CLEVELAND, Oct 07, 2009 /PRNewswire via COMTEX/ -- Cleveland Clinic's Top 10
Medical Innovations for 2010 list features a wide range of new techniques and
therapies that are being developed to treat everything from deafness and
Parkinson's disease to pneumonia and sleep disorders.
The list of breakthrough devices and therapies was selected by a panel of
Cleveland Clinic physicians and scientists, and it was unveiled during Cleveland
Clinic's 2009 Medical Innovation Summit, which is currently underway.
The Top 10 Medical Innovations for 2010:
10. Whole-Slide Imaging for Management of Digital Data In Pathology: A
technology for creating digital pathology slides with excellent image quality
that can be viewed, stored, streamed over the Internet, and analyzed on a
computer.
9. Devices for Occluding Left Atrial Appendage to Reduce Stroke Risk: Device
alternatives to long-term warfarin use that can prevent clots from developing in
patients with atrial fibrillation.
8. Oral Thrombopoeitin (TPO) Receptor Agonist That Stimulates Platelet
Production: A recently approved drug that stimulates production of cells in bone
marrow that form platelet cells in the blood.
7. Outpatient Diagnosis of Sleep-Related Breathing Disorders: Self-contained,
reliable, at-home sleep-monitoring devices for screening, diagnosing, and
treatment assessment of sleep-related breathing disorders.
6. Forced Exercise To Improve Motor Function in Patients With Parkinson's:
Pedaling at 90 RPMs on a tandem bike to dramatically improve motor functioning
of patients with Parkinson's disease.
5. Fertility Preservation Through Oocyte Cryopreservation: A rapidly-improving
technology that allows eggs of a healthy woman to be safely frozen and stored,
ready to be thawed and fertilized at a later date.
4. Non-Vitamin K Antagonist Oral Anticoagulants: Predictable and well-tolerated
alternatives to the oral anticoagulant warfarin that provide a more convenient
-- and safe -- way for patients to dose themselves and prevent blood-clot
formation.
3. Continuous-Flow Ventricular Assist Devices: Tiny 3-ounce devices surgically
attached alongside the heart that quietly and effectively take over the pumping
ability of the heart.
2. Low-Volume, Low-Pressure Tracheal Tube Cuff To Reduce Ventilator-Associated
Pneumonia: A device that dramatically reduces the risk of ventilator-associated
pneumonia and death in the hospital ICU by providing continuous effective airway
seals.
1. Bone Conduction of Sound For Single-Sided Deafness: A new non-surgical,
removable hearing and communication device designed to imperceptibly transmit
sound via the teeth to help people with single-sided deafness.
"Cleveland Clinic is known for its tradition of innovation, and this Top Ten
list reflects the hospital's continuing commitment to exploring new ways to
treat illnesses and to develop new therapies," said Christopher Coburn,
Executive Director, Innovations, the Cleveland Clinic's corporate venturing arm.
Four major criteria served as the basis for qualifying and selecting the Top 10
Medical Innovations. Nominated innovations were required to:
-- Have significant potential for short-term clinical impact (either a
major improvement in patient benefit or an improved function that
enhances healthcare delivery).
-- Have a high probability of success.
-- Be on the market or close to being introduced.
-- Have sufficient data available to support its nomination.
The Top 10 Medical Innovations for 2010 were announced today at the seventh
annual Cleveland Clinic Medical Innovation Summit. In developing the Top 10,
Cleveland Clinic enlisted the expertise of AlixPartners, LLP, an independent
international management advisory firm. AlixPartners led the process to probe
the opinions of Cleveland Clinic physicians and researchers, create a field of
nominated innovative technologies for consideration, and develop a consensus
perspective on the Top 10 Medical Innovations for 2010.
For more information about this year's Medical Innovation Summit and the
conference agenda, visit
http://www.clevelandclinic.org/innovations/summit/default.htm.
About Innovations
Innovations, the commercialization and innovation arm of Cleveland Clinic,
organizes the Medical Innovation Summit, promotes innovation and is responsible
for commercialization of all Cleveland Clinic technologies. CC Innovations
advances product-oriented innovation and transforms promising therapies, devices
and diagnostics into beneficial medical products, via spin-off companies,
licensees and equity partnerships.
About the Cleveland Clinic
Cleveland Clinic, located in Cleveland, Ohio, is a not-for-profit multispecialty
academic medical center that integrates clinical and hospital care with research
and education. Cleveland Clinic was founded in 1921 by four renowned physicians
with a vision of providing outstanding patient care based upon the principles of
cooperation, compassion and innovation. U.S. News & World Report consistently
names Cleveland Clinic as one of the nation's best hospitals in its annual
"America's Best Hospitals" survey. Approximately 1,800 full-time salaried
physicians and researchers at Cleveland Clinic and Cleveland Clinic Florida
represent more than 100 medical specialties and subspecialties. In 2008, there
were 3.6 million outpatient visits to Cleveland Clinic and 48,300 hospital
admissions. Patients came for treatment from every state and from more than 80
countries. Cleveland Clinic's Web site address is www.clevelandclinic.org.
SOURCE Cleveland Clinic
URL: http://www.clevelandclinic.org
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