European and German Competence Centre: excellent evidence for the significance of Fraunhofer IBMT

The Fraunhofer Institute for Biomedical Engineering (IBMT) presents the latest results concerning „Microimplants and Endosystems“, „Tele Monitoring“ and „Interventions“ during the TechMed 2001 in Frankfurt (26 – 28 June, hall 9.0, booth G041)

Microimplants and Endosystems

The potential of microtechnology for medicine is undeniable, today. Thanks to microtechnological production systems, it was possible to achieve major advances in the development of miniaturised products during the last years. Together with its Competence Centre MOTIV and in cooperation with industrial companies, the IBMT is now developing a new generation of so-called ’brain shunts’ for the drainage of brain liquor. These are systems of valves, implanted into the skull, by help of which it is possible to regulate the pressure inside the skull by draining off a possible surplus of cerebral liquor. It is thus possible to avoid for example the forming of a hydrocephalus which can occur during childhood. Compared with passive shunts which have been used so far, it will, by means of the improved active shunts which are connected with microsensors, be possible to react to the pressure inside the skull and to regulate it any time, if necessary.

Tele Monitoring

In Germany, 40,000 people die every year within the first four weeks after they had a stroke. Telemonitoring services, aimed at supporting the individual health care measures at home, could help to improve after-care and to increase safety as well as quality of life for stroke patients, immensely. That is why the IBMT, in cooperation with three other Institutes of the Fraunhofer-Society, is developing a telemonitoring platform, the PGS Homecare-Platform. It is, by way of this platform, possible to establish a permanent communication channel between patient, attending physician and medical health centres – all equipped with telemonitoring stations. By means of the demonstration model of the IBMT, for example medical checkups per video, on- and offline monitoring and determination of vital data and in-vitro parameters as well as computer aided therapy assistance will be shown.

Interventions

Minimally invasive surgery as well as computer- and more and more even robot-aided methods facilitate and improve operations enormously. In both cases an improved visualisation of the operative field is necessary for the intraoperative navigation, by which not only directly visible structures become accessible, but also covered parts of organs and bones. The IBMT has developed the UltraCube, an ultrasonoscope which can also locate covered structures. The demonstration model of the IBMT shows how an exact visualisation of the operative field on a monitor or a 3D-display can be achieved.

Why don’t you come to our booth at the TechMed 2001 in Frankfurt? You will find us in Hall 9.0, G041

For further information please contact:

Prof. Dr. J.-Uwe Meyer Telephone: 06894/ 980-150 Dipl.-Biol. Jochen Schmidt Telephone: 06897/9071-40 Email: medics@medics-network.com