The first decade of the 21st century saw medical advances that have influenced medicine. In some cases, these advances have changed deep-seated beliefs in medicine; in others, they opened up possibilities beyond what doctors thought was possible years ago. In the last EUROMEDLAB Congress in Barcelona in 2019, medical specialists worldwide had emphasized the importance of scientific advancement and technological aspects of laboratory medicine; for more details on the said Congress, click this source. In the meantime, this post have put together some of the medical advances one decade into this century.
Doctors and Patients Harness Information Technology
Doctors say that the Internet and information technology have changed the way they practice medicine for the better. Doctors also need to look at things from time to time. How computer systems are improving hospital care are pervasive and radical Information technology, to some degree, made life safer for the patient. Once admitted to a hospital, they get a bar code that matches their blood samples and IVs. But a good number of physicians are reluctant to go digital because there’s a significant upfront investment, which is why many of the health care reform measures now before Congress includes provisions to take on many of the acquisition costs.
Stem Cell Research
Probably no research area has so fired the public imagination and so ignited the fires of public controversy as that of stem cell research. In reality, this area has generated more political action than reproducible clinical advances. However, clinical advances, along with embryonic or adult stem cells, even from pilot studies, have been compelling. Using examples, European researchers checked bone marrow cells collected from two 7-year-old, then transplanted the altered cells into the children and stopped developing a fatal brain disease called adrenoleukodystrophy. Cases like those fuel the promise of stem cell research, be it embryonic or adult stem cells. As the population ages, the opportunity for ‘replacement parts’ becomes more and more inviting.
Invasive and Robotic Surgical Techniques
Before, a patient would typically be left with a 10-inch scar when a doctor removed a kidney. In late 2007, the Cleveland Clinic surgeons began removing kidneys through a single incision in the patient’s navel. And earlier this year, a Cleveland Clinic surgeon removed a woman’s kidney using a technique called natural orifice transmittal endoscopic surgery or NOTES. Given these successful operations, the truth is that the robotic process is happening every day in a growing number of centers across the country. The most significant benefit of tiny openings into the body rather than large incisions made by traditional surgery may — believers say — be shorter and less painful recovery time. But, critics say the robotic revolution is giving hasty directions.
