Written By: Maitreyi Singh, Edited By: Giulia Fornasiero
Intro
Centuries ago, many passed away due to the lack of substantial treatment and the severity of illnesses. However—now—times have changed. Recent advances in the medical field have led to new breakthroughs which have bought us closer to curing many chronic illnesses.
These technologies and breakthroughs have ignited a ray of hope within us, that inspires us to pursue change and create a much better, healthier future for all of us.
Therefore, my aim is to present to you the profound impact of just 5 medical technologies on the world. What are you waiting for? Continue to read this article to learn more.
#1 Stethoscope
When someone asks you what a doctor would look like, what’s the first thing that comes to your mind? White lab coat, and a stethoscope, right? Well, stethoscopes are a significant part of the healthcare industry, being there with us throughout.
However, how did this invention come about? It started in 1816 when French physician René Laennec, created the first stethoscope for treating a female patient with chest pain. René needed to listen to the patient’s heart and lungs to understand the problem, and at that time there weren’t any machines to help him to do so. Additionally, it would have been improper for him to put his ear to the patient’s chest. Thus, he rolled a paper to make it in the shape of a tube and used it to hear the heartbeat. Over time, this initial solution developed into the stethoscope we see today. This stethoscope is still widely used by practitioners to understand and confirm minor problems of a patient.
#2 Pacemaker
The pacemaker has been known to save millions of lives. It is a device that is used to control the heartbeat and can significantly improve the problems one faces due to slow or irregular heartbeat. In fact, in 1958, the pacemaker was acknowledged as one of the 10 greatest engineering contributions to the society in last 50 years, by the National Society of Professional Engineers.
Who is this genius inventor then? Well, in 1958 Wilson Greatbatch, created the first implantable pacemaker—by accident. Yes, you read that correctly, ‘by accident’. When working on his oscillator, he used the wrong part. Hence, leading the machine to emit a steady electrical impulse, which he then discovered, could be used for heart regulation.
#3 Hyperbaric Chamber
The Hyperbaric chamber is used for Hyperbaric Oxygen therapy, to help blood flow properly when air pressure is above normal. It is beneficial in fighting bacteria, and inclining the rate of healing processes. It was first used (successfully) in the early 1900s, by Dr. Orville Cunningham who treated a dying flu patient with the use of pure oxygen. As time flew by, the uses of the therapy and machine also became vast. In the 1960s, for example, it was being used to treat carbon monoxide poisoning. Currently, it is being used to treat compromised skin grafts, flesh-eating diseases, and bone infections.
#4 Heart-Lung Machine
Our heart and lungs are the major parts of the cardiovascular system and respiratory systems. They are what keep us alive. However, many people's hearts and lungs don’t perform normally. For example, some may not be able to retrieve oxygen properly, others might have irregular heartbeat patterns, and so on. Hence, how could we cure these destructive cardiopulmonary illnesses?
Well, between 1930s and 1953, American surgeon Dr.John Gibbon, continuously worked hard to answer this question, and one day, he finally got it—The Heart-Lung Machine. This machine, successfully used in 1953, is now able to help patients with heart and lung problems, by, adding oxygen to the blood, circulating blood through the cardiopulmonary bypass circuit, and removing excess carbon dioxide.
Thus, leading to other technological advances like valve replacements, heart replacements, and coronary bypass grafting.
#5 Dialysis
Before 1943, many passed away due to the malfunction of their kidneys. Kidneys are vital organs, which excrete waste from our bloodstream. If there are problems with the kidneys, and if the organs are left untreated, waste continues to accumulate, eventually leading to organ failure and death. That was exactly what was happening at that time, until in 1943, dutch doctor Willem Kolff created the first life-saving machine to treat acute kidney failure. He called it: ‘The Artificial Kidney’.
It was then redesigned by Dr.Belding Scribbner, in 1962; consequently, curing more chronic types of kidney failures. Now, technology and engineering have advanced so much, that the machine has become portable.
Even though, dialysis machines are still not able to fully cure patients of kidney failure it is widely used equipment to treat this organ failure. This explains why over 2 million people require dialysis treatment to stay alive.
Conclusion
In conclusion, the 5 major inventions, which have highly impacted the growth of the medical field, are the stethoscope, the pacemaker, the hyperbaric chamber, the heart-lung machine, and the dialysis machine. We may not notice it daily, but over time we have innovated so much in the medical field, that we are now able to treat once deadly diseases much faster. Anything is possible, from making unimaginable dialysis machines to accidental pacemakers. Let’s keep innovating to create the best, healthiest future for all of us. Hope you enjoyed the article, and see you next time!
References
"Willem J. Kolff, M.D., Ph.D. | Academy Of Achievement". Academy Of Achievement, 2010, https://achievement.org/achiever/willem-j-kolff/#:~:text=It%20was%20here%2C%20in%201943,it%20back%20into%20the%20patient.
"Statistics · The Kidney Project". The Kidney Project, 2018, https://pharm.ucsf.edu/kidney/need/statistics.
"Pacemaker - Mayo Clinic". Mayoclinic.Org, 2022, https://www.mayoclinic.org/tests-procedures/pacemaker/about/pac-20384689.
Allison, Futterman. "5 Top Breakthrough Medical Technologies And How They Changed The World". Discover Magazine, 2021, https://www.discovermagazine.com/the-sciences/5-top-breakthrough-medical-technologies-and-how-they-changed-the-world.
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