Issue link: https://viewer.e-digitaledition.com/i/1112917
Ceramic Implants to Boost Bone Growth T E S T A N IM A L S' B O D IE S naturally absorb chemically coated ceramic implants used to promote regrowth of missing bone, according to researchers at NYU School of Medicine and NYU College of Dentistry. Scientists used 3D printing to craft the implants, which steadily dissolved as they were replaced by new bone, according to reports published online in the Journal of Tissue Engineering and Regenerative Medicine. The blood thinner dipyridamole coats the implants, speeding bone formation by greater than 50 percent. Dipyridamole also enhances formation of blood vessels and bone marrow in new bone by attracting bone stem cells. The new bone is as strong as original, undamaged bone, weight-bearing tests found. Potential applications include implants for veterans with damaged limbs and children who have had skull deformities since birth. n PRODUCT SPOTLIGHT BY STEVE BARRETT Clot Retriever for Medium Vessel Occlusions R EC E N T LY G R A N T E D E U R O P E 'S CE Mark, the Tigertriever 13 stentriever can recanalize intracranial vessels as small as 1 millimeter and up to 2.5 millimeters in diameter. No other currently available device can do that, according to the stentriever's Israeli manufacturer, Rapid Medical. The Tigertriever 13 reaches these medium vessel occlusions via neurovascular microcatheter, Rapid Medical notes. "We know that endovascular therapy is the best option for large vessel occlusions," Jeffrey Saver, MD, Professor of Neurology and Director of the Comprehensive Stroke Center at David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, says in a news release about the device. "The Tigertriever 13 will further extend this powerful treatment for acute ischemic stroke to patients with medium vessel occlusions." Almost 800,000 Americans have a stroke in a given year. Approximately 87 percent of strokes are ischemic, and nearly one-third of ischemic strokes are related to medium vessel occlusions. n Sensor-Equipped Cane Attachment for the Visually Impaired A N E W LY D E V E L O P E D attachment for canes used by the visually impaired detects upcoming objects and alerts users, according to Texas A&M University. Incorporating an ultrasonic sensor, the attachment notifies users of objects in their paths that are above waist level. Vibrations triggered by the sensor differ in intensity depending on the object's proximity. Engineering students at Texas A&M developed the device, the Navigational & Object Visual Assistant. The researchers say vibrations are more advantageous than auditory signals because the visually impaired must listen closely to their surroundings and not be distracted by additional noise. In coming decades, the aging of the U.S. population is expected to double the number of American adults who have visual impairment and eye disorders related to age, according to the CDC. n