Development Year: 1953 Inventor: John Gibbon Description: The heart-lung bypass machine, also known as a cardiopulmonary bypass machine, is a critical piece of medical equipment used during open-heart surgery. It temporarily takes over the function of the heart and lungs during the procedure, ensuring that oxygen-rich blood continues to circulate throughout the patient’s body. Functionality: …
Category Archives: Hardware
DNA Sequencing
Development Year: 1977 Inventor: Fredrick Sanger Description: DNA sequencing is a laboratory technique used to determine the precise sequence of nucleotides within a DNA molecule. It involves the process of identifying the order of the four bases – adenine, guanine, cytosine, and thymine – in a strand of DNA. Advanced sequencing technologies enable rapid processing …
Insulin Pump
Development Year: 1976 Inventor: Dean Kamen Description: An insulin pump is a small, computerized device that delivers insulin to the body to manage blood glucose levels in people with diabetes. It’s about the size of a small cellphone and can be worn on a belt, in a pocket, or under clothing. The pump administers insulin …
Ultrasound
Development Year:1956 Inventor: Ian Donald Description: Ultrasound, also known as sonography, is a medical imaging technique that uses high-frequency sound waves to create images of structures within the body. Functionality: The Ultrasound involves the use of a small device called a transducer, which emits sound waves that bounce off tissues, organs, and fluids. The echoes …
Electrocardiogram
Development Year: 1887 Inventor: Augustus Waller Description: An Electrocardiogram (ECG or EKG) is a medical test that records the electrical activity of the heart. The ECG machine captures the electrical signals that make the heart muscle contract and relax, creating a waveform representation on paper or a screen. This test helps doctors diagnose and monitor …
Dialysis
Development Year: 1943 Inventor: Willem J. Kolff Description: Dialysis is a medical treatment used to artificially filter and purify the blood when the kidneys are no longer able to perform this function naturally. This is typically required in advanced stages of kidney failure. Functionality: Dialysis works by mimicking the natural function of the kidneys to …
LASIK Eye Surgery
Development Year: 1988 Inventor: Gholam A. Peyman Description: LASIK eye surgery offers a significant improvement in vision, often resulting in 20/20 vision or better. The procedure is quick, with most patients experiencing immediate vision enhancement, and recovery times are typically short, allowing for a rapid return to daily activities. Additionally, it greatly reduces or completely …
Telehealth
Development Year: 1970 Inventor: Thomas Bird Description: Telehealth allows you to connect with your healthcare provider to offer care remotely, getting rid of having to go into the office for a visit. This service is held online, requiring internet access and can be accessed through your computer, tablet, or smartphone. Functionality: Telehealth can be done …
EEG
Development Year: 1924 Inventor: Hans Berger Description: An EEG can find changes in brain activity that might be useful in diagnosing brain disorders, especially epilepsy or another seizure disorder. An EEG might also be helpful for diagnosing or treating: Brain tumors, Brain damage from head injury, Brain dysfunction, Sleep disorders, etc… Functionality: An EEG is a test that …
Cochlear Prosthesis
Development Year: 1953 Inventor: André Djourno Description: Cochlear implants are electronic devices designed to mitigate hearing impairment. While they don’t restore hearing to its natural state, they enhance the capacity to comprehend speech and perceive a broader range of sounds. The majority of individuals who receive cochlear implants experience significant benefits, particularly when they undergo …
Tele/Robotic surgery
Development Year: 2001 Inventor: Jacques Marescaux Description: Remote surgery (also known as telesurgery) is the ability for a doctor to perform surgery on a patient even though they are not physically in the same location. It is a form of telepresence. A robot surgical system generally consists of one or more arms, a master controller, …
X-Ray
Development Year: 1895 Inventor: Wilhelm Conrad Röntgen Description: X-ray machines are used in health care for visualizing bone structures, during surgeries (especially orthopedic) to assist surgeons in reattaching broken bones with screws or structural plates, assisting cardiologists in locating blocked arteries and guiding stent placements or performing angioplasties and for other dense tissues such as …