Top 10 medical breakthroughs expected in 2012
Baku, January 18 (AZERTAC). Bionic limbs, a smart mouthguard to monitor athletes for concussions, and genetically modified mosquitoes designed to reduce disease are among the Top 10 Medical Innovations for 2012 selected by a panel of Cleveland Clinic doctors and scientists during its annual Medical Innovation Summit.
A breakthrough in blood pressure control - to control blood pressure without drugs. Catheter-based renal denervation is a new 40-minute procedure that involves zapping nerves in the kidney with low-power radio waves, using a tiny probe snaked through blood vessels. In the first randomized study, 39 percent of patients who received the procedure achieved their blood pressure target, and 50 percent showed measurable improvement. CT scans for early detection of lung cancer - a groundbreaking study of more than 53,000 current and former heavy smokers found 20 percent fewer lung cancer deaths in those screened with low-dose spiral CT scans, compared to chest X-rays--the first study to show that early detection can save lives. A smart mouth guard to check athletes for concussions - new Concussion Management system has two components. Before the season, athletes take baseline tests of mental and motor skills. During play, a computerized mouthguard records all hits to the head via Bluetooth technology. If a traumatic brain injury is detected, the player is retested, and then the system provides advice about when it`s safe to return to play. Medical apps for mobile devices - among the thousands of mobile apps for doctors and patients are software to check blood pressure, monitor blood sugar levels, and track heart rate. More sophisticated devices can help diagnose such disorders as sleep apnea, detect seizures, and automatically score cognitive testing results. Next-generation gene sequencing - now a $50,000 machine the size of computer printer can read 10 million letters of genetic code in just two hours, putting warp-speed technology that gets at the root cause of many serious diseases within reach of almost every hospital. In a few years, next-generation gene sequencing machines will be able to map an entire gene in 15 minutes, for $1,000. Implant to treat complex brain aneurysms - now an FDA-approved device can be snaked through blood vessels without brain surgery to choke off blood flow to large or giant aneurysms, with a 70 percent success rate. Wearable robotic devices - below-the-knee prostheses used to work like a crutch or cane. Now, thanks to a high-tech quantum leap, they allow America`s 400,000 to 1 million amputees to easily walk without stress, climb stairs and even compete in high-level sports. A paradigm shift in diabetes treatment - new class of drugs awaiting FDA approval called SGLT2 inhibitors works in a totally new way. Instead of affecting the supply or use of insulin, as most current drugs do, the new drugs lower blood sugar by causing sugar to be excreted in urine. The resulting loss of calories helps diabetics, who tend to be overweight, lose weight. Genetically modified mosquitoes - new tactic to fight these diseases, 3 million genetically modified sterile male mosquitoes were released in the Caymans in 2010 to mate with wild female mosquitoes, resulting in an 80 percent population drop. In the future, scientists hope to create mosquitoes with a new genetic trait that prevents malaria transmission.
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