Your deep wounds can be healed within minutes by a portable 3D skin printer
In a first, researchers have developed a portable 3D skin printer that deposits even layers of tissue to cover and heal deep wounds within minutes.
For patients with deep skin wounds, all three skin layers – the epidermis, dermis and hypodermis – may be heavily damaged.
The current preferred treatment is called split-thickness skin grafting, where healthy donor skin is grafted onto the surface epidermis and part of the underlying dermis.
Split-thickness grafting on large wounds requires enough healthy donor skin to traverse all three layers, and sufficient graft skin is rarely available. This leaves a portion of the wounded area ‘ungrafted’ or uncovered, leading to poor healing outcomes.
Although a large number of tissue-engineered skin substitutes exist, they are not yet widely used in clinical settings.
“Most current 3D bioprinters are bulky, work at low speeds, are expensive and are incompatible with clinical application,” said Axel Guenther from University of Toronto in Canada.
The team believes their in-situ skin printer is a platform technology that can overcome these barriers, while improving the skin-healing process – a major step forward.
The handheld skin printer resembles a white-out tape dispenser – except the tape roll is replaced by a microdevice that forms tissue sheets.
Vertical stripes of ‘bio ink,’ made up of protein-based biomaterials including collagen, the most abundant protein in the dermis, and fibrin, a protein involved in wound healing, run along the inside of each tissue sheet.
“Our skin printer promises to tailor tissues to specific patients and wound characteristics. And it’s very portable,” said Navid Hakimi, PhD student at University of Toronto.
The handheld device is the size of a small shoe box and weighs less than a kilogramme. It also requires minimal operator training and eliminates the washing and incubation stages required by many conventional bioprinters.
The researchers plan to add several capabilities to the printer, including expanding the size of the coverable wound areas. Working with Jeschke’s team at Sunnybrook Hospital, they plan to perform more in vivo studies.
They hope that one day they can begin running clinical trials on humans, and eventually revolutionise burn care.
Source: https://www.hindustantimes.com/health/your-deep-wounds-can-be-healed-within-minutes-by-a-portable-3d-skin-printer/story-DJcocV6bjCWmMMKySY5MyN.html
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New method to help diagnose, assess COPD and lung function
Researchers have developed a new method of analysing X-ray images of lungs, which could help in the diagnosis and assessment of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD), and other lung diseases.
The team at the University of Southampton in the UK devised the method for numerically describing the complicated three-dimensional structure of the lung using topology – a part of mathematics designed specifically for the study of complex shapes.
Utilizing a combination of computed tomography (CT) scans, high-performance computing and algorithms, the researchers computed numerical characteristics, in three dimensions, of the entire bronchial trees of 64 patients categorised in four different groups.
The groups were: healthy non-smokers, healthy smokers, patients with moderate COPD and patients with mild COPD.
COPD is a complex lung condition that involves, to various degrees, the airways (bronchi) and the lung tissue (alveoli). It results in a progressive loss of lung function.
The condition affects more than 200 million people worldwide. It is the fourth leading cause of death worldwide, researchers said.
In the study, published in the journal Scientific Reports. the team analysed such features as the structure and size of the bronchial tree, the length and direction of its branches and the comparative changes in shape during deep inhalation and full exhalation.
They found that, typically, a larger more complex tree indicates better lung function and a smaller distorted tree, poorer lung function.
The researchers found that their novel method was able to accurately distinguish between the different groups of patients, the characteristics of their lung function and the different stages of their condition.
It was able to identify characteristics not detectable to the naked eye.
They hope that repeating this method across a much larger database of images and combining it with other data could lead to the real-world development of a valuable clinical tool for the early diagnosis of conditions like COPD and asthma.
This provides a more accurate way of identifying the severity of an individual patient’s condition, researchers said.
Until now, the severity of lung conditions has been assessed by using a spirometer – a device which measures the force and amount of air a patient can exhale.
Two-dimensional CT images, assessed by expert specialists, who have extensive experience of examining and interpreting CT imagery, and relatively simple measures of lung density and bronchial wall thickness are also used.
Our study shows that this new method, employing topological data analysis, can complement and expand on established techniques to give a valuable, accurate range of information about the lung function of individuals,” said Jacek Brodzki, a professor at the University of Southampton.
This method is a major advance in our ability to study the structural abnormalities of COPD, a complex disease that affects so many people and, sadly, results in significant morbidity and mortality,” said Ratko Djukanovic, a professor at the University of Southampton.
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India to have 2nd oral health survey
After having a failed attempt at conducting a countrywide oral survey, the Dental Council of India (DCI) under the aegis of the Union Health Ministry is all set to process a fresh research on India’s dental policy.
The survey, National Survey on Availability of Dental Health Manpower and Disease Prevalence in Urban and Rural India, which was conducted in 2008 was not published as errors and discrepancies were detected when the council had reviewed it.
The last survey by the council was done in 2002-2003 and was published in 2004. After 14 years, the council has once again finalised the roadmap to conduct the research on oral health of the people.
“Around 30-40 per cent of the people are diagnosed with oral cancer. While the government is taking rigorous steps to prevent other diseases like HIV and AIDS, there is always a need to work on such diseases which can be prevented,” said Dr Sabyasachi Saha, secretary of DCI. The new survey will be focusing more on the manpower and the difficulties faced in getting access to the oral healthcare. “As of now, there is no authentic data on the number of dental surgeon in the country. Even the facilities in the dental hospitals are not updated for the people to know. All these factors will be kept in mind this time,” added Dr Saha.
The council has prepared the methodology and the budget has been pegged at Rs 5 crore. A committee has been formed to examine the survey details and the meeting is to be held on June 2. The proposal will then move to the Union Ministry of Health for the final nod.
“The target is to complete the survey by 2020. We will be covering all the states and each state will be divided into four-five regions,” said Dr AK Chandna, member of DCI.
As many as 2,500 persons die every day due to tobacco-related diseases in India. According to the National Cancer Registry Programme of the India Council of Medical Research (ICMR), more than 1300 Indians die every day due to cancer. “In India, we do not pay attention on oral diseases. People make a visit to the doctor only when the situation turns alarming,” said Dr Ravi Mehrotra, director, National Institute of Cancer Prevention and Research (NICPR) and Knowledge hub on Smokeless Tobacco (KH-SLT).
Source: http://www.dnaindia.com/health/report-india-to-have-2nd-oral-health-survey-2616315
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Nipah virus outbreak in Kerala: All you need to know about the infection
As the death toll in the virus-induced fever in north Kerala rises to nine, the National Virology Institute in Pune has confirmed that the deceased were infected with Nipah virus (NiV). This is the first time the virus, which has high fatality rate and spreads mainly through bats, pigs and other animals, has been detected in the state.
The Union Health Ministry has rushed a team of experts to assist the state that is struggling to cope with the outbreak. Here’s all you need to know about the virus:
THE VIRUS
Nipah virus (NiV) infection is a newly-emerging zoonosis (a disease which can be transmitted to humans from animals) that causes severe disease in both animals and humans. The natural host of the virus are fruit bats of the Pteropodidae Family, Pteropus genus.
FIRST OUTBREAK
NiV was first identified during an outbreak of disease that took place in Kampung Sungai Nipah, Malaysia in 1998. On this occasion, pigs were the intermediate hosts. However, in subsequent NiV outbreaks, there were no intermediate hosts. In Bangladesh in 2004, humans became infected with NiV as a result of consuming date palm sap that had been contaminated by infected fruit bats.
OUTBREAKS IN INDIA
Human-to-human transmission has also been documented, including in a hospital setting. India confirmed its first Nipah outbreak in Siliguri, West Bengal, in 2001, with 66 cases and 45 deaths. A second outbreak in Nadia district in 2007 led to the deaths of all the five persons infected. The death rate in India is a high 70%, with 50 of the 71 people infected dying during the two outbreaks in West Bengal.
This is the first Nipah outbreak in Kerala.
TRANSMISSION
The viruses jump the species barrier and infect a secondary animal host, transmission takes place through direct contact with infected bats, pigs, or from other NiV-infected people and people have been also cautioned that they should not consume fruits that have fallen on to the ground.
SYMPTOMS
NiV infection in humans has a range of clinical presentations, from asymptomatic infection to acute respiratory syndrome and fatal encephalitis. NiV is also capable of causing disease in pigs and other domestic animals. Nipah virus primarily causes an encephalitic syndrome with a high mortality rate. The characteristic MRI abnormalities are multiple, small (less than 5 mm), asymmetric focal lesions in the subcortical and deep white matter without surrounding edema.
TREATMENT
There is no vaccine for either humans or animals. The primary treatment for human cases is intensive supportive care
PRECAUTIONS
Nipah virus infection can be prevented by avoiding exposure to sick pigs and bats in endemic areas and not drinking raw date palm sap and not consuming fruits that have fallen from trees
(Source: WHO)
URL: https://www.hindustantimes.com/health/nipah-virus-outbreak-in-kerala-kills-10-all-you-need-to-know-about-the-disease/story-Ql9VFHknRdmy73g9QfLUhK.html
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Heart travels from Bengaluru to Kolkata hospital under four hours for successful transplant
In a historic moment in the medical field in India, the heart of brain dead patient from Karnataka was successfully transplanted into a patient at a private hospital in Kolkata.
The donor, who was admitted to Sparsh Hospital in Bengaluru, was declared brain dead after he had an accident in March this year. His family members had expressed their willingness to donate his heart.
His heart was then transported 1,885 kilometres – 1,665 from Bengaluru airport to Kolkata airport, and 20 kilometres from the airport to Fortis Hospital at Anandapur in the eastern part of the city. Accordingly, authorities there contacted officials at Fortis Hospital for the transplant.
The beneficiary, 40-year-old Dilchand Singh from Jharkhand, had been suffering from a heart ailment for a few months.
The heart was brought in a special container, preserved with ice and cardioplegic solution. Doctors said that the heart needed to be transplanted within four hours of collecting it from the donor. The flight from Bengaluru to Kolkata took three hours.
At about 11.10 am the heart was taken out of the airport in Kolkata and then with the help of police authorities, it reached at the hospital in time.
Fortis officials had sought help from the state health department which in turn took the help of Bidhannagar Police Commissionerate had made arrangements for a green corridor for the ambulance carrying the heart and the doctors from the airport to Fortis Hospital. DCP (HQ) of Bidhannagar Police Commissionerate Amit Javalgi said that as soon as hospital authorities had told them about it, a pilot car escorted the ambulance and helped cover 18 kilometres in under 20 minutes.
The heart transplant was conducted under the supervision of Dr KR Balakrishnan, director, cardiac sciences and Dr Suresh Rao, chief cardiac anaesthetist from Fortis Malar Hospital in Chennai.
The team of doctors, who performed this surgery, included Dr Tapas Raychaudhury, director, cardio thoracic and vascular surgery, Dr KM Mandana, director, cardio thoracic and vascular surgery, and Dr Saikat Bandopadhyay, senior consultant, cardiac anesthesiologist and intensivist from Fortis Hospital, Anandpur.
Dr Raychaudhury said, “It is the first of its kind operation in eastern India. It is a history. Doctors from Chennai went to Bengaluru to collect the heart of a brain dead person. Then it is flown into Kolkata to be transplanted into a patient in Kolkata. It had never happened before,” he said.
The surgery began at about 12 noon and continued for three hours. After the surgery, doctors interacted with media persons and said they were happy about the operation which was a success but still the patient needed to be kept under supervision for 3-4 days.
“The patient is fine. Almost four hours have passed. He is stable, conscious. It was challenging because arranging the organ and transplanting here. Logisitics-wise it was challenging. We need to take care of the post operation heart surgery so that there is no infection,” said Dr Mandana
Dr Raychaudhury said that it was a pity that while in places like Bengaluru on an average two persons come ahead for organ donation every day in West Bengal there is a queue of 35,000 patients who are awaiting donors for a second lease of life.
Doctors said both the donor and the recipient being young, having more or less the same body weight and same blood group (A+), helped in the process.
Family members of Dilchand had registered his name for a transplant in 2016 and it could be done in not less than two years. Belonging to a below poverty level family, Dilchand was supported financially by the hospital.
Source: http://www.dnaindia.com/health/report-heart-travels-from-bengaluru-to-kolkata-hospital-under-four-hours-for-successful-transplant-2617423
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New smartphone-based tool may aid patients detect urine blockage
Surgeons are developing a new smartphone-based tool that can detect urethral or urine blockage, potentially making it easier for patients to test themselves for the condition from the comfort of their own homes.
The novel technique could take high-speed photography which could capture subtle differences between a normal steady stream of liquid and a stream of liquid with an obstruction.
Urethral strictures are a slowing or blocking of the natural flow of urine due to an injury or infection. It is normally diagnosed by uroflowmetry, a test administered at a physician’s office.
“The problem is that patient follow-up after we treat this condition is very poor,” said Matthew Gretzer, Associate Professor at the University of Arizona in the US.
“But we need patients to come back to our clinic for a uroflow test to determine if the obstruction is still present,” he added.
In order to test Gretzer’s hypothesis on high-speed photography, the team created a model of a urethral structure using tubing hooked to a saline bag that could drain through.
Saline fluid was passed through the tubing with and without blockages, created using 3D printed strictures,placed within the tubing. High-speed photography captured both the regular and blocked stream of liquid exiting the tube.
Gretzer contended that photos can be a medium to diagnose blockages and he hopes that patients could send him these images to analyse and make the diagnosis. He plans to create a mobile app which can be downloaded by the patients.”All patients would need to do is take high-speed images of their urine flow using a strobe light,” Gretzer said.
“Strobe light apps are readily available right now for people to use on their phones”.
According to the researchers, as fluid exits an opening, a natural breakpoint occurs where the liquid stream forms droplets, but with obstructions in place, it changes.
The results showed that by analysing photos, they could measure the length to this point of droplet formation. This length then directly related to the presence of an obstruction in the tube.
Source: http://www.thehansindia.com/posts/index/Health/2018-05-22/New-smartphone-based-tool-may-aid-patients-detect-urine-blockage/383212
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