Robots, faraway locations and disembodied heads mean that the Health Techzone was almost as exciting as a summer blockbuster this week. Let's sample the latest developments from the healthcare technology sphere.
No woman relishes the thought of a gynecological operation. However, do you trust your most personal body parts to a traditional surgeon or to a machine? Dr. Dwight Im, who is a Gynecologic Oncology Epicenter Surgeon for Intuitive Surgical's controversial Da Vinci surgical robot wants to convince women that the machine is an okay surgical option, as long as it's in the right hands.
In 2012, the FDA disclosed a filing from a gynecological surgeon about a Da Vinci robot malfunction. During surgery, the robotic arm swung loose and smacked the unconscious patient in the face. Stories like these may make female patients want to skip the stirrups, but Dr. Im says that women shouldn't give up on the solution just yet. Da Vinci offers great visibility, smaller incisions and significantly faster recovery time for hysterectomy and oophorectomy (ovary removal) operations. Dr. Im cautions women to make sure they're working with an experienced surgeon who has used the robot extensively. If so, Im argues, you're going to be fine.
In addition to taking us into the world of robots, the Health Techzone carried us to faraway locations. In Egypt, which is a medical technology hub for Middle East and North Africa, many westerners are venturing to Cairo for cheaper MRIs and other imaging studies. While some are concerned that Egypt's "medical tourism" industry compromises care for Egyptian citizens, the industry is expected to boom to over $66 million in annual revenue by the end of the decade. So while recent unrest may make you want to hold off on that plane ticket to Cairo, it's still worth considering a trip if you can't afford western MRI costs.
Finally, if you find yourself decapitated, then be of good cheer: Head transplants have been declared safe. Sergio Canavero of the Turin Advanced Neuromodulation Group has published an essay claiming that "cephalosomatic linkage," which is a fancy term for a head switch, is now possible thanks to new developments that enable surgeons to link recipient and donor spinal cords.
In spite of Canavero's enthusiasm, many ethicists object to head transplants because, before they could be performed on humans, they would have to be tested on a number of primates. Right now, the best researchers have been able to do is to restore limited spinal cord connectivity in rats. The cost of a head transplant would probably be about $13 million in addition to being ethically questionable. However, just imagine all of those fabulous National Enquirer covers accusing celebrities of having head transplants in lieu of plastic surgery.
With that, we wrap up this week's news from the Health Techzone. Check in every day with HealthTechZone to find out the latest news from the world of healthcare technology.
