surgical

Six doctors in Nebraska have successfully operated a surgical robot aboard the ISS. This time, the operation was on only rubber bands, but the milestone could have meaning for future missions to Mars or for rural operating rooms here on Earth.Earlier this year, a robotic surgical arm known as spaceMIRA (miniaturized in vivo robotic assistant) traveled to the International Space Station (ISS) aboard a SpaceX rocket. The arm was developed in a partnership between the University of Nebraska-Lincoln (UNL) and a private…

With the world in an opioid crisis, the development of non-opioid analgesics has become more urgent. A series of Phase 3 clinical trials into a novel oral, non-opioid painkiller has found that it’s effective in treating acute pain in both surgical and non-surgical settings.Voltage-gated sodium channels are key determinants for regulating the generation and spread of neuronal action potentials, or nerve impulses, electrical charges that travel along a neuron’s membrane. There are different types of sodium channels; NaV1.8…

Among the more than 8,000 lb (3,600 kg) of cargo that blasted off from Cape Canaveral on the 30th of January, bound for the International Space Station, were two firsts: the world’s first metal 3D printer designed especially for use in orbit and the first miniaturized surgical robot to be sent to the station.First metal 3D printer for space: Making life easier for astronautsDeveloped by Airbus for the European Space Agency (ESA), the first metal 3D printer designed for use in space will soon be tested in the Columbus…

Northrop Grumman’s Cygnus space freighter is positioned away from the International Space Station in the grips of the Canadarm2 robotic arm prior to its release ending a four-month stay attached to the orbiting lab’s Unity module. Credit: NASAScientific investigations on the ISS’s latest resupply mission include advancements in 3D metal printing, semiconductor manufacturing, reentry thermal protection, robotic surgery, and cartilage tissue regeneration. These studies aim to enhance space mission sustainability and have…

A new study has found that placing older, sedentary adults in a simulated high-altitude environment with reduced oxygen for a week before major surgery greatly improved their hemoglobin levels, addressing a common preoperative problem, anemia, that can lead to surgical complications.Some factors related to higher rates of surgical complications and postoperative mortality include a patient’s low fitness levels, high BMI, sedentary lifestyle, and anemia, which is where the blood has lower-than-normal levels of…

Robotic platform for peripheral lung tumor intervention based on magnetic tentacles. Credit: STORM Lab, University of LeedsA tiny robot that can travel deep into the lungs to detect and treat the first signs of cancer has been developed by researchers at the University of Leeds.The ultra-soft tentacle, which measures just 2 millimeters in diameter and is controlled by magnets, can reach some of the smallest bronchial tubes and could transform the treatment of lung cancer.It paves the way for a more accurate, tailored, and…

Getting your cat spayed is a normal part of pet ownership, but it can be expensive, invasive and not very practical on strays. Now scientists have developed and tested a new method that renders female cats permanently sterile with a single gene therapy injection.According to the International Aid for the Protection & Welfare of Animals (IAPWA), there are over 480 million stray cats worldwide. Not only do they pose a hazard to each other and domestic cats, but they can decimate native wildlife in whatever country they…

Caltech researchers and Keck Medicine of USC urologists have developed the Surgical AI System (SAIS) to provide objective performance evaluations to surgeons, aiming to improve their work and patient outcomes. SAIS identifies the type of surgery and evaluates the surgeon’s execution quality by analyzing video footage of the procedure. The AI system was trained using annotated video data assessed by medical professionals and provides surgeons with guidance on skill improvement. The team also developed the AI’s ability to…

One of the challenges of minimally invasive laparoscopic surgery lies in getting surgical instruments into the patient's body via a narrow catheter. Scientists have set about addressing that problem, with magnetic instruments that pop into and out of shape as needed.The experimental MaSoChain (magnetic soft-robotic chain) system was developed at Switzerland's ETH Zurich research institute, by a team led by doctoral student Hongri Gu. He is now a postdoc at the University of Konstanz.In a nutshell, MaSoChain incorporates…

Despite approval setbacks, Elon Musk continues to charge forward on his grand plans for human brain implants. Neuralink, the billionaire’s biotech venture, has asked one of the largest and best regarded U.S. neurosurgery centers to be a partner in potential, future clinical trials involving people, according to a Monday report from Reuters. The company is in discussions with Phoenix, Arizona-based Barrow Neurological Institute, per Reuters, as attributed to six unnamed sources.Neuralink has been claiming human trials are…