For years, technology has complemented medicine. It has been a crucial part of so many medical breakthroughs in this field. These innovations have managed to save and better the lives of so many people. Most medical processes are now heavily reliant on medical technology. It has improved the health process by allowing for better diagnosis, quicker patient registration and monitoring, more accurate lab tests, and even self-care services.
Medical technology is being applied to areas like pharmaceutical, biotechnology, and even in developing medical equipment. This interdependence has shown its fruitful nature in medical innovations, and therefore, they are heavily encouraged. Medical applications of the technology are already reflecting on better global healthcare. Its impact is directly reflected by the considerable reduction in infections and diseases worldwide, with a notable increase in global life expectancy.
CRISPR
CRISPR undoubtedly is the leading form of technology for gene-editing out there. CRISPR stands for Clustered Regularly Interspaced Short Palindromic Repeats. Scientists can use this technology to modify the genomes in almost any living organism. This excellent genetic engineering technique was made possible by mimicking the antiviral defense system found in the CRISPR-Cas9. A Cas9 nuclease is blended with a gRNA (synthetic), then delivered to the target cell. It allows for cutting off a preferred location of the cell’s genome and removing or adding new genes. Thanks to this technology, it is now easy and affordable to carry out gene editing in organisms. It is already being used for genetically modified organisms, boosting agricultural production and, in this case, carrying out disease models and coming up with new medicine. Specialists can also use this technology to curb genetically inherited diseases. It also works on somatic mutations that can cause diseases like cancer. This technology is believed to have the capacity to edit almost any gene. Its success could change life as we know it. There are, however, controversies surrounding its application to genetic modification of the human germline.
Telehealth
The world is fast moving towards digital-based services. The medical industry is following suit and has been incorporating these services into its operational framework. Telehealth is a promising innovative adaptation of digital technology, which allows a patient to acquire professional medical care without physically visiting a doctor. This advancement uses digital devices and complementary medical mobile apps to give a personalized and private but professional experience. Telehealth makes it possible for patients to quickly connect to medical professionals on a virtual framework and get an immediate consultative diagnosis. To talk with a doctor, you can use your mobile phone or an accompanying mobile app. Patients can access this service from any remote location on the planet. Given its private nature, patients can fully divulge their cases to a healthcare professional from their mobile devices’ convenience. Its usefulness is seen in how it gives doctors a tool to monitor and keep in touch with patients who have chronic illnesses. It guarantees convenience, consistency, and a budget-friendly way to get healthcare. In severe cases, patients can use this framework to plan and schedule further treatment with a professional.
Laser drilling
Laser drilling technology is utilized in medicine to ensure accuracy and precision. In medical practice, precision requires implementation alongside efficiency and reliability. Laser drilling is a welcome alternative to mechanical drilling. Mechanical drilling tends to be aggressive and may not be applicable in delicate situations that require precision. Through laser drilling, the practitioner can make repeatable and precise holes in the most delicate places without encountering accidents. Once in a while, there is a need for medical drilling operations. Some of these need to be so small and maybe down to a diameter of 0.0005″. Lack of precision in these situations could become detrimental. It has been applied to various medical uses. It is used with medical devices such as measuring equipment, flanges, the components of a pacemaker, angioplasty balloons, sensors for monitoring glucose, and catheters. It is also used with drug delivery systems to make sure that drugs accurately reach their target location. Laser drilling technology is also used in tablet manufacturing, given its ability to create quality and safe products at high speeds.
3D printing and Artificial Organs
3D printing has multiple applications in medicine. Medical practitioners can use it to create joints, implants, and prosthetics. Its application to surgery has dramatically increased the success rates while avoiding future complications. The implants can be accurately measured, down to millimeter precision. Medical technology innovations have given rise to bio-printing, a medical-based application of 3D printing technology. When this technology debuted, medical professionals mostly used it for regenerating skin cells to help burn victims recover. The technology has since been through a lot of innovation. New applications of this technology have seen it being used to manufacture artificial ovaries, blood vessels, or pancreases. These artificially printed organs can then take the place of failing ones within a patient’s body. They grow and become fully functional, returning the body to peak health. A lot of research is still being done to make this technology more applicable. Experts are trying to develop even more artificial organs with the ability to bypass the body’s immune response system, which in some cases rejects foreign organs. Achieving this could revolutionize the transplant scene and save even more lives.
Robotic surgery
The use of robots for surgery has fast become the preferred solution. They are predominantly used for slightly invasive procedures. With these robots’ aid, surgeons can carry out surgeries that are usually impossible or very complex. Surgery is all about accuracy, skill, precision, and control. It requires near perfection. These robotic surgeons are designed to be flexible, precise, and have excellent control. This technology is being further advanced by incorporating augmented reality. This helps surgeons get real-time views of what they are doing. They can also carry out practice runs before the actual surgery. Concerns have been raised at the possibility of this technology replacing real human surgeons. However, it is believed that, if well incorporated, it could enable surgeons to reach impeccable levels of service delivery and allow them to breach the barriers of surgical medicine.
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Last Updated on February 3, 2021.
