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Stethoscope
The stethoscope was invented in 1815. It is used to listen to noises in the body, most commonly to monitor the heart and lungs. It was first made with wood but now it is made with metal, PVC, and rubber. -
First successful kidney transplant
The exact date is unknown but the first successful kidney transplant was in 1954. It was from one twin to the other and the recipient lived for another 11 years without complications. -
Fetal Ultrasound
The first fetal ultrasound was done by using a Doppler monitor on a woman's abdomen. Ultrasound's had been used for over a century at that point, but never for prenatal care. -
Artificial Heart
The first patented artificial heart was by Paul Winchell in 1963. This was not the first artificial heart, but the first patented one. -
Liver Transplant
The patient was a 3 year old and soon after the transplant, the child bled to death. The transplant was performed in 1963. -
Heart Transplant
The very first human heart transplant was performed by Dr. Christiaan Barnard. The patient died 18 days later. -
CT Scanner
The CT scanner is an x-ray machine that takes image from many different angles. Dr. Godfrey Hounsfield shared the 1979 Nobel Prize for the Physiology or Medicine category for the CT scanner. -
Insulin Pump
The insulin pump is used to deliver insulin to the user as needed over 24 hours. It helps regulate blood glucose levels and is used by those with diabetes. The first one was developed and patented by Dean L. Kamen in 1973. -
M.R.I Scan
In 1978, Dr. Raymond V. Damadian announced that he had patented a way to take x-rays while be able to distinguish cancerous and non-cancerous tissues. The M.R.I is often used for pictures of the brain but can be used for imaging other organs and structures. -
Adaptive Artificial Knee
The adaptive artificial knee is a plastic prosthetic that can adapt the recipients' walking style and changes in terrain. It's called the Rheo knee and was produced by the Ossur Corporation. -
Why are these biomedical advances important to me?
These advances are important to me and should be to all of you. Advances such as heart transplants and M.R.I's have saved so many lives and they continue to. Without these discoveries, medicine would not be as advanced as it is now. These things may not seem important to you, but someone out there is relying on a transplant or a procedure that involves this technology and I think it's amazing how far we've come in medicine.
