SEVEN SENSATIONAL MEDICAL ADVANCEMENTS OF 2014

1. THE BIONIC EYE

The “Argus II” takes video from a camera built into glasses (as shown in the picture) and wirelessly transmits that image to implants in the retinas of blind patients. The technology has been available in Europe since 2011, but it was approved for use in the U.S. by the FDA in 2014. The technology is not perfect, but it does help patient's distinguish white from black or the curb from the sidewalk.


2. BREAKTHROUGH TREATMENTS FOR HEPATITS C


In the past, Hepatitis C therapies had cure rates of about 70% and would take almost an entire year to complete. Not only that, but patients may have undergone injections with interferon that produced difficult to tolerate side effects. Now, there are newer oral drugs with cure rates of 91 percent to 100 %. These therapies only last 12 weeks and have been proven to treat more difficult to cure patient populations such as those who also have HIV. One major down side to these newer treatments are the price, they can set you back anywhere from about 85k to 95k.

3. THE POOP TRANSPLANT IN A PILL FORM



I know how this sounds, but fecal transplants have been helping people who have suffered with a serious infection called Clostridium difficile (C. diff). C. diff is a toxin that can produce life threatening diarrhea and in fact about 15k people die from it each year. C. diff is typically an infection that we see in hospitalized patients, immunocompromised patients or patients who have taken broad spectrum antibiotics.

When the usual antibiotic regimens don't work, poop transplants may actually do the trick and have pretty good success rates - some studies quoting 81%. The transplants work by replacing good bacteria from the donor poop into the recipients colon. At present the transplant is preformed via an enema, but recently researchers in Canada have been able to get the good bacteria (minus the poop) into an oral pill!

 4. THE CANCER GENOME


By reviewing the mutated genome of a tumor, we can now tell whether or not some cancers will respond to current chemotherapy regimens. This is helpful because if your doctor knows you won't respond to current treatments he or she can get help you make the decision to get into a clinical trial much sooner.

5. NEUROPACE, STOPPING SEIZURES BEFORE THEY START



Although the NeuroPace has been in development for some time, it was just approved by the FDA this year. The device is a neurostimulator - a small, battery powered device surgically implanted in the skull that continuously monitors brain electrical activity. The neurostimulator delivers brief pulses of stimulation when it detects activity that could lead to a seizure, this can help to prevent the seizure before it happens. Seizure activity has been reduced in participants by 40%.

6. IBRUTINIB, MISSILE GUIDED CANCER TREATMENT


Normally, cancer treatments kill good cells along with the bad cells. Researchers have discovered that the growth of some lymphomas and leukemias is controlled by a protein called Bruton's tyrosine kinase (BTK). Now there is a new drug called Ibrutinib that blocks BTK and leaves the good cells alone.

7. 3D PRINTED BODY PARTS

 

We've all heard of using 3D printers to replicate everyday household items or make toys, but did you know that scientists are using them to make embryonic stem cells, skin, blood vessels, heart tissue, cartilage, bone and organs? Some of these advancements are still in the works, but one day researchers may be able to help thousands of people who are waiting for organ donations by printing the organs they need using biologic material. Pretty cool stuff!