Google Glass Making Its Way Into Operating Rooms

kkleiner writes "Among the possible uses for Google Glass that early adopters are dreaming up, you can now add 'surgical assistance' to the list. With approval from the institutional review board, a UCSF cardiothoracic surgeon recently utilized Glass during procedures by utilizing its voice activation features to refer to patient x-ray scans. Aimed at providing surgeons with the most up-to-date patient data, a startup named VitaMedicals is building apps to stream in patient records and live scans to the device. Even though it's early days for Glass, its potential in the medical space is huge and could revolutionize how doctor's access and apply information from patient records."

Comments

What I'd like to see

[QilessQi]

This is probably years away, but if X-rays/CT scans/realtime data/etc. could be turned into a 3-D image, and the coordinates of that image "georegistered" with the patient on the table, we'd have an AR system capable of overlaying invisible information onto what the surgeon is sheeing as he/she operates.

E.g., superimposing the outlines of a tumor onto the surgeon's visual field "beyond" the visible surface of the body, so that the surgeon sees exactly where to cut and how deep.

Re:How much does Google stand to lose with somethi

[ArmoredDragon]

I doubt it, all they have to do is state that they never intended it for medical use. So long as they don't advertise it as such, they're fine, any liability is on the doc and/or hospital.

Re:Fuck that

[game kid]

From the bacteria, or the advertisements?

Re:Fuck that

[wonkey_monkey]

How is this better than a huge-ass monitor?

Obviously there are some operations - especially in the US - where only a huge ass-monitor will do.

Re:How much does Google stand to lose with somethi

[Webcommando]

If you display erroneous information the you will be liable.

Previous poster pointed out that this is true if sold as a medical device by an OEM. Medical device OEMs have a strict set of guidelines they need to follow for the creation of these devices--risk management, CAPA processes, demonstration that design outputs are tested against design inputs. (FDA 21 CFR Part 820, for example)

That being said, a hospital has a much less stringent set of requirements (though I believe there is much discussion in the FDA related to this). With the proper research agreements, IRB review (Institutional Review Board), and following proper research procedures (e.g. patient consent), a doctor can try new ideas, technology, or off-label use of existing device. However, Google would not be liable unless they want to sell a healthcare version.

combine with Clippy for even more fun

[SylvesterTheCat]

"Hi. You appear to be performing a heart transplant. Can I help?"

Re:How much does Google stand to lose with somethi

[ColdWetDog]

You're correct. We have monitors all over the place. In the OR / ER / nurses station. We transmit patient data all of the time. Images / text. We buy whatever we need from the open market. I've had a bit of an issue getting IT not to buy the absolute cheapest panels on the planet, but anything mid spec these days is perfectly fine.

Anything electrical needs to pass some simple leakage tests, but our bio med tech does this on every piece of electronic equipment at least once a year anyway. But no certification is required.

Radiologist like these idiot expensive BARCO monitors (about 5 grand a pop). They have a 16 bit data path from the card to the screen (everybody else uses 8 or 10 except most laptops which are typically 6 bit paths) and do a wonderful job of greyscale display, but they're not 'medical' devices.

Re:How much does Google stand to lose with somethi

[KillaGouge]

But they are medical devices as they are diagnostic quality monitors. 5 grand a pop is cheap. Typically for a 5 Megapixel monitor pair and video card we would be 27 grand. The reason you need 5 Megapixel is because it is what is required by the FDA to interpret diagnostic mammography. The manufacturer has to show that the monitor complies with DICOM rendering standards and they have to be calibrated by a physicist regularly. For MRI, Ultrasound, and Computed Tomography (CT) a typical monitor can be used. Digital Computed Radiography (CR) aka Digital X-Ray, you need at least a 3 Megapixel monitor to properly display the diagnostic information contained in the images.