3-D Printing: The Future of Medical Technology

The world of medicine is constantly evolving and adapting to meet the demands of the modern world. As the world around us changes, so do the problems presented before us. Nevertheless, technological advances allow for those problems to not only be addressed, but also resolved. The growth of technology has allowed us to solve some of the dire problems in the modern world. Technology can revolutionize virtually any industry. No industry benefits greater from technological advancements than the medical industry. Advancements in medical technology are not only saving lives, but also prolonging lives and solving complex problems that are nothing short of science fiction.

The growth of medical technology over the past decade has been monumental, and has paved the road for a prosperous future of human health. From understanding and developing vaccines for globally threatening viruses, to manipulating stem cells to grow functional human organs, technology has ushered medicine into a new era. Despite the leaps and bounds of medical technology over the past decade, a relatively new technology finds itself on the cusp of greatness. This technology is three-dimensional printing, also known as additive manufacturing.

Manufacturing Made Easy 

Imagine a world where the ability to produce a good was as simple as printing a document from the computer. This concept sounds closer to something found in a futuristic science fiction novel, but it’s quickly becoming a tangible reality. Three-dimensional printing is the process of constructing a solid, three-dimensional object through the layering of materials. The process begins with a design that is uploaded to a computer. Next, the production ingredient is chosen and the design is sent to the 3D printer. The end product is a functional, three dimensional object with limitless possibilities.

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Medical Technology and 3D Printing 

Three-dimensional printing will not only change the world of manufacturing, but will also allow for immense growth of medical technology. This growth is exactly that—growth. 3-D printing has the potential to one-day print functional human organs. This process—known as bioprinting—works by harvesting human cells from stem cells. Scientists then allow the harvested cells to proliferate in a petri dish. The outcome of this process is a mixture that can be fed into a 3-D printer programmed to combine raw materials and different cell types into a solid three-dimensional object.

The concept of growing human organs in a laboratory may appear controversial to some, but for many scientists the idea of bioprinting is both enthralling and promising. Genuine printed human organs would have several useful applications, for example, vaccine testing. Not only would testing vaccines on printed organs provide researchers with more accurate data, it would also prevent less reliable and inhumane testing methods.

Bioprinting is still in the development process. The Methuselah Foundation, however, has accelerated the process. The Virginia based foundation supports the new regenerative medicine research and announced it would award a $1 million prize to the first organization to print a fully functioning liver.

 

Ethical Dilemmas of Bioprinting 

While scientists champion the idea of bioprinting, some are more hesitant toward the fledgling technology. One fear is that the technology will advance faster than the understanding, including the ramifications, of the technology. Despite the well-intended nature of bioprinting, the technology presents several dangers. One danger is controlling who has the ability to produce human organs. Organ trading already exists within global black markets, and without strict regulation the ability to grow complex organs could be jeopardized. A second stumbling block is the price. Health care spending in the United States is greater than anywhere else on the planet, and the cost of bioprinting may put the revolutionary technology out of reach for most.

A Work in Progress 

3-D printing is still very much a work in progress. The concept is there, but it may be several years unil bioprinting becomes a reality. In addition, the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) would ultimately determine implementing 3-D printed organs in a surgical procedure—a review process that could take nearly a decade alone. For now, scientists are focused on developing the technology, and the first step will be printing strips of tissue that can be utilized to repair damaged organs. As technology continues to revolutionize the world we live in, the darkness ahead of us is becoming more and more illuminated.

Medical Supplies for the Masses

Medical technology has come a long, long, way since the invention of the stethoscope about 200 years ago. No more do people die from such simple conditions as the common cold, the measles, or even polio. And why is that? Geniuses flexed their genius, in basic terms, and created medical equipment and antidotes that birthed businesses ready to supply said equipment to the masses, in order to keep hospitals and other practices running smoothly. Now a days, such companies thrive in an ever-growing market characterized by a need for surgical materials in order to alleviate any kind of ailment or accident.

So Many Options 

Among the many medical supply companies, there is one that stands out from Freehold, New Jersey called MPM Medical supply. They carry a wide array of products for any kind of major or minor surgical procedure. These procedures vary from sterilizations, to CT scans, to bone marrow aspirates, to X-rays, to prostate biopsies.

• OB/GYN Equipment: This includes such instruments as dilators, forceps, hooks, insertion kits, loop electrodes, pipelle, suction tubes, scissors, and the like. MPM prides themselves on using German Stainless Steel products that carry a 100% lifetime guarantee. These products can be used for such procedures as hysterectomies, colposcopies, LEEP procedures, sterilizations, pregnancies, menstrual disorders, etc.

• Mammography Equipment: This includes such instruments as biopsy needles, biopsy trays, breast tissue markers, disposable instrument packs, radiation eyewear, and sharps safe trays. They supply only the best products from such companies as Kopans, Mammalok, Hydromark, and UltraCLIP that are also 100% lifetime guaranteed German Stainless Steel.

• Hematology Oncology Equipment: This includes such instruments as bone marrow biopsy needles, bone marrow procedure trays, and bone marrow aspiration needles. All of these tools are disposable and can be expected at a high quality for a wholesale price. These products are used to perform bone marrow aspirates, where bone marrow is removed to test for anemia, bone marrow biopsies, where bone marrow tissue is removed and tested, and bone marrow transplants, where healthy marrow is transplanted in place of unhealthy marrow that can also heal hereditary blood diseases.

• Radiology Equipment: This includes such products as amniocentesis trays, arthrogram trays, disposable instrument trays, endometrial suction curettes, drainage bags, pacing cables, radiation eyewear, and vascular access needles. One can use these supplies for such procedures as breast and cardiac imaging, MRI, molecular imaging, PET, ultrasound, and X-ray.

• Radiation Oncology Equipment: This includes such products as disposable templates, prostate seeding sets, and sterile pre-cut spacers. They carry a large supply of 100% lifetime guaranteed German Stainless Steel goods from companies such as Mick, that provide disposable and non-disposable sets.

• Urology Equipment: This includes such instruments as biopsy needles, biopsy trays, Chiba/Franseen/Westcott needles, drainage bags/decanters, radiation eyewear, and radiation reducing gloves. They are all high quality products sold at wholesale prices. Said instruments can be used for such procedures as bladder slings, kidney CT scans, prostate biopsies, lithotripsies, and many physical therapy exercises.

 

The Purpose 

MPM Medical supply is dedicated to providing the best quality products at wholesale prices, always. They understand that physicians need to maintain costs without sacrificing the high quality care that they are known for, especially in a time when economic struggles are all too real for everyone. They offer a large range of Obstetrics, Gynecology, and OB/GYN equipment for any kind of medical equipment. And any hospital or private practice can count on the fact that all of the products are manufactured and tested in the United States.

The fact of the matter is: there are a large number of doctors and practicing physicians that need to order medical equipment at any time of the day from the comfort of their own computer. It’s basically a necessity in today’s modern, constantly “plugged in” culture to order basic products from the Internet. But not many know that the need for medical equipment, from online distributers such as MPM Medical Supply, is in even higher demand. With the higher demand for less invasive materials for minimally damaging procedures MPM Medical Supply is a step ahead and with over two million jobs being created by the medical technology field, there’s no doubt that this market will continue growing.

Efficiency is the Name of the Game

In 1816 the stethoscope was just being invented and those in the medical field, as well as the general public, were frustrated with the lack of technology to handle infections and diseases. Imagine living in a time when the most advanced piece of medical equipment is, basically, a pair of metallic headphones that can listen for a heartbeat. So, if anyone needed to know if they were dead or not, or just wanted to hear their heartbeat for free, the stethoscope was the best invention since sliced bread. Otherwise, by today’s medical standards, it was as if someone just re-invented the pencil: not a huge step, but a very small one. Regardless, within two years the first successful blood transfusion was performed and the medical field would never be the same, after, with advancements.

The Medical Technology Boom 

Between 1842 and 1852 alone two of the most important advances for surgery and general medical procedures were reached: using anesthesia as well as hypodermic needles successfully. After that there was a resurgence of productivity in the field that led to many more advances between 1852 and 2008, such as: a vaccine for cholera, the band-aid, insulin for diabetes, a vaccine for diphtheria and tetanus, devices for neurosurgery, Tylenol, the pacemaker, the CAT scan, the MRI machine, etc. All of these technological advances have helped to save millions of lives and thrust us into the 21st century where an ever-growing medical supply industry is in high demand.

Why is this? Hospitals, private practices, and even medical colleges rely on wholesalers that readily sell this kind of equipment: catheters, procedure trays, loop electrodes, surgical scissors, and any other implements necessary in the OB/GYN, oncology, radiology, or urology departments. Luckily, companies such as MPM Medical Supply, based in Freehold, New Jersey, carry these kinds of equipment that are all available at the click of virtual button, with many items that are constantly in stock without fail.

Treatment Improvements 

Without companies like MPM Medical Supply, hospitals would not be able to function properly. It is true that advancements in medical technology play a large part, but demand and supply are what keep facilities open. Think about a hospital that couldn’t get a hold of surgical scissors because no supply company had any in stock. The country would be facing a large number of fatalities as well as horrific diseases. The growing amount of available technology has led to vast increases with treatments.

• Speedy Diagnosis: In the 19th century, tests were rarely run on patients. It was a lot of trial and error. Now a days blood tests can reveal any kind of possible problem within 24 hours.

• Short Hospital Stays: Less invasive, more advanced treatments + better recovery plans = faster recovery

• Less Invasive Treatments: No need to worry about surgery causing weird side effects or massive hemorrhaging anymore. Surgery can be completed in a matter of hours, with recovery time taking a day or two at most.

In recent years medical technology has even evolved to work on smart phones, such as the iPhone Blood Pressure Monitor attachment. These new and improved items, like Nexagon gene therapy gels, bionic limbs, wireless heart monitors, skin cell guns, and STEM microscopes, are all available through medical supply companies willing to do whatever it takes to satisfy any customer’s needs.

 

Why a Wholesaler?

Why should hospitals, private practices, and medical colleges rely on a wholesaler, or “middle man,” for their supplies? It would probably be a whole lot easier for them to just buy items straight from the manufacturer, right? Wrong. Even though manufacturers produce these medical products it does not mean they also are knowledgeable in regards to them. Companies such as MPM Medical Supply are, indeed, erudite with the various types of merchandise and can alleviate any specific questions or problems one might have. They are a state of the art medical supply distributor that is “doctor trusted,” an honor bestowed to online sales companies that go above and beyond expectations in the field, and have over 20 years of experience, which allows them to stay up-to-date with the expanding amount of new technology becoming available every day.

Hygiene Today and the Infections of Tomorrow

Concerns that various infectious diseases are growing more and more immune to the antibacterial treatments that we have developed for them are growing among the medical community. As a result, it is more and more important to take precautionary and preventative measures when it comes to situations where you risk infection, as the overuse of antibiotics is what is contributing to the increasing immunity of infectious diseases against current treatments. Many of these preventative measures are, in fact, incredibly easy to undertake, but repeated reminding and education is important if they are to take hold and continue to be common practices!

by arnehaeger.
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One Hand Washes the Other 

Washing your hands before and after coming into contact with a potentially infectious material, whether it is feces, food, dirt, or bodily fluids, is a no-brainer, right? Yet many people fail to wash their hands, whether it is out of forgetfulness, ignorance, or just plain laziness. As a result, many diseases end up in your food, in your drink, and in your hand when you shake someone else’s hand. Still, the overwhelming frequency with which people wash their hands in the bathroom and in the kitchen saves most people from becoming infected with a wide variety of diseases. Did you know, however, that we were not always so clean?

Indeed, once upon a time washing your hands was not common practice among those most sterile of professionals, surgeons. In 1847, the Hungarian physician Ignaz Semmelweis observed that fatal childbed, or puerperal, fever occurred most often in women who were assisted by medical students, as opposed to those women who were assisted by midwives. After studying the problem, Semmelweis discovered that those medical students who had assisted with childbirth often did so after they had performed an autopsy on a patient who had died from sepsis of a bacterial origin, a fairly common way to go in those days. Obviously, having not washed their hands, that bacteria was passed on in the delicate process of childbirth, leading to the mother’s fever.

Semmelweis subsequently instituted a strict policy of hand washing with a chlorinated antiseptic solution intended to help relieve the problem. As a result, mortality rates dropped by 10 to 20-fold within 3 months of the hand washing policy’s institution, which proved that the transmission of disease could be vastly reduced simply by instituting the practice of washing your hands!

Water, Water, Everywhere 

Washing your hands means little if you aren’t doing so with clean water, however. Once upon a time, outbreaks of bacterial cholera led to frequent outbreaks in massive proportions, with thousands dead and more ill. At the time, people believed that the cause of cholera was poisonous gases from the sewers, open graves, and other areas where decay was common. John Snow, a medical doctor in the 19th century England, knew differently.

Snow had observed that cholera appeared to be spread through sewage-contaminated water. Specifically, he mapped an area near Broad Street in London, noticing that most cholera-related deaths occurred near a pump on that street – where residents frequently stopped to drink water. He removed the pump handle, and the spread of the disease seemed to be suddenly contained. In time, Snow’s findings became major contributions to our understanding of infectious diseases and the importance of clean drinking water.

 

Prevention is the Key

Of course, today, we’ve developed all kinds of technological advances that allow us to live in a relatively safe, hygienic world where we don’t have to worry about tuberculosis, cholera, the bubonic plague, and other diseases that once decimated whole populations for hundreds of years. Instead, we are our own worst enemy, sometimes using antibiotics unnecessarily and increasing the resistance of some diseases against those antibiotics.

Precautionary measures like gloves and masks when working with food, drink, or potentially infectious materials, along with good hygienic habits like hand-washing, are far more effective when it comes to preventing infection, as opposed to waiting until you are infected and only then bombarding yourself with treatment after treatment of antibiotics. Even worse is the threat of a virus for which we have no cure; no antibiotic can help you then, which is why vaccination is so important. Prevention, of course, is still the best defense anyone has, and that means good habits and good equipment!

The Plight and Pack of a Combat Medic

You don’t have to be John Watson to recognize that the kind of medical work a combat medic does on the field is vastly different from the kind of work a doctor does in the safe, controlled confines of a hospital. There is a whole world of difference between the two roles, though both find themselves with the same basic set of responsibilities: to care for the sick and injured when they need it most.

With that said, however, a combat medic lacks a variety of other tools and conveniences that your domestic doctor lacks. So how do they get the job done of helping and healing individuals who may have been seriously injured while on the battlefield? The kind of trauma combat medics see, after all, is above and beyond what most doctors deal with, and yet they are expected to handle those situations similarly. Worse, they must tend to their patients while sometimes in the most trying of environments, even on the battlefield itself!

What Makes a Combat Medic So Special? 

First, it is important to know what a combat medic does not have. An armed medic, for example, does not receive the protections of the Geneva Conventions, and is considered a combatant. That means that in any conflict where both sides are observing the rules of war as set down by the Geneva Conventions, an armed medic can be shot, killed, captured, and so on under the rules of engagement.

Thus, in order to enjoy the protections they need to do their job, combat medics typically go unarmed. Additionally, they wear large, clear, identifying symbols like the red cross to identify themselves clearly across the battlefield. Unfortunately, in “asymmetric warfare” where the enemy may not observe the rules of engagement, medics are “fair game,” and in fact medics are sometimes actively targeted along with officers and radio operators. In these kinds of conflicts, medics do not wear insignia and they do go armed.

Saving Lives 101 

A combat medic’s medical kit is typically limited to a backpack called the “Unit One Pack.” While in some units medics have a standard kit to carry, others allow for medics to choose what they bring with them onto the field. However, certain medical equipment can typically be expected.

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First, fluid resuscitation equipment is often brought along. This includes IV fluids for patients, as well as tubing to administer the fluids, which is typically saline, sodium chloride, hetastarch or hextend, and lactated ringers. Several gauges of IV catheters are brought along, as well. Finally, a “FAST 1” intraosseous infusion kit is included as a method of quickly administering fluids when jugular venous access is unavailable owing to the patient’s injuries. On the battlefield, massive blood loss, burns, and loss of limbs is not at all unexpected in one’s patients.

Airway management supplies is also brought. Long catheters for neddle chest decompression are included, along with chest seals, nasal trumpets, oropharyngeal airways and a surgical cricothyrotomy kit.

Beyond the Basics 

While ensuring that patients receive fluids and are able to breathe are some of the primary concerns of combat medics, a variety of other supplies are brought along to deal with other issues, including bleeding and broken or fractured bones. This can include muslin and gauze bandages, band-aids and Ace bandages, tape, self-clinging wrap, a reusable splint, burn dressing, and trauma shears. Additionally, for sterility, nitrile gloves, alcohol, iodine, and other materials may be included in the kit.

A variety of drugs are also often included, such as morphine, narcan, phenegran, and epinephrine. Additionally, as combat medics are expected to care for the daily aches and pains of their charges, medication for minor ailments are included in kits. This can include paracetamol, ibruprogen, diphenhydramine, pepto bismol, and Colace. To aid in caring for others, the medic may also use diagnostic tools like a stethoscope, blood pressure cuff, and thermometer.

It can seem beyond belief that a combat medic is expected to care for some of the most seriously injured individuals in our society in intense conditions, under threat of violence, and with only these tools available to them, but we have to keep in mind that the many tools available to us in modern medical environments were, not too long ago, not even in existence! Combat medics make do with what they have, though, and they do a surprisingly amazing job of it, all things considered!

Why is Healthcare So Expensive?

Healthcare reform has been in the news for years now – and long before the Affordable Care Act, it was an issue that returned every few years, and with good reason. The cost of healthcare has continued to increase faster than inflation, meaning that it is objectively growing more expensive for individuals to acquire medical care. Meanwhile, we aren’t getting any younger, and more and more people are requiring that increasingly expensive healthcare. Consequently, many people are wondering why it is so expensive to go to the hospital or see your doctor or receive basic medical treatment, and a lot of finger-pointing has resulted.

by Simplee.
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The Easy and Incorrect Answer Most people like to blame doctors. They make so much money, goes the thinking, and a lot of that must come from overcharging their patients. This has turned doctors into the bad guys of the industry, but the truth is that these accusations are inaccurate, and made by individuals who know little of how the medical industry actually works. The truth is that doctors are yet another victim of how medicine is practiced in America today. A large part of a doctor’s salary goes towards insurance – in some cases, 60% or more will go towards insurance payments. Many doctors are sued on a yearly basis, with the overwhelming majority of those lawsuits thrown out of court the second they arrive. Still, lawyering up for a malpractice battle can initially cost a fair amount of money, and so it is important for a doctor to have the insurance to cover that. Because of the common need for the insurance to be used, insurers have jacked the cost of that insurance up. Those costs, then, are passed on to you.

Going Up the Food Chain… and Still Wrong Even then, however, the salaries that doctors are collecting – most of which, again, is going to insurers – is but a pittance compared to what the hospital is receiving. Doctors make as little as 1/10th of what the hospital makes from a single procedure, operation, or visit to the ER. For-profit hospitals are obviously bundling this money into, well, profit, but what are other hospitals doing with all of this money? Some like to accuse hospital administrators of accepting fat paychecks; another claim is that even not-for-profit hospitals are actually making quite a bit of money. Given the doctor’s discretion as far as the medication and procedures ordered, it would, at first, seem as though doctors are responsible for the skyrocketing price of a visit to the hospital, but as doctors see little of the money that is being spent on these procedures, it is unlikely that they are ordering these medical procedures purely out of a desire for money. A Big Problem With an Easy Solution The truth is that a lot of the money that goes into a hospital is spent on medical supplies and equipment. If you want state-of-the-art medical treatment, it begins with a highly-trained doctor and medical staff, but ultimately, none of that can do much for you without the tools and technology that makes modern medicine what it is. Much of the high cost of medical care in America today can be traced back to hospitals investing in the tools and technology that is used to save lives every day. Sadly, these supplies are growing more expensive every year, driving up the cost to use and replace it. Thankfully, there is a way to deal with the problem of increasing healthcare costs – actually, there are many solutions, but a simple one that any hospital can adopt is to seek to seek out and buy from more affordable suppliers. Affordable in this case does not necessarily mean “cheap” or ineffective; medical supplies are held to an industry standard that must be met in order to be sold on the open market. There are, however, ways to reduce costs, either through buying wholesale or through working with suppliers whose own suppliers are more affordable. As in any market, finding resources that offer a competitive advantage over your rivals is a pathway to market success. Hospitals only need to realize that they have options when it comes to whom they buy their medical supplies from and what the cost of those supplies is. Many of the problems that Americans face today in the field of medicine could be solved with frugal, intelligent spending.

The Medical World Gets Wired

The web continues to transform how commerce is conducted not just in this country, but also around the world. Times have certainly changed, and retailers are racing to catch up to the e-commerce giants that are dominating their respective markets. Whether it’s online advertising, social media, or just conducting sales and purchases through the web, it has become absolutely essential for businesses to do business online. Not only is a wider client base available over the web, but you can also often get better prices for the products you are buying by shopping around and comparing the prices of various competitors. This increased consumer access to one’s rivals has resulted in a number of price wars that have driven down the costs of products. Few industries have been spared from this lowering of prices, and that includes medical supplies. Once upon a time, medical supplies were purchased locally by hospitals, clinics, and other medical organizations. They knew their suppliers well, had relationships based on years of business, and generally, these were productive partnerships.

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Increasing Costs Mean Increasing Savings However, the increasing cost of medical supplies has driven the cost of healthcare up considerably. As consumers struggle to pay for their healthcare, hospitals are looking to reduce their own costs in order to remain at least somewhat affordable for patients – after all, if the patient can’t pay their bill, the hospital is simply out of that money, not to mention the money they spent to try and get the patient to pay up! As a result of these efforts, medical organizations have increasingly looked beyond their local suppliers to online medical supplies companies that can provide competitive prices. The world of online medical supplies has exploded in recent years. There are a number of businesses getting into the field, trying to help doctors save on their medical supplies expenses in a big way. As medical supplies tends to be one of the biggest contributors to the cost of “business” in healthcare, lower prices for these medical supplies is quite attractive for the cash-strapped doctors and hospitals looking into these alternative suppliers!

More Time to Heal & Cure Another benefit of shopping online for medical supplies is the amount of time saved by the healthcare professionals doing the shopping. For people whose job is to save lives, cure disease, and heal the injured, it can be frustrating to spend a majority of your time on the procurement of supplies from a local supplier. This process can involve going to the supplier’s headquarters, negotiating with the salespeople there, and generally spending a lot of time on getting your supplies. Online shopping for medical supplies is, on the other hand, just as quick-and-easy as online shopping for a Christmas gift or office supplies. That is to say, it will save considerable time and effort on the part of the medical professionals in charge of ordering more medical supplies, freeing them up to take care of more pressing matters – like their patients! So long as the supplier’s website is competently designed and easily navigated, supplies can be quickly located, purchased, and delivered with no hassle whatsoever. A Method to the Madness You may be wondering how it is that suppliers can manage to save so much time for the doctors and physicians who buy from them; after all, aren’t they just middle men? This is correct; online suppliers rarely, if ever, actually produce their own medical supplies. Instead, they act as exchange hubs where physicians can purchase a whole assortment of medical supplies from a variety of different manufacturers. This is the strength of online suppliers, however. By buying from multiple manufacturers, online suppliers can get the best price for each kind of medical tool and piece of equipment it offers. The medical professionals who visit the medical supplier’s website then have access to the best possible price for each piece of medical equipment that they are interested in. This is the wave of the future for the medical industry; just as medical records are moving online, so too must the acquisition of medical supplies move online. The only question is, who offers the best price, the best shopping experience, and the best customer support? If you compare MPM Medical Supplies to its competitors, you will quickly find that they top every category.