New Products Highlighted at MEDICA 2011

This year, networking features as one of the prominent process innovations in ambulatory and stationary patient care, as demonstrated at the MEDICA preview show. For example, a concept for optimizing procedures in surgery rooms and endoscopic wards was presented by Olympus (Tokyo, Japan). Endoscopic devices from various manufacturers can be easily operated remotely by the attending physician from a central touch screen. Also integrated are systems for video and image documentation which allow live transmission of surgical procedures, allowing a quick evaluation from colleagues for a diagnosis.

A new compact, mobile monitoring system from Royal Philips Electronics (Philips, Amsterdam, The Netherlands) also promises process optimization for physicians and patients alike, solving the growing need for close monitoring of the patients’ health after they have been moved out of the intensive care unit (ICU). For economic reasons, ICU patients tend to be moved to normal wards sooner, thus creating demanding challenges for the nursing staff. The mobile monitoring system relieves hospital staff from routine checkups every few hours by automatically comparing the relevant vital data with defined target values, and has a system of warning lights to indicate if the patient requires special attention.

Another innovation presented at the preview was an impedance tomography device from Dräger (Lübeck, Germany), which makes ventilation processes and their effects on the lung visible, thus allowing improved control options and more precise adjustment of the ventilator. ANM Adaptive Neuromodulation (Köln, Germany) presented an innovative tinnitus therapy device which, based on acoustic neuromodulation, counteracts the pathological hyperactivity of nerve cells in the auditory center, thus teaching the nerve cells to “unlearn” the tinnitus sound.

This year, MEDICA 2011 will host more than 4,560 exhibitors in 110,000 square meters of booked exhibit space, an increase compared to the 2010 staging. Two thirds of the exhibitors are from outside of Germany, with more than 60 countries represented. The concurrently held COMPAMED International Trade Fair – High Tech Solutions for Medical Technology will also host more than 600 exhibitors, an increase from 568 exhibitors in 2010.

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MEDICA 2011
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