Can you imagine living without modern medicine and healthcare facilities? Today, we are living in a world that is constantly changing. Thanks to technological advancements, no industry has witnessed more transformational changes than healthcare.
According to the new report published by Global Market Insights, the global healthcare industry is projected to surpass 441 billion dollars by 2025. However, while the new technology solutions are thrusting the medical industry forward at lightning speed, most of the procedures and medical tools we take for granted today weren't available even 50 years ago.
In other words, several medical tools help save thousands of patients every day. Thus, to celebrate these modern feats, we will explore the six medical inventions that have forever transformed the healthcare industry in this article.
So, without further ado, let's discuss them in detail.
1. Endoscope
An endoscope is a medical tool that is versatile and applicable to different conditions. It is used to perform endoscopy and diagnose conditions affecting the digestive system. The device comprises a thin tube with a light and camera attached to it. It helps view pictures of the patient's gastrointestinal tract on a TV or monitor.
It can identify issues like bleeding, ulcers, inflammation, blockages, and even tumors without performing invasive surgeries. It is an everyday medical tool to find the cause of various unexplained symptoms like abdominal pain, heartburn, bleeding, vomiting, and nausea. Moreover, the remarkable device is more accurate than gastrointestinal X-rays, known to detect abnormal cell growth due to chronic diseases.
While it is a reusable tool, many organizations are paying more attention to implementing safer endoscope drying and reprocessing protocols. For instance, most hospitals now use endoscope storage cabinets to avoid contamination after cleaning and automated endoscope reprocessors to provide an extra layer of assurance that the medical tools are safe and sterile before use.
2. Insulin Pumps
An insulin pump is another important medical device that helps save lives every day. According to a report, more than half a million people worldwide have diabetes. It has become one of the most common diseases among people of all ages. However, even if the patient follows a diet plan and takes regular insulin injections, some may face huge swings in their blood glucose levels. This makes them more vulnerable to the unpredictable side effects of insulin.
Nevertheless, insulin pumps have enabled patients to automate and manage their daily blood sugar levels easily. The device helps them deliver a steady yet measured insulin dose on a pre-programmed schedule. It is particularly true for patients who have trouble sticking to an insulin schedule or remembering their dosages or injections.
The tool is considered a lot more flexible than insulin pen injections. It is a small, computerized device about a cell phone size. You can wear the device under your clothes, on your belt, or in your pocket.
3. Magnetic Resonance Imaging
MRI, or magnetic resonance imaging, is a medical tool that uses radio waves and magnetic fields to create detailed images of tissues, muscles, bones, blood vessels, and organs within the body. It creates a magnetic field that realigns your body's hydrogen atoms temporarily. After that, the computer-generated radio waves cause the atoms to generate faint signals, creating high-quality cross-section MRI images.
The rotating magnetic field was first discovered by Nikola Tesla back in 1862. However, it took many years to transform the discovery into an everyday life-saving medical tool. Most MRI machines are tube-shaped, large magnets. It can also generate 3D images to be viewed from distinctive angles.
Today, doctors commonly use this non-invasive procedure to diagnose problems like multiple sclerosis, stroke, tumors, spinal cord disorders, brain injury from trauma, aneurysms of cerebral vessels, or even inner ear and eye disorders. According to the American Academy of Neurology, MRIs are so advanced that they are now considered better than CT scans when it comes to diagnosing strokes.
4. Ophthalmoscope
It is a medical device used by doctors to examine the inside of the eye, including the optic nerve, retina, and lens. The device comprises a rotating disc of lenses with a monocular eyepiece. It permits the examiner to inspect the eye at various depths and magnifications thoroughly. It is also known as a funduscope and is used for complete eye examinations and as part of a routine physical examination.
Ophthalmologists and optometrists commonly use the device to diagnose different problems. For instance, in patients with headaches, the device helps find papilledema or swollen optic discs. Similarly, for patients suffering from diabetes mellitus, regular ophthalmoscopy eye examinations are recommended every six months to one year to screen for diabetic retinopathy.
Today, the ophthalmoscope is considered one of the invaluable medical tools in several medical fields, including pediatrics, ophthalmology, and neurology.
5. Ultrasound Machines
Let's speak of one of the leading older technologies that is still useful and relevant. The ultrasound machine takes the first spot. While most people associate the medical device with pregnancy and keeping track of a growing baby, it is used for many other organ's valuable examinations like blood vessels and heart, muscles, and pelvic and abdominal structures.
Moreover, the device relieves chronic pain, finds cancerous tumors, and diagnoses sprains, broken bones, and other musculoskeletal conditions. Typically, ultrasound works on sonar technology. The ultrasound scan uses high-frequency sound waves to create an image of the internal body structures of the patient. However, with the integration of 4D imaging and AI, it has now become an invaluable modern tool.
6. Ventilators
Ventilators, also known as mechanical ventilation systems, are the ultimate life-saving medical device. It is considered the last resort in hospitals when everything else has failed. The device is used to keep the patient alive and ensure the proper flow of oxygen throughout the body. The machine act as bellows and move the air in and out of the patient's lungs. It works by the controls set by the doctor or respiratory therapist.
The Final Words
These are some of the many medical technologies that have transformed the healthcare industry. They have inspired us to improve patient safety and patient outcomes. While the latest medical devices are based on the same technologies, we should not take medical devices for granted. Devices like endoscopes and ultrasounds have influenced many people's and their families lives. Similarly, the evolving healthcare industry will continue to innovate, saving millions more lives.
