Has no wires and attaches to the inner wall of the heart
  • Endocardial Implantation   * Implanted with an incision in the chest
  • Epicardial Implantation   * Implanted through the abdomen
  • Risks:   * Infection   * Allergic reactions   * Blood clots   * Malfunctions

Robotic Surgery

What It Is
  • The use of robotic systems controlled by surgeons to perform operations
  • Enhances surgical precision, provides improved outcomes, and enables minimally invasive procedures
Applications and Importance
  • Used in urology, gynecology, general surgery, cardiothoracic surgery, and more
  • Robotic systems offer 3D visualization
  • Provide increased dexterity and range of motion
  • Patients experience less pain or scarring and can recover quickly

Transplants

What It Is
  • A procedure in which a tissue or organ is removed from a donor’s body and placed in a recipient’s body
  • Needed when the recipient’s organ is damaged or has failed
  • Transplants must be between people with compatible blood types
  • Donors can be living or deceased depending on the organ
Importance
  • One donor can save up to 7 people
  • Only way of survival form some late-stage diseases

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