Features
Latest Practical Patient Care Feature
A simple blood test could soon become the latest monitoring tool for...
> read more
Surgeon simulator Artificial intelligence using machine-learning-guided virtual reality simulators can help surgeons develop the skills they need before they step in the operating room, according to...
Breathe easy A study by Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) investigators has found broad variation in the way non-invasive ventilation (NIV) is delivered in hospitals across the US. Laura C Myers...
Skin in the game Scientists have designed a new method for post-operative wound closing and healing that is fast and effective. It revolves around engineered ‘cell sheets’, layers of skin-based cells....
Knowledge gap Whole exome sequencing is designed to evaluate all of the protein-producing genes in a patient to inform both diagnosis and treatment. However, researchers from UT Southwestern,...
A piece of the puzzle Alzheimer’s disease afflicts roughly 10% of people aged 65 and older, and after decades of research and millions of dollars spent the quest for a cure continues. Recent advancements...
A helping hand Scarring can leave a hand unusable after trauma – but what if it could move during healing? Eleanor Wilson speaks to Christopher Allan, co-lead of the team behind the ReHeal glove,...
It's all on the web Inspired by the way spiders exude ‘glue’ to catch their prey in the rain, a double-sided tape designed to stick body tissue together after surgery was developed by scientists...
Wash your hands of infection The flu kills thousands of people every winter, and this year has seen the emergence of another deadly virus, COVID-19. Hand washing can provide valuable protection against viruses,...
Life in your hands Considerable effort has been put into boosting adherence to hand-hygiene practices among healthcare staff, but there’s a blind spot when it comes to patients. Isabel Ellis asks Lona...
Nudge in the right direction Hand hygiene is, of course, paramount to prevent infections but boosting compliance remains challenging. Nudging, a gentle push to encourage a desirable behaviour, could provide an...
The triangular treatment Globally, the demand for healthcare resources continues to grow as the demographics of the population change, long-term conditions become more prevalent, patient expectations rise...
A valid point The struggle to diagnose rapidly is a significant cause of death from communicable and noncommunicable diseases in the developing world. Existing diagnostic tools usually...
Comic relief Before undergoing surgery, patients must be fully informed about what the procedure entails, yet the complex nature of the content provided means they often feel overwhelmed. New...
Ideas on paper Paper-based diagnostics at point-of-care are commonplace in today’s healthcare. However, they do have their limitations, something scientists are working to address. Andrew...
Skin in the game Affecting millions in the US, chronic, large or non-healing wounds, such as diabetic pressure ulcers, are especially costly as they often require multiple treatments. Scientists...
Deep dive into data There is a lot of discussion about machine learning, AI and automation within healthcare, but implementation remains at an early stage. Nevertheless, these tools provide...
Future shock Electrotherapy units have been a part of doctors’ arsenals for decades, yet their use has long been hampered by technical drawbacks and dangerous side effects. But with the rise...
It’s in the genome Current testing of patients with neurodevelopmental and congenital anomalies leaves a number of cases undiagnosed or unexplained. A new sophisticated computational model, developed...
Nowhere to hide Ovarian cancer is hard to spot in the body and difficult to operate upon, with surgeons often failing to extract the minuscule tumours from patients the first time around. Now, a...
View all features A-Z
