For most of the individuals who have been injured, they have lost a significant amount of quality of life. Personal injuries can range from hundreds of injuries and stem from burn, brain, neck, spinal, or even shoulder injuries which can cause the individual a significant amount of loss or quality of life. While these injuries are typically life altering, there are several new technologies that are out on the market to help with these different injuries. Medical Technology is a proper subset of health technology, which encompasses a wide range of healthcare products and is used to diagnose, monitor, or treat diseases or medical conditions affecting humans. The following is a list of new technologies for the injury fields previously described.
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Burn Injuries:
Burn injuries are typically seen from industrial workers, however, it only takes one incredibly hot spill or encounter to create a debilitating burn. We all know there are various types of burns; first, second, and third degree burns which one can receive and many times medical attention must be sought out to help the skin heal. The following are advances in burn technologies.
- Artificial Skin: Researchers have found a silastic epidermis and a porous collagen (along with other elements) which have successfully doubled as skin in burn patients with fifty to ninety percent of their body burned. The artificial skin is implanted to the area of the burn, and subsequently binds the area of injury. With careful observation and environment control, doctors monitor the patient as their skin grows back into the artificial skin or “dermis” in scientific terms. While the patient’s skin grows back, the artificial skin starts to degrade into the individual’s skin. When the individual’s skin is healthy, doctors surgically remove the artificial skin that has not degraded so as not to hamper the healing of the patient. The artificial skin is completely sterile and stored at room temperature.
- Biological Skin Spray: Developed to heal and seal up skin that has been damaged due to burns. The product serves as a living biological dressing that is meant to help heal wounds and protect the burn injury from the elements. The sealing has the ability to reduce scarring and contraction. Additionally, researchers have found a way to “print” on dressings, with technology wrapping the patient accurately and infusing more nutrients into the skin then a regular wrapping.
Brain Injuries:
There are several brain injuries such as traumatic and open brain injuries that can cause psychological and other impairments for years after an injury. The following is a list of new technologies for those with brain injuries:
- X-raying nerve breaks: New technology, recently released helps doctors x-ray nerve breaks within in the brain that were previously incable of being viewed. Standard scans have not been able to see much more than bleeding and swelling within the brain. Via the nerves that connect throughout the brain, the technology maps these interconnecting wires to subsequently pinpoint which nerves are damaged and undreadable.
- Tongue Zapping: New tongue zappers stimulate nerves via the tongue and subsequently help the brain heal. The device works while the individual is trying to perform cognitive functions that tailor to the deficit area of the brain. The zapper then stimulates similar nerve functions that are used to help spark nerves in the injured area.
Neck Injuries:
Neck injuries can result from whiplash in a car accident, a fall, or even severe pressure applied to the neck. Many times these neck injuries can be completely debilitating and make it hard for the patient to walk, sit up, or interact with others. The following are new technologies out on the market for those who have sustained some type of neck injury:
- Artificial Disk Implantation:New Ra For many neck patients they have experienced a lack of mobility, and have usually had issues with disk problems or disfiguration which makes it incredibly hard to utilize or even move their neck. Doctors have developed a new artificial disk that can be implanted in place of the injured disk or added to help provide support to disks that have been injured. Dr. Doyle discussed the new technology, “It involves the implantation of an artificial disk that has recently been approved by the FDA. Not only does the replacement disk put less stress on the disks above and below it, which may prevent future problems, but it also maintains flexibility in the spine.”
- New Radio Frequency: Doctors are using new high tech radio frequency procedures to stun nerves and relieve chronic neck pain. Dr. Tuten from the Florida Health and Spine Center said, “The result is immediate. You lose the pain before you leave the building.” The procedure inserts a six inch needle into the area or disk that is causing the most pain and subsequently sends radio frequencies through the needle and stuns the nerves.
Spinal Injuries:
Spinal injuries can occur from many different accidents and can also be severely debilitating, causing the individuals to be bound to a wheelchair or home. The following is new technology on the market for those who have experienced spinal injuries:
- Tongue Piercings for Wheelchairs: A new technology that helps those who are confined to a wheelchair by piercing their tongue. The technology works by sending information from a tongue piercing inserted in the individual to an app, programed into the users smartphone. The app subsequently sends information to the wheelchair and controls the movement of the chair. This technology is still in the testing phase, however, this technology looks promising and is very exciting to those confined to a wheelchair.
- Smart Phone Technology: Known primarily as AdaptiveStim, this technology is inserted into the body and is controlled by adjusting the gadget’s intensity based on the amount of pain for any given movement. The technology is very promising due to the fact that it adjusts with the individual when they move, similar to an iPad when a screen is turned. The gadget and stimulation is controlled via smart technology similar to those found in smart phones.
- Researches have also found that low amounts of oxygen ingested in short bursts, radically improve spinal pain and other general pain.
Shoulder Injuries:
The most common injuries for shoulder patients usually is due to rotator cuff injuries or even shattered or battered shoulders. This type of injury makes flexibility difficult, and while it may not take individuals out of work, it could potentially make their quality of life drop. The following is a list of new technologies for those with shoulder injuries.
- New Shoulder Socket Placements: Doctors have developed new types of anatomic socket to insert into patients who have damaged their shoulders beyond repair. These sockets are better and longer sustaining than other sockets that doctors have been using. The procedure looks at cutting less bone, which also helps the patient recover faster. Patients of the new sockets report little to no pain after their surgery.
- Injectable Therapy for Tendon Rips: Researchers are attempting to create a new therapy that directly inserts into the shoulder to help it heal faster. When the tendon around the shoulder is damaged, the body makes things worse by activating enzymes that further break down the tendon. This therapy looks to reverse these enzymes, thus causing quicker recovery times and less pain for the individual.
Contact Us
If you have sustained an injury in any of these areas due to the negligence of others and are suffering, please do not hesitate to gives us a call at Good Guys Injury Law. We offer free confidential consultations to those who have been injured and are looking for an aid in their pain. Please do not let medical bills or other medications cripple you to the point of inability and financial crisis. Give us a call today at 801-506-0800 so we can help you get the compensation you deserve.