Ilka Kosmalski/MHH
Cancer therapy: MHH Sarcoma Center successfully DKG-certified
28/06/2022
The Sarcoma Center of the Comprehensive Cancer Center (CCC) of the MHH, which is one of the oldest in the country, has been successfully certified by the German Cancer Society (DKG). In addition to the treatment of soft tissue tumors, the center was also recognized for the treatment of bone tumors.
University of Leeds/Dr Pete Culmer
Surgery: Low-tech - just what the doctor ordered
20/06/2022
Medical equipment that can be manufactured at low cost, is simple to use and can be easily maintained will help extend surgery to the 5 billion people worldwide who currently cannot get access to it, say researchers.
Georgia Kirkos/McMaster University
Radiotherapy not always needed for early breast cancer
13/06/2022
Older women with early stage breast cancer may not need radiotherapy after undergoing surgery, McMaster University researcher Timothy Whelan and his team has found.
Prostock-studio
Exergames: leveraging the fun of games to support therapy
01/06/2022
Some patients need physiotherapy after suffering an injury, but the process can be tough and tedious. Depending on the indication, this may necessitate multiple treatment sessions that can span several weeks. Added to this are therapy exercises patients should do at home. The amount of training and repetitions can make it difficult to stay engaged. Gamification in therapy can boost motivation.
twenty20photos
Scientists identify characteristics to better define long COVID
20/05/2022
Using machine learning, researchers find patterns in electronic health record data to better identify those likely to have the condition.
nenetus
Clinical support software improves efficiency and quality of care in the OR
19/05/2022
Preventing medication administration errors and improving efficiency during surgery enhances patient care.
Mathematical Modeling of Infectious Diseases Unit
Ensemble model to anticipate short-term COVID-19 hospital demand
13/05/2022
For the past two years, the COVID-19 pandemic has exerted pressure on the hospital system, with consequences for patients' care pathways. To support hospital planning strategies, it is important to anticipate COVID-19 health care demand and to continue to improve predictive models.
Thor Balkhed/Linköping University
"Digital twins" aid to give individual patients the right treatment
11/05/2022
An international team of researchers have developed advanced computer models, or "digital twins", of diseases, with the goal of improving diagnosis and treatment.
dolgachov
World Hand Hygiene Day 2022: United for Safety
05/05/2022
While the main focus of infection prevention in healthcare remains on the Corona virus, other pathogens must not be forgotten about it. In particular, pathogens with resistance to drugs can have serious consequences.
karrastock
Disinfection: Solutions to stop pathogens from spreading
02/05/2022
Disinfection and sterilization are the most reliable and best way to ensure patient safety in healthcare settings. Whether it is at the point of care when the patient is either at the hospital or medical practice, or wherever medical devices are manufactured and packaged in a sterile environment – the transmission of pathogens and microorganisms can have severe health impacts.
Johns Hopkins University
AI predicts if - and when - someone will have cardiac arrest
15/04/2022
A new artificial intelligence-based approach can predict, significantly more accurately than a doctor, if and when a patient could die of cardiac arrest.
What intensive care patients really need – Communication via eye-tracking systems
07/04/2022
Patients at the intensive care unit are not always able to communicate with their environment, even if they are conscious. The BG University Hospital Bergmannsheil in Bochum, Germany, now aims to enable them to communicate using an eye-tracking system. Learn in our video interview how this system works, how it was established and what obstacles still need to be overcome.
PantherMedia / Wavebreakmedia
Treating chronic pain phases with an AI-powered app
05/04/2022
The treatment of chronic and acute pain phases centers on the patient’s pain profile. The treatment strategies must be flexible to facilitate customized adjustments. The AI-powered pain treatment solution by medicalmotion offers support and makes individualized exercise recommendations to manage the individual needs of pain patients with neuromusculoskeletal disorders.
TUM
Telediagnostic solutions: expert exams with no physical contact
01/04/2022
Applications of telemedicine surged in popularity in efforts to reduce the COVID-19 infection risk for both medical professionals and patients. Unfortunately, the services typically lack a proper diagnostic option.
PantherMedia/Andrey Popov
Telemedicine: Safe diagnostics in the pandemic - and beyond
01/04/2022
Who could have foreseen how the Corona pandemic would transform our lives? The work world has been transformed by mobile working and digital tools. Face-to-face meetings still matter, but they are not quite as important as they used to be. And telemedicine is changing how physicians interact with patients.
PantherMedia / alexAleksei (YAYMicro)
AI enables personalized treatment of myocarditis
01/04/2022
A research team from the University of Bern and Inselspital, Bern University Hospital, has received funding from the Center for Artificial Intelligence in Medicine for a research project to personalize the diagnosis and treatment of myocarditis. In the future, the use of artificial intelligence will allow personalized, individualized risk assessment and prognostication.
PantherMedia/kleberpicui
Respiratory diseases: "AI helps patients track symptom severity"
01/04/2022
When they are presented with respiratory disease, physicians listen to the lungs and airways to assess the sound of the patient’s breath and cough. Artificial intelligence now helps patients with respiratory diseases even outside of the doctor’s office: "ResGuard Med" monitors coughing during the night, detects the worsening of symptoms and issues an alert.
PantherMedia / Andriy Popov
How prepared are we to treat patients with Long COVID?
15/03/2022
Most people who have been treated for coronavirus disease (COVID-19) recover completely within a few weeks. But for some people, symptoms can persist, requiring treatment for what is known as long COVID. The goal is to find better treatment options and implement them in rehabilitation centers.
PantherMedia / RostyslavOleksin
Preventing patient falls using an anonymous monitoring system
01/10/2021
Falls are one of the most common causes of patient injury in both hospital and nursing home settings. Without technical assistance, falls are difficult to predict and prevent. But even if care facilities use technology, it tends to be based on outdated approaches.
PantherMedia/DragosCondreaW
Population health management: networking versus data silos
22/06/2021
Data silos still prevail in the German health care system: providers store and collect patient data for their own purposes, making it not available to the entire organization. Many still mainly share this data in analog form. Comprehensive, integrated delivery networks would make many practices easier.
Emergency medicine: point-of-care diagnostic at the deployment site
01/06/2021
The sooner diagnosis can be made during an emergency, the faster the patient receives help. While most diagnostics still take place at the hospital, emergency physicians use more and more mobile devices directly at the deployment site. This is how they can save precious time. We take a look at some point-of-care applications in our Topic of the Month.
DiGA: App on prescription
03/05/2021
Fostering healthy behavior, improving preventive care, and managing chronic conditions: medical apps can make personal health easier. After the launch of the Digital Healthcare Act (DVG) in 2019, Germany has turned over a new leaf in healthcare. Physicians in Germany can now prescribe digital health applications with the costs covered by statutory insurance.
PantherMedia/Wavebreakmedia (YAYMicro)
mHealth in the hospital: from data security to patient welfare
07/04/2021
Patient safety is a top priority in any healthcare setting. These days, this no longer just applies to health care delivery. Thanks to the increasing use of digital and mobile technologies, protecting patient data is also becoming increasingly important.
PantherMedia/Wavebreakmedia LtD
Hospital: how an AI tool could improve patient safety
22/02/2021
Sometimes, a hospital stay can proceed successfully without a hitch. At other times, there might be an unexpected turn of events if the patient exhibits complications. Early identification of these patients could prevent unnecessary suffering. A new research project intends to develop an AI-based tool that predicts a patient’s risk of complications at an early stage.
PantherMedia/sudok1
AI predicts a patient's risk of postoperative complications
22/10/2020
Whether it is a routine surgery or a personalized surgical intervention that perhaps has never been done before: There is always a residual risk involved. That’s why hospitals monitor and supervise patient care before, during, and after surgery to be ready for immediate intervention if needed.
cibX GmbH
IoT in hospitals: keeping track of every zone
08/09/2020
In a time of pandemic, the emergency departments of most hospitals are under intense pressure. Processes can get mixed up, while some systems are stretched to the breaking point. It is easy to lose track of patients, medical devices and rooms. This is where the cibX intelligent IoT solution comes in. Real-time localization and visualization enable safe and up-to-date process optimization.
Comprehensive stroke care: faster, closer, better
02/06/2020
"Time is brain!" – a fundamental rule in stroke care because time is of the essence when brain regions are undersupplied with oxygen and glucose. If circulation is not restored quickly, brain damage can be permanent. However, the key point here is not just to "be fast", but also to "use the time to treat stroke effectively".
Molecular Imaging: fast and reliable stroke detection
02/06/2020
After a stroke, a patient’s life depends on getting acute care at a hospital. Vital monitoring systems ensure safe and effective treatment. An innovative tomographic imaging system is designed to help prevent the patient’s risky journey to radiology and to enable bedside monitoring of cerebral blood flow.
PantherMedia/AndrewLozovyi
Stroke care: When every minute counts
02/06/2020
Stroke can affect anyone – older as well as younger people. The minutes after the stroke determine whether disability or death is the result. Only if acute care, inpatient treatment and rehabilitation are carried out in a targeted and effective manner, the chances are greater that only minor damage remains or that impairments even recede.
PantherMedia / inhabitant
Mobile stroke units: improved outcomes for ischemic stroke
02/06/2020
If someone is having a stroke, you call an ambulance. But getting to the hospital can be time-consuming. To prevent long-term disabilities and death, patients need to be treated as quickly as possible. According to a recent study by the Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin, mobile stroke units play a key role in this setting.
PantherMedia / Viktor Cap
Sports medicine software: Monitoring at the push of a button
22/05/2020
Athletes not only have to be fit and stay in shape, but they also have to achieve peak performance, especially when they get ready for athletic events. Optimized and individualized performance training requires data from external laboratories and institutes. The [i/med] Sports platform from DORNER Health IT Solutions provides a complete workflow − from anamnesis to diagnostic report.
mein.klinikplan.de
eMMa: medication management app improves patient care
08/05/2020
A conversation between the patient and the doctor is always at the start of the health journey. The idea is to set the stage and share important information. This process can be shortened if information is already available in digital form. In the future, patients can submit their medication plan via app thanks to "eMMa".
APRICOT-project: implant "help(s) patients heal themselves"
01/01/2020
Today, people tend to live longer, while an increasing number of patients suffer from osteoarthritis. Even younger generations are now at a higher risk of getting osteoarthritis due to the frequent use of mobile devices. The EU research project APRICOT aims to develop a novel type of implant for the treatment of osteoarthritis of the hands – helping patients heal themselves.
Endoprosthetic surgery: modern and traditional approaches
01/01/2020
Surgery is required if you need an artificial joint. Patients and doctors must select the type of surgery that’s best suited and choose between robot-assisted, traditional or minimally invasive surgical approaches. Post-operative risks should be kept to a minimum, while benefits should outweigh any possible complications.
Endoprostheses: regaining independence and mobility
01/01/2020
Joints can suddenly or gradually deteriorate and lose their natural strength, whether it’s due to accidents, diseases or simple wear and tear. In some of these cases, implants of artificial joints – endoprostheses - can help. As a joint replacement, they are designed to stay in the body for as long as needed and as such improve the patient’s quality of life and mobility.
Endoprostheses: between possibility and reality
01/01/2020
When natural joints lose their ability to function, they can be completely or partially replaced by artificial joints, also called endoprostheses. Endoprostheses must be of a certain quality, as they should remain in the body as long as possible. In addition to some risks, endoprostheses can also contribute to a mobile and carefree life for young and old.
Fraunhofer ISS
AI software: "iSTIX opens your world to the possibilities of digital pathology"
08/10/2019
The healthcare market offers a multitude of microscopes that make cells visible to the human eye. The same applies to AI-based software for image analysis. After taking the microscopic images, scientist are faced with large volumes of scans with usually low resolution. Yet when all aspects merge together, they open up a the world of digital pathology.
Medical IoT: fully realizing the potential of medical device data
01/10/2019
The Internet of Medical Things (IoMT) plays an important role in monitoring patients in hospitals or performing measurements at home. Here medical devices are connected via cloud, where all patient measurement data are collected and analyzed. In the course of digitalization, the relevance of clouds in the medical sector is constantly increasing.
Deep Learning Image Reconstruction – what AI looks like in clinical routine
02/09/2019
Artificial intelligence is no longer a dream of the future in medicine. Many studies and initial application examples show that it sometimes achieves better results than human physicians. At Jena University Hospital, the work with AI is already lived practice. It is the first institution in the world to use algorithms in radiological routine to reconstruct CT images.
German Medical Award
German Medical Award 2019 celebrates the future of (patient) care
22/08/2019
The German Medical Award will take place on November 18, 2019, as part of the MEDICA trade fair in Düsseldorf. The ceremony emphasizes the commitment to excellence in cutting-edge care for patients. Doctors, clinical centers and companies in the medical and healthcare industry can demonstrate their achievements in medicine and management in hopes of receiving the coveted award.
Combating antibiotic resistance: One step ahead through technology
01/08/2019
Antibiotic resistance is on the rise in all parts of the world, complicating medical treatment of serious bacterial infections in patients. The World Health Organization estimates that approximately 33,000 people die each year from antibiotic-resistant bacteria in Europe alone. Bacteria that are resistant to multiple or even all known antibiotics pose an ever-increasing threat.
SilverSky LifeSciences GmbH
Striking new paths in medicine - Diagnostics Partnering Conference 2019
08/07/2019
On November 18th, 2019, parallel to the first day of MEDICA, the world forum for medicine, the Diagnostics Partnering Conference (DxPx Conference) will take place in Düsseldorf, bringing together stakeholders in the diagnostics and research tool industry. The DxPx Conference focuses on discovering technologies, finding financing and investment opportunities and forming collaborative partnerships.
Training and rehabilitation: fit thanks to hover technology
01/07/2019
Amateur and professional athletes are susceptible to sports injuries, balance disorders or deficits in motor function and posture. Prevention and the right training can help avoid these incidents, while targeted therapy can support a return to sports after an injury.
Sports medicine - performance values in best health
01/07/2019
Those who integrate physical activities into their own lifestyle live healthier and more balanced. But where are the physical limits? Can health status measurements also be carried out on the road? Discover more about how sports medical examinations contribute to maintain performance and minimize health risks in our Topic of the Month.
Performance diagnostics: success in sports – testing the limits of performance
01/07/2019
Stationary or mobile - competitive athletes rely on regular health assessments. They must deliver peak performance and be physically fit during competitions. But when do they reach their physical limits? Are there any devices that provide information, no matter where the test subject is located?
Sports medicine – keep moving to stay healthy
01/07/2019
Physical activity plays a big role in today's society. Whether you are an amateur or professional athlete – incorporating exercise into your life positively impacts your mental and physical health. Ideally, sport should be fun, pressure-free and not overburden you. But can you measure individual performance and align it with sports?
Rehab with a robot – robot-assisted therapy in neurology
03/06/2019
It takes consistent repetitions if rehab patients want to relearn skills after surviving a stroke. This requires extreme effort. The industrial sector uses robots to perform repetitive tasks or handle jobs that require strength. What has been a fixture in factories for decades is now also making its way into rehabilitation facilities.
Walking is an issue of mind over matter – how robots assist rehabilitation
03/06/2019
Humans are living longer than ever but still want to continue to live independently as they age. Meanwhile, our motor and cognitive abilities decline as we age, sometimes as the effects of a stroke. The number of people in need of long-term care is growing at breakneck speed. At the same time, fewer and fewer young people choose stressful careers as caregivers.
Of exoskeletons and service robots – the future of rehabilitation
03/06/2019
For most people, enjoying a good quality of life means having the ability to move freely, safely and independently. Intensive and costly rehabilitation is needed if this is no longer an option after a stroke for example. We are introducing some projects that deliver innovative robotic solutions.
Robotics – rehab with motors and sensors
03/06/2019
They work with power, precision and tirelessly. This makes robots an ideal instrument for rehabilitation. In gait or motor training, movement sequences must be repeated thousands of times so that they can be learnt anew. What tires the patient and costs the therapist's time can easily be managed by robot-assisted systems. Learn more about the possibilities of robotics in rehabilitation.
panthermedia.net / Lev Dolgachov
mHealth: Atrial fibrillation detection – App supports heart health
08/05/2019
Atrial fibrillation is the most common type of persistent cardiac arrhythmia (irregular heart rhythm). Researchers estimate that 1.8 million Germans are presently affected by this disease. The condition is difficult to diagnose, frequently goes undetected and may result in a stroke. A new smartwatch medical app is designed to help patients detect atrial fibrillation before it’s too late.
Functional imaging: what makes the brain tick?
01/04/2019
Our brain is the command center of our body. This is where all information and impressions are collected and converted into responses and movements. Modern imaging techniques offer physicians and researchers unique insights into the actions of the human central nervous system. The functional imaging technique allows them to watch our brain in action.
Functional imaging: a look at the command center
01/04/2019
All information from our body and the environment converges in our brain and is transformed into reactions in milliseconds. It is essential for medicine and research to know what our switching centre looks like. Functional methods are used to observe it more closely during work.
Stroke: 4D brain perfusion accelerates treatment
01/04/2019
In an ischaemic stroke, rapid treatment is essential. In this moment good imaging data is particularly important to enable doctors to make the best possible decision for therapy. Modern CT scanners are increasingly being used to assess stroke patients because they can show the blood flow to the brain over time.
Sven Delbeck/Fachhochschule Südwestfalen
Blood Sugar Monitoring: Using Infrared Instead of Invasive Techniques
22/03/2019
Over six million people in Germany have diabetes. It is estimated that almost 400 million people are affected by this disease worldwide. Diabetes sufferers must prick their fingers several times a day to monitor their blood sugar.
panthermedia.net/ monstArrr
Orthopedic implant: More comfortable thanks to full weight-bearing capacity
08/03/2019
Orthopedic implants – they are a necessity when it comes to congenital or acquired limb length discrepancies. However, full weight-bearing during the limb lengthening process is not feasible with previous implant models. For the first time, the 3D Surgery division at the Medical Center of the University of Munich has succeeded in using an implant that facilitates immediate weight-bearing.
React early, breathe free – comprehensive COPD management
01/03/2019
COPD is considered the third most common cause of death worldwide and mainly affects smokers. It is not curable, but with the right combination of early diagnosis, therapy and self-management, a significant part of the quality of life can be regained. The comprehensive care is supported by various devices and technical tools. Learn more about the all-round care of COPD in our Topic of the Month.
All-round care for COPD: diagnosis, treatment, self-management
01/03/2019
COPD affects more than 200 million people in the world. Those affected by this chronic pulmonary disease are often slow to notice the symptoms and get a medical diagnosis. This results in secondary complications and high medical costs. That's why an early diagnosis, comprehensive treatment, and frequent monitoring are very important. Various devices and tools support this all-round care.
Restoring Pulmonary Function
01/03/2019
People suffering from lung disease temporarily need ventilator support because they are unable to breathe naturally. Mechanical ventilation is designed to ensure the survival of these patients. The goal is to adapt the ventilator settings and tailor them the patient's specific needs and prevent lung tissue damage.
Comprehensive Treatment: It’s All About Breathing
01/03/2019
Coughing, airway obstruction, difficulty breathing: Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is an umbrella term used to describe progressive and currently incurable lung diseases. The innovative solutions of Philips Respironics help patients to manage each stage of the disease and their medication intake, train the respiratory system and provide respiratory support.
Multi-Organ Chips – The Patients of Tomorrow?
01/02/2019
The liver, nervous tissue or the intestines: all are important human organs that have in the past been tested for their function and compatibility using animal or in vitro test methods. In recent years, TissUse GmbH, a spin-off of the Technical University of Berlin (TU Berlin), has launched multi-organ chip platforms. But that’s not all.
Organ-on-a-chip - the mini organs of the future?
01/02/2019
So far in vitro methods and animal experiments have been used to determine the causes of diseases, research therapeutic approaches and predict the effect of drugs. Organ-on-a-chip models now offer a more accurate and ethically justifiable alternative. Find out more about the models, their advantages and future developments in our Topic of the Month.
Organ-on-a-chip – Organs in miniature format
01/02/2019
In vitro processes and animal tests are used to develop new medications and novel therapeutic approaches. However, animal testing raises important ethical concerns. Organ-on-a-chip models promise to be a feasible alternative. In a system the size of a smartphone, organs are connected using artificial circulation.
panthermedia.net/Andrey Popov
AI ensures dynamic sitting
22/01/2019
Whether in the office, at school or behind the wheel: we spend a lot of time sitting and often stay in the same position for too long. The possible side effects are stiffness, back problems and pain. The SensA-Chair smart seating solution combats decreased mobility and ensures dynamic sitting.
Marc Eisele, Universitätsklinikum Dresden
Better living thanks to telemedicine – "TelePark"- project targets patients with Parkinson’s disease
08/01/2019
Parkinson's disease is a progressive nervous system disorder that primarily affects movement of patients and makes their everyday lives very challenging. It also makes regular doctor appointments and treatment sessions necessary. "TelePark" - a project that collects different movement-related parameters using sensors and apps is designed to improve the quality of life for Parkinson’s patients.
Diabetes digital – smart support for diabetics
02/01/2019
Monitoring blood sugar levels, counting carbohydrates, calculating insulin doses, and keeping accurate records - diabetes is a data-intensive disease that demands a lot of self-discipline and attention from the patients. Some concerns are patients neglecting to keep a food journal, "fudged" test results or calculation errors. Digital solutions help patients easily manage the large volumes of data.
A digital look inside the human eye – when algorithms diagnose Diabetes
02/01/2019
Diabetes mellitus or simply diabetes has become very common and is often described as a lifestyle disease. More and more people are suffering from this chronic metabolic disorder. Next to established diagnostic procedures, digital retinal screening has shown to be successful - a promising technique that will also play an important role in the diagnosis of other diseases in the future.
Blood glucose monitoring of tomorrow - modern diabetes therapies
02/01/2019
There are 425 million people with diabetes in the world. Heart problems, kidney failure or blindness - these can all be consequences of the metabolic disease. Diabetes patients now have the possibility of being treated digitally.
DiaDigital: making sense of diabetes apps
02/01/2019
While they are very useful, health apps have one major drawback: anyone can release and distribute them unchecked. Only some apps require medical device certification. So how can users spot a great, safe and useful app? When it comes to diabetes apps, the “DiaDigital” seal of distinction is the answer.
MoreGrasp
MoreGrasp – being able to grasp again with paraplegia
22/11/2018
Every year between 250.000 and 500.000 people suffer a spinal cord injury, MoreGrasp is intended to make their lives easier. The project aims to restore the lost gripping function in people with high paraplegia. Researchers at Graz University of Technology have developed a neuroprosthesis that is currently undergoing a feasibility study.
Purenum GmbH
A clean kidney: Break then glue
08/11/2018
Not enough exercise, an unhealthy diet: Kidney stones develop when urine contains too many insoluble compounds and are now one of the most common diseases worldwide. The ailment annually affects 1.2 million people in Germany alone. The stones are broken up and taken out via endoscopic surgery. Now it’s possible to remove even the tiniest residual fragments. The solution: a biocompatible adhesive.
panthermedia.net / BrianAJackson
Healthy aging: further research needed on measurement methods in geriatrics
22/10/2018
Today’s society is faced with an aging population. The past has seen the development of many methods for measuring body composition in older adults. However, some of these techniques are not available to medical practices and hospital facilities or are in dire need of optimization.
panthermedia.net/stasique
Back pain: The research project Ran Rücken is intended to help
10/09/2018
About eight in ten Germans suffer from back pain during their lifetime. Too much or the wrong movements can also cause problems. "Ran Rücken", the interdisciplinary research project aims to determine the right minimum dose of exercise that proves effective. (Explanatory note: "Ran Rücken" can be loosely translated as "Target the Back")
panthermedia.net/ByLove
The cure is in the capsule: carbon monoxide to treat chronic inflammation
22/05/2018
This unusual ally can be extremely valuable in the fight against inflammation in the body: CO (carbon monoxide). As a therapeutic gas, it also promises relief for inflammatory gastrointestinal diseases. Having said that, it is difficult to transport the active ingredient to the exact desired location.
panthermedia.net/Brock Jones
Patient science: patients research cystic fibrosis
22/01/2018
Research does not always occur in laboratory settings. As part of citizen science, citizens collect data and make it available for research projects. Now, this approach is also adopted in medicine by way of patient science: in a new project, patients take part in cystic fibrosis research. The goal is to improve the lives of those who are affected by this chronic disease.