By Jennifer Laliberté

New office-friendly "Fem" scope
SAN FRANCISCO — A new reusable intravaginal scope you can use in your office has been launched by FemSuite, a developer of disposable women-friendly technologies. But what about sterilization, you may be wondering? Forget about it. The small scope, dubbed FemEye One, comes with disposable sheaths so cleaning it between uses isn't an issue.

The FemEye One is a sleek, handheld video camera that can be connected to a TV monitor, a handheld screen or PDA, or a computer via a USB port, so pretty much any doctor's office could make use of it. The device is not only practical, it's also a bargain at less than $300 US, a huge savings on the thousands of dollars hospitals usually spend on colposcopes and hysteroscopes. "FemSuite recognizes the need for innovative and user-friendly tools to help bring more procedures into the physician's office in order to provide for lower hospital costs, better patient experience and increased physician revenue," enthuses CEO Jerry Sanders.

The company also manufactures the FemTest, an endometrial biopsy tool, the FemSpec, an inflatable, disposable speculum and the FemECC, a single-use endocervical curette. Also watch for the FemEye Two, a disposable hysteroscope expected to go on the market sometime this year.

The Synthes Vertical Expandable Prosthetic Titanium Rib Courtesy of Synthes

A good ribbing expands scoliosis patients' horizons
MEMPHIS — On January 23, two patients at Le Bonheur Children's Medical Center in Memphis received a new device designed to correct pediatric thoracic insufficiency, a complication of advanced scoliosis. The Vertical Expandable Prosthetic Titanium Rib implant — made by the Swiss company Synthes — is a curved metal rod that attaches to the ribs near the spine with hooks on either end. The device is adjusted to correct spine curvature as well as distortions of the rib cage that can constrict the growth of the lungs and inhibit the patient's breathing.

Normally titanium rods are fused to the spine of a scoliosis patient to straighten the back, but nothing is done to address the possible problems with the rib cage. Patients fitted with the rib expanders will have to be checked periodically to have the device adjusted so the ribs can be elongated as they grow.

Germ-busting paper ushers in the sterile office
MONTREAL — Paper manufacturing giant Domtar has announced the release of North America's first antimicrobial office paper.

Under a licensing agreement with SilverCo, which has developed the antimicrobial technology, the paper reams are treated with an FDA-approved silver compound that's been registered with the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

Independent lab tests have confirmed the antimicrobial sheets reduced at least 90% of bacterial colonies in a 24-hour period, including a 99% drop in MRSA and K pneumoniae. The treated paper is also supposed to block the growth of mould, mildew and fungus, even after printing and varnishing. The company claims that the germ-busting power of its paper will last forever, making it an ideal choice for healthcare, laboratory, hospital, education and government use.

The Z-Tech Breast Screening device Courtesy of Z-Tech, Inc

Z-Tech electrifies breast cancer screening
BOSTON — A cheap, painless breast cancer screening tool called the Z-Tech Breast Cancer Detection System could catch more cancers earlier than traditional mammography, according to the MIT Tech Review.

The device works by measuring the electrical resistance in breast tissue. The idea is that electricity travels through a malignant tumour more easily than through normal cells. Furthermore, the electrical conductivity of both breasts should be relatively similar, so discordance between the two could suggest an abnormality.

The test takes only a few minutes, and no qualified technician is required to administer it. However, you don't get a picture of the breast and therefore no information on the type of tumour you may be dealing with. "It's more of a yes-no answer that you get," said Steven Nakashige, CEO of Z-Tech, the device's manufacturer. "You just want to determine whether someone should go on for diagnostic testing or go home."

The company says the device works best in patients with dense tissue. These patients are at greatest risk of cancer and also more likely to have their cancers missed on mammography screening, note the researchers of a new study in Breast Cancer Research.

Z-Tech has announced the completion of an international trial of 3,500 patients at 28 sites. The results of the trial will be submitted for publication later this year, but early results seem to confirm the technology may catch more cancers and produce fewer false positives than film mammography, especially in younger patients. "We believe this would significantly increase [screening] compliance rates, which would help detect cancers earlier," said Mr Nakashige.