Cat Gets Intraosseous Transcutaneous Prosthetic Limbs
A Jersey cat, who had his back paws sliced off in an accident with a combine harvester, has received a pair of innovative prosthetic legs. Noel Fitzpatrick, a veterinary surgeon from Surrey, used a technique called intraosseous transcutaneous amputation prostheses (Itaps) to get the cat back on his feet. These prostheses grow through the skin in a way similar to the way deer antler bone does. This in contrast to the way most prosthetic limbs are attached by a “stump socket”, which often causes problems through rubbing and pressure sores. The new technology is currently being tested for application in humans. A documentary about the procedure called “The Bionic Vet” will be aired on BBC 1 this Wednesday.
BBC news story: A cat from Jersey has shot to fame as the ‘bionic cat’…
To get a good idea of where Medtronic sees the future of medical information technology, go to Minneapolis and visit the Mounds View Bakken Education Center (note: you probably will need an appointment). It gives off the impression of Disney Epcot’s Tommorowland, complete with gift shop but with fewer kids around. The center is billed as a place where physicians come to meet with company employees to discuss products in development, partnerships and it’s where Medtronic demonstrates future concepts to gain feedback. Using high end computers, tablets, teleconferencing, advanced inventory tracking, and other tech, the Education Center speaks to the Medtronic’s prediction of the integrated OR of the near future. Open to internal Medtronic tours since October, the showroom places a heavy emphasis on a new IT infrastructure. A non-disclosure agreement prevents us from detailing the tech inside (a 2008 Star Tribune article describes it as having “two virtual catheterization labs to help train doctors and company field representatives”) but many non-medical tech brands are well represented and Medtronic has put together a very slick integrated health IT system from the looks of it. 
