Innovative Device Provides for Faster Skin Biopsies
By HospiMedica International staff writers Posted on 19 May 2015 |
Image: Prototype of the UC3M device (Photo courtesy Universidad Carlos III de Madrid).
A new tool for performing skin biopsies requires neither local anesthesia nor specialized personnel, resulting in faster diagnosis of pathologies.
Developed by researchers at Universidad Carlos III de Madrid (UC3M; Spain) and Hospital Ramón y Cajal (Madrid, Spain), the new, automated device is an ergonomic sectional biopsy tool which makes it possible to obtain a skin sample using only one instrument. The cylindrical-shaped device is placed on the suspected area; once in position and firmly against the skin, a button is pressed, making a quick incision and removing the tissue sample automatically within a matter of minutes.
“This invention will aid in earlier detection of pathologies such as skin cancer and will also allow doctors to see a greater number of patients, which is of the utmost importance in fields such as dermatology,” said dermatologist Emiliano Grillo, MD, of Ramón y Cajal Hospital. “In a doctor’s office overwhelmed by demand, the invention would make it possible for the patient to leave the doctor’s office with the diagnostic tests already done, and to begin earlier treatment if necessary.”
Currently a skin biopsy involves cutting the base layer of the skin manually, removing it with forceps, and sewing up the incision with one or two stitches that later have to be removed. The procedure is performed under local anesthetic and takes around 30 minutes.
Related Links:
Universidad Carlos III de Madrid
Hospital Ramón y Cajal
Developed by researchers at Universidad Carlos III de Madrid (UC3M; Spain) and Hospital Ramón y Cajal (Madrid, Spain), the new, automated device is an ergonomic sectional biopsy tool which makes it possible to obtain a skin sample using only one instrument. The cylindrical-shaped device is placed on the suspected area; once in position and firmly against the skin, a button is pressed, making a quick incision and removing the tissue sample automatically within a matter of minutes.
“This invention will aid in earlier detection of pathologies such as skin cancer and will also allow doctors to see a greater number of patients, which is of the utmost importance in fields such as dermatology,” said dermatologist Emiliano Grillo, MD, of Ramón y Cajal Hospital. “In a doctor’s office overwhelmed by demand, the invention would make it possible for the patient to leave the doctor’s office with the diagnostic tests already done, and to begin earlier treatment if necessary.”
Currently a skin biopsy involves cutting the base layer of the skin manually, removing it with forceps, and sewing up the incision with one or two stitches that later have to be removed. The procedure is performed under local anesthetic and takes around 30 minutes.
Related Links:
Universidad Carlos III de Madrid
Hospital Ramón y Cajal
Latest Critical Care News
- Wheeze-Counting Wearable Device Monitors Patient's Breathing In Real Time
- Wearable Multiplex Biosensors Could Revolutionize COPD Management
- New Low-Energy Defibrillation Method Controls Cardiac Arrhythmias
- New Machine Learning Models Help Predict Heart Disease Risk in Women
- Deep-Learning Model Predicts Arrhythmia 30 Minutes before Onset
- Breakthrough Technology Combines Detection and Treatment of Nerve-Related Disorders in Single Procedure
- Plasma Irradiation Promotes Faster Bone Healing
- New Device Treats Acute Kidney Injury from Sepsis
- Study Confirms Safety of DCB-Only Strategy for Treating De Novo Left Main Coronary Artery Disease
- Revascularization Improves Quality of Life for Patients with Chronic Limb Threatening Ischemia
- AI-Driven Prediction Models Accurately Predict Critical Care Patient Deterioration
- Preventive PCI for High-Risk Coronary Plaques Reduces Cardiac Events
- AI Diagnostic Tool Guides Rapid Diagnosis and Prediction of Sepsis
- World's First AI-Powered Sepsis Alert System Detects Sepsis in One Minute
- Smartphone Magnetometer Uses Magnetized Hydrogel to Measure Biomarkers for Disease Diagnosis
- New Technology to Revolutionize Valvular Heart Disease Care