Headlines on new technology can be scary these days; you can never be sure whether your phone is not secretly storing your deepest secrets for use against you later, etc! However, not all news is bad news; there is good news to look forward to. Innovations in the world of pharmacology, telemedicine, and genetics are about to make your life even better in 2019.
The coming year will radically transform the diagnosis, treatment, and even curing of major diseases. Below is a sneak peek into these medical breakthroughs.
An Artificial Pancreas
Type 1 diabetes affects millions of individuals all over the world who have had to deal with insulin pumps and syringes each day for normalizing their blood glucose levels. Imagine a world where they would not have to think about this critical process!
Scientists are about to unveil the artificial pancreas system that includes a glucose monitor and a pump that releases the exact amount of insulin required – with no human input. While the technology is not yet perfect, the FDA approved a hybrid closed-loop system recently. The system has an insulin pump and glucose monitor, which are inserted under your skin.
Currently, the system requires a patient to be taking insulin along with food. However, between meals, an electronic sensor communicates with the pump, providing insulin required to normalize blood sugars. The main advantage of this system is that blood sugar levels are maintained at steady levels in-between meals.
Cellular Immunotherapy
Patients of blood-cancer should soon expect an exciting and more efficient treatment method called chimeric antigen receptor T-cell. This therapy involves the removal of the immune system T-cells and reprogramming them genetically to actively seek and destroy tumors at the cell level. Using technologies like stem cell therapy in Orange County, the body’s cancer-fighting cells get a much-needed boost.
CAR T-cells can remain in your body, further guarding against the recurrence of cancer, which translates to long-term remissions. This new therapy has already been used in the treatment of blood-cancer patients, who reported a 90 percent remission rate. In 2019, the treatment will be presented to the FDA for treating patients with Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia (ALL).
If successful, the treatment is expected to replace chemotherapy. In addition, immunotherapy will also mean that patients deal with fewer side effects.
3D Imagery, Augmented Reality and AI
Expect innovations, known as HoloLens Goggles, to help your surgeon visualize body regions they cannot see, changing the surgery. These products augment reality by projecting a 3D image on real objects. The innovation will be particularly critical for “sightless” surgeons while working Extra Ventricular Drain (EVD) placement.
The surgeons no longer have to rely on stationary CT scans as well as physical brain landmarks. Instead, they have a 3-dimensional image of the brain projected on the head. Without invasive surgery, doctors watch catheter virtual projection piercing the brain.
Artificial Intelligence (AI) is also expected to change the medical world with its application in patient triage, decision support, and image analysis. AI will be more prevalent for physicians at the point of care, enhancing the accuracy of patient scans as well as reducing burnout among physicians. For instance, machine-learning algorithms can quickly highlight problems on images and make the screening process faster and easier, making the work of caring for patients smarter and not harder.
Conclusion
Healthcare is constantly changing and innovations like an artificial pancreas, cancer immunotherapy, and medical technology will transform the medical field in 2019. In addition, expect to see a number of technology companies and institutes playing important roles in the healthcare world – just like hearing aids NH based experts are helping people who have hearing loss with their small devices to improve their hearing. Many of the breakthroughs will also use technological advances to transform traditional medical practices.
Author’s Bio: Judy Lees is a super-connector with AYC Web Solutions who helps businesses find their audience online through outreach, partnerships, and networking. She frequently writes about the latest advancements in digital marketing and focuses her efforts on developing customized blogger outreach plans depending on the industry and competition.