Middle east Hospital magazine December 2009

The Arab Hospital Middle East Hospital

December 2009 | 1

Childrens Hospital BostonChildrens Hospital Boston - Global Paediatric Excellence- Global Paediatric Excellence

Welch AllynWelch Allyn - Launches Product Range at Medica- Launches Product Range at Medica

SidhilSidhil - The Rising British Bed Manufacturer- The Rising British Bed Manufacturer

Health o meter® ProfessionalHealth o meter® Professional - Innovative Scales New in the Arab Health Region - Innovative Scales New in the Arab Health Region

Medica ReviewArab Health Preview 2010Oncology Feature


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Boston Children'sHospitalAdvert on this page


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Saudi private sector tospend $20b on newmedical projects

JEDDAH – Amid an expected expo-nential growth in demand in healthcare services in Saudi Arabia, theKingdom’s private sector is forecast tospend $20 billion by 2016 on newmedical facilities and services, Dr.Mazen Fakeeh, director-general of Dr.Soliman Fakeeh Hospital (DSFH) saidon Monday at a function to celebratethe 30th year of the hospital founding.

With 110 private hospitals offering10,113 beds or 20.6 percent of allbeds in Saudi Arabia, more investmentin the private medical sector is neededto counterbalance the effects of finan-cial downturns, he noted.He said DSFH and the private healthsector will invest SR500 million in thenext three years for its several projectsin the Western Region, among themare the establishment of the “state-of-the-art” Fakeeh Medical Center by2010 and two satellite hospitals – onein the “extreme north and the other inthe extreme south” of the region, headded.Dr. Mazen also disclosed the long-range plan of the hospital on the estab-lishment of a Joint University College,saying that DSFH is currently in discus-sion with Harvard University MedicalSchool on possible tie-up on educa-tion and services.He said DSFH sees a strong demandfor the setting up of advanced medicalfacilities and enhanced services in theKingdom as the population grows cou-pled with the mandatory personalhealth insurance. There is an unparal-leled rise in demand for health care inthe Kingdom, he added.Industry experts said the demand forhospital beds is set to double by 2025and the Gulf countries are rushing to

meet the unprecedented challengewith a near $10 billion hospital build-ing program.Regional governments have been en-couraging international institutions toset up health care facilities but manymore providers will be required tomeet the huge future demand.Three major factors drive the upsurgein health care demand in the region,namely population growth, an agingpopulation and unique health risks.

Consultants MsCkinsey & Co. forecastearlier that the total health care spend-ing in the Gulf Cooperation Council(GCC) countries will reach $100 bil-lion by 2025. “No other region in theworld faces such rapid growth in de-mand,” it said, predicting that some162,000 more hospital beds will beneeded, with the biggest increasesnotably in Saudi Arabia and the UAE.

“Total GCC population by 2025 is ex-pected to be twice of what is today. Inaddition, improvements in life expect-ancy mean more elderly people requir-

ing care. A sevenfold increase inforecast in those over 65 in Saudi Ara-bia during the next 25 years.The region also has major and growinghealth risk factor with the prevalenceof Type 2 diabetes and obesity at unu-sually high levels relative to the rest ofthe world.Citing the achievements of DSFH inthe last 30 years, Dr. Mazen said thehospital has been an industry trendset-ter and remains the leader, recordingseveral firsts, like the only private hos-pital accredited to perform organ trans-plantations.DSFH received national distinctionwith an award to recognize thehospital’s CSR commitment during theyears. The award was organized bySAGIA in cooperation with King Kha-lid Benevolent Foundation and Har-vard University in 2008. The awardrecognized the hospitals’ commitmentto quality health care, community out-reach in urban and rural areas, aware-ness programs, Saudization andwomen’s participatory programs.

“Industry experts said the demand for hospital beds is setto double by 2025”


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Arab Health Preview

The Arab Health Exhibition andCongress is the largest health-care exhibition in the MiddleEast, and the second largest inthe world.

The next event will take place at theDubai International Convention & Ex-hibition Centre from 25 to 28 January2010. Established 35 years ago, it pro-vides a platform for the world’s lead-ing manufacturers, wholesalers anddistributors to meet the medical andscientific community in the MiddleEast and beyond and will attract morethan 50,000 healthcare professionalsfrom all over the world.

The exhibition covers a wide range ofmedical sectors, including surgery, im-aging and diagnostics, medical labora-tory and technology, internationalhealth services and others and willshowcase products and services frommore than 2800 exhibitors.

With the announcement that four addi-tional halls will be added to the DubaiInternational Convention & ExhibitionCentre by the end of 2009, the nextedition of Arab Health will be evenbigger and better than in previousyears, with an extra 20,000 squaremeters of floor space added to thelayout.

The 2010 event will feature 29 nation-al country pavilions and in excess of59 exhibiting countries. Arab Health2010 will have additional focus onsurgery, imaging and diagnostics andwe expect in excess of 5000 delegatesto attend the Arab Health Congressthat runs beside the exhibition.Simon Page, Group Director Life Sci-ences, IIR Middle East, stresses theimportance of the event:

“The healthcare industry in theMiddle East is valued at overUSD 80 billion with growthpredicted at an annual rate of16 per cent.

For medical service providers,hospitals and industry professionalshoping to be in a position tocapitalise from this phenomenalgrowth, attendance at the ArabHealth Exhibition & Congress 2010,the largest healthcare exhibition inthe Middle East and the second larg-est in the world, is a must.”

An expanded Arab HealthCongress for 2010

The Arab Health Congress is a scien-tific and educational platform forhealthcare professionals who wish toremain up-to-date in their area ofspecialisation. The Congress encom-passes 16 internationally accreditedconferences and includes established

conferences such as Leaders in Health-care, Molecular Imaging and NuclearMedicine, the 3rd Anesthesia Confer-ence and Medlab 2010 amongst oth-ers. Newer events for 2010 arecovering such topics as sleep disorders.

Simon Page summarises the benefits ofattending, “The Arab Health Congressis widely recognised as the leadinginternationally accredited healthcareconference programme in the world:and the 2010 programme is no excep-tion. Well known national, regionaland international speakers will presentthe latest scientific updates throughthought provoking and challengingsessions, which will stimulate debate,both within the formal programme and


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during informal networking opportu-nities. “This year's programme sees the in-troduction of one new conference,Sleep Disorders, as well as a mile-stone event for the Congress - the10th Middle East Medical Imaging &Diagnostic Conference."

In line with Arab Health’s ongoingeducational directive, the leadingmulti-track conferences are CME ac-credited by the Cleveland Clinic. Del-egates who attend will receive anaccreditation certificate that can beused towards maintaining their annu-al quota of continuing medical educa-tion credits, which are now necessaryto renew medical practicing licensesin the UAE.The Arab Health pre-show bookletwill serve as a guide to all the newdevelopments taking place at ArabHealth 2010 as well as an overviewof the exhibitors, key speakers andnumerous educational and businessopportunities available for delegatesattending the must anticipated event.

Building on the success of2009

The 2009 edition of Arab Healthachieved record success, showcasingproducts and services by nearly 2205exhibitors, representing over 65 coun-tries and attracting nearly 55,000 par-ticipating professionals fromhealthcare sector all over the world.

Results of the Arab Health2009 Exhibitor Survey:

98% of exhibitors stated that theiroverall objectives had been met

95.3% of exhibitors said that thenumber of visitors had met theirexpectations

97.1% of exhibitors stated that thequality of visitors met or surpassedtheir expectations

98.4% of exhibitors confirmed thatthey had met or surpassed theirobjectives for establishing newbusiness contacts for future sales


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Children’ Hospital Bos-ton: pediatric researchpioneers

The CHB Stem Cell Program isleading the search for new treat-ments for a range of diseasesaffecting children.

Every day, doctors and researchers atChildren's Hospital Boston witness thedevastating effects of diseases like leu-kemia, diabetes, anemia and heart dis-ease on the lives of the children theytreat. Every day, we see very smallpatients fighting very large battles justto stay alive. Every day toddlers spendtheir days in blood transfusion unitsinstead of on playgrounds, and everyday teenagers live with a restrictiveregimen of treatments and the knowl-edge that their promise of a future isuncertain. For their families, the hope- every day - is very simple: Please givemy child the chance to be well.Children's Hospital believes that stemcell research holds extraordinary po-tential for the development of thera-pies that may change the future for thechildren we see and for the countlessothers like them throughout the world.In response to this belief, they haveestablished The Stem Cell Program at

Children's Hospital. The program'ssole mission is to explore, understand,and translate the promise of stemcells into effective clinical therapiesand treatments.The Stem Cell Program at Children'sHospital brings together premier sci-entists, investigators and physiciansto form one of the top stem cell re-search units in the world. The Pro-gram's physical workspace positionsa genomic research facility directlynext to a dedicated human embryon-ic core facility. This unique environ-ment allows researchers, scientistsand clinicians from many back-grounds and specialties to combinetheir expertise in the exploration ofstem cells and their potential for ther-apy and cure.The overriding focus of the programis the exploration of stem cell biologyas a key to treatments for diseasesaffecting children. Through an under-standing of the role of stem cells innormal development, researchersseek to capture and direct the innatecapabilities of stem cells to treat dia-betes, Duschenne's muscular dystro-phy, blood diseases, spinal cordinjury and many other conditions.Research is on-going in a number ofareas simultaneously: examining thegenetic and molecular triggers that

drive embryonic stem cells to developin various tissues; learning how topush those cells to divide and formspecialized tissues; culturing embryon-ic stem cells and developing new linesto work with; searching for ways toeliminate or control Graft Vs. HostDisease (GVHD) by eliminating theneed for donors; and generating a lineof universally transplantable cells.The Stem Cell Program is affiliatedwith the Harvard Stem Cell Institute.Through this affiliation and Children'sdirect physical proximity to many oth-er world-class hospitals and institu-tions, the opportunities for externalinteraction and collaboration are ex-traordinary. Currently, staff and facultyfrom three research laboratories workdirectly with the stem cell program,and many more, both within Chil-dren's and in other institutions, arepartners in its work.The children who are patients at Chil-dren's Hospital Boston dream of beinghealthy and of a future filled withpromise. The belief that stem cell re-search may help make those dreams areality is what drives the researchers,faculty and staff of the Stem Cell Pro-gram.

Professor Brian Snyder


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When is a stem cell really astem cell?

Test lets researchers tell visuallythat they've got the real thing

Induced pluripotent stem (iPS) cells“adult cells reprogrammed to look andfunction like versatile embryonic stemcells“ are of growing interest in medi-cine.

They may provide a way to createdifferent kinds of patient-matchedstem cells as treatments for disease,while sidestepping many of the ethicalquestions surrounding stem cells creat-ed from embryos.However, the production of iPS cells isoften imprecise, yielding many incom-pletely reprogrammed cells. Now, re-searchers at Children's HospitalBoston have developed a technique tohelp distinguish these cells from thedesired pure stem cells.Rather than relying on single markersto determine a stem cell's status, thenew method uses a series of tests toidentify the signature of a fully repro-grammed, completely undifferentiatedpluripotent stem cell that has the poten-tial to become any type of human cell.The series includes tests for fluorescentmarkers and tumor formation, as wellas karyotyping (examination of thenumber and composition of a cell'schromosomes) and tests for other mo-lecular characteristics of pluripotency.

"Previous studies often used markersthat are insufficient to distinguish fullyfrom partially reprogrammed cells,"says Thorsten Schlaeger, PhD, of theStem Cell Program at Children's, co-senior author of the paper with GeorgeDaley, MD, PhD, of the same program.

"Such an incomplete test would oftendesignate stem cells as pluripotenteven if they were only partially repro-grammed."

Researchers create iPS cell coloniesby treating adult cells, such as skinfibroblasts, with either genetic or pro-tein factors that push the cells back toan immature, pluripotent state. Someof the adult cells begin to grow rapidly,forming what look like colonies ofembryonic stem cells when viewedunder a normal microscope. However,by using antibodies labeled with fluo-rescent dyes to track visually whatproteins these cells are making, Sch-laeger, Daley and colleagues showedthat these stem cell-like colonies com-prise three distinct stages of repro-gramming (see accompanying image).Cells from these three stages under-went further testing. In the tumor for-mation test, the team injected cellsfrom each stage into mice with weak-ened immune systems to see if theyformed tumors known as teratomas -containing cells that have differentiat-ed into all three primary tissue layers.Formation of these tumors is a suresign that the cells are indeed pluripo-tent. However, in the experiments,cells from only two of the three stagesof reprogramming formed teratomas,and only one of these formed true,well-differentiated teratomas with themolecular characteristics of fully re-programmed iPS cells or embryonicstem cells.The most complete assessment ofwhether an iPS cell is truly pluripotentmust comprise a battery of tests, Sch-laeger says. None of the tests are pro-hibitively expensive or difficult for astem cell lab, he adds, but many labsmay be tempted to cut corners. "Ourstudy creates a standard of analysis inthe field," Schlaeger says, "and re-minds people to be diligent whencharacterizing or making claims aboutputative pluripotent stem cells."The full article, "Live cell imaging dis-tinguishes bona fide human iPS cellsfrom partially reprogrammed cells,"

was published Oct. 11 in the journalNature Biotechnology.Profile: Children’s Hospital BostonFounded in 1869 as a 20-bed hospitalfor children, Children's Hospital Bos-ton today is one of the nation's lead-ing pediatric medical centers, theprimary pediatric teaching hospital ofHarvard Medical School, and the larg-est provider of health care to Massa-chusetts children. In addition to 396pediatric and adolescent inpatientbeds, and more than 100 outpatientprograms, Children's houses theworld's largest research enterprisebased at a pediatric medical center,where its discoveries benefit bothchildren and adults.More than 500 scientists, includingeight members of the National Acade-my of Sciences, 11 members of theInstitute of Medicine and 13 membersof the Howard Hughes Medical Insti-tute comprise Children's researchcommunity.Children’s current research initiativeshave attracted a record $176 millionin funding, including more federalfunding than is awarded to any otherpediatric facility. In the John F. EndersPediatric Research laboratories,named for the Children's researcherand Nobel Prize recipient who cul-tured the polio and measles viruses,hundreds of laboratory researchersand physician investigators search foranswers to some of the most perplex-ing diseases.In 2003, a generous philanthropic giftmade the 295,000 square foot KarpFamily Research Laboratories possi-


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people in the UAE and decorated herwalls with them. Nouf and her familyremain in the United States whileNouf is receiving additional orthoped-ic care. Even though she's no longeran inpatient, she still makes frequentvisits to the hospital.

Nouf has a tutor and has learned a lotmore English. She's enrolled in schooland her family is living in an apart-ment in the area, planning to return tothe UAE once Nouf is completelyhealed. I've seen Nouf's whole familychange so much in the time thatthey've been here; her mother had ababy who I've watched grow and takeher first steps.

One of Nouf's younger siblings spokeher first words at Children's and heryounger brother taught a patient fromBoston how to play a PlayStationgame in the activity room. Children'shas really become a part of their lives,and it was so amazing to see how trulyimportant support and play are in thelives of all children at the hospital.

ble. The building increased researchspace by more than 60 percent. TheKarp family gift is just one of manyimportant gifts that support Chil-dren's vital research enterprise.Through the years, scientists at Chil-dren's have set the pace in pediatricresearch, identifying treatments andtherapies for many debilitating diseas-es, including those of adulthood.

—-----------------------------------

A cross cultural connection

A little more than two years ago, NoufAlbloushi, 12, and her family arrivedat Children's Hospital Boston fromthe UAE. Nouf came to Children's toundergo a series of operations, in-cluding a spinal fusion, that will even-tually correct her limb deformity andleg length inequality caused by skele-tal dysplasia, so I knew her treatmentwould require many lengthy stays.

As the Child Life Specialist on 10Northwest, a surgical/orthopedicfloor, Whenever possible, I used aninterpreter to speak with Nouf, andother times we used pointing andpictures to communicate. It quicklybecame clear that we didn't need tospeak the same language, or be fromthe same country to have fun. I en-gaged Nouf in activities that wereentertaining and educational, likecrafts, games and puzzles. She hadnever played with glue, used scissorsor seen stickers before, so activitiesthat other children would quicklybecome bored with captivated Nouffor hours. Nouf also enjoyed medi-cal play, so I used this as a way to talkabout her upcoming surgery, what toexpect, the pain that would followand the long-term physical therapyshe would need. These play opportu-nities allowed Nouf to gain a sense ofcontrol over her medical experience.

Nouf was shy when I met her, but shequickly came out of her shell. Itwasn't long before she was comforta-ble enough to let her sense of hu-mour shine and she was playingpractical jokes on me and constantlylaughing. When she hid my cellphone under her sheets, it took me15 minutes to track down where itwas ringing from. Each time I relayedthe story of Nouf's bedside version ofhide-and-seek to a colleague, Noufwould be in hysterics.

We made a connection by beingopen to each other's differences andmaking an effort to learn about them.In talking to Nouf's family, I learnedthat in Arabic culture, dogs are notviewed in the same way they are inAmerica. Instead, I got her talkingabout how beautiful the camels arein her homeland. I was amazed whenshe said that you could milk camelslike we milk cows.

When Nouf was particularly home-sick, we went online and printed outpictures of the desserts, homes and


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December 2009 | 10

Product focus:Green Series™ Medical Ex-am Lights

The Green Series™ Medical ExamLights, launched on 1 October 2009,are some of the first medical examlights in the world that feature ener-gy-efficient light- emitting diodes(LEDs) as opposed to halogen lamps.Now available in select internationalmarkets, the new lights do not re-quire bulb replacement and producewhite, bright light with a color tem-perature of 5,500ºK, providing care-givers with a superior light that offersindustry-leading lumen performanceand 50,000 hours of life.

“Our new suite of medical exam lightsare designed to fit any healthcareenvironment from OB/GYN offices tothe surgicenter,” said Jörg Ringwald,

that is connectivity-ready and de-signed for use in settings where flexi-bility and efficiency are of utmostimportance. The Welch Allyn CP50™ ECG has an intuitive design andfunctionality and offers the speed andpower of a fully-featured ECG in acompact, portable size. In additionto administering patient tests at thepush of a button, the device can inter-face with the Welch Allyn CardioPer-fect™ Workstation Software toconnect patient data to an electronichealth record (EHR) system, healthinformation system (HIS), over theInternet, or through e-mail.

Scheduled for worldwide release inthe coming months, the CP 50 pro-vides on-screen instructions that savetime and ensure accurate data cap-ture by highlighting poor signals andconnections.

The device comes equipped with anintegrated high-resolution thermalprinter that generates ECG reports incustomizable formats. The optionalMEANS interpretation program pro-vides a second silent opinion. Finally,a full range of connectivity solutionsare available that allow paperlessarchiving and flexible connectivityoptions.

“Connectivity is having a profoundimpact on the way we develop ourproducts,” added Shimer. “Patientsafety and sustainability are primaryconcerns—in hospitals, remote clin-ics, and physician offices.

We are designing products that offergreater efficiency and more connec-tivity options to help shape the futureof healthcare delivery beyond tradi-tional approaches to connect, man-age, and share patientinformation—and improve patientcare in the process.”

Welch Allyn

Welch Allyn Advances Health-care Delivery by ConvergingTraditional Diagnostics Devic-es with Latest in ElectronicConnectivity Technology.

New diagnostic products to beintroduced at Arab Health2010

At Arab Health in January 2010Welch Allyn will showcase its newestsuite of core diagnostics product of-ferings that feature next-generationelectronic connectivity technology.In addition to introducing a new ener-gy-efficient medical exam light andoffering visitors an exclusive previewof a new portable electrocardiograph,the company’s state-of-the-art display,complete with touch-screen kiosksand Mobile Clinical Assistant tablets,will add a high-tech dimension to theinteractive demonstrations.

“At Arab Health Welch Allyn will fea-ture our electronic connected solu-tions which offer significant clinicaland economical benefits to provid-ers,” says Welch Allyn President andCEO Julie Shimer. “This is the directresult of the growing demand for de-vice connectivity playing a greaterrole in healthcare delivery.”

The company will preview a new,lightweight electrocardiograph (ECG)


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international frontline care managerat Welch Allyn.

“They give caregivers enhanced visual-ization of the exam area using whiter,brighter light, and the energy efficien-cy of the LED technology provides alower cost of ownership.”The white LEDs used in the WelchAllyn Green Series Medical ExamLights provide true tissue color rendi-tion and a uniform spot—no dark orhot spots—and no heat dissipation forgreater patient comfort and safety.The touchless auto on/off and intensi-ty control features reduce the risk ofinfections due to cross-contamination,and the ergonomic design simplifiescleaning.

“We are excited to offer caregivershigh-performance LED exam lightsthat can improve examinations andsave them money at the same time,”added Ringwald.

“Providers are under constant pressureto save time, screen and diagnoseaccurately, and treat patients quicklywithout compromising care.

Company profile

Welch Allyn is a privately-held com-pany, best known as one of theworld’s leading manufacturers ofadvanced medical diagnostic andtherapeutic instruments, electronicvital signs measurement devicesand patient monitoring systems—with manufacturing, R&D, salesand distribution operations in NorthAmerica, Europe, Africa and AsiaPacific.

Recognized by Fortune magazineas one of the 100 Best Companiesto Work For in America, WelchAllyn is proud of its progressiveworkplace policies and health andwellness initiatives for all employ-ees.

Headquartered in Skaneateles Falls,New York, USA, Welch Allyn em-ploys approximately 2,500 peopleand has numerous manufacturing,sales, and distribution facilities lo-cated throughout the world.

By offering more features and benefitson our new line of medical exam lights,we help reduce these pressures so prac-titioners can be more productive andfocus on their most important task—enhancing patient care.”


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to Düsseldorf from the Asian growthmarkets and the Arab region. 4,324exhibitors from around 60 nationsoffered visitors a clearly segmentedline-up with a plethora of new prod-ucts, systems and services for theentire process chain in both in andout-patient care.

Commenting on the continued goodresponse from both exhibitors andvisitors, Wilhelm Niedergöker, Man-aging Director at Messe Düsseldorfsaid: "The short innovation cycle inthis industry is a crucial success fac-tor of the world’s No.1 event for thesector - MEDICA. After all, the mostexciting innovations are presentedhere year after year. The second eco-nomic stimulus package initiated by

the Federal German Government withits associated investment aid to thetune of EUR 1.4 billion for Germanhospitals attracted to MEDICA a highnumber of decision-makers, also fromdomestic hospitals, after several yearsof 'abstention'."

The developments emerging in thefield of imaging, in particular, prompt-ed plenty of conversation topicsamong MEDICA visitors. Worth men-tioning here is a new generation ofultrasound devices designed for diag-nostic purposes with nerve diseases.Special surface ultrasonic probesmake it possible to not only image thenerve but also the surrounding tissuestructures. This makes nerve tumours,nerve inflammations or injuries visible.

MEDICA Review

MEDICA celebrates successfulanniversary - Companies pres-ent a sparkling array of productinnovations plus tailor-made ser-vices

The specialists from hospitals and doc-tors’ surgeries obviously did not wantto miss out on the 40th anniversary ofMEDICA. Over the four days of theevent this, the world’s largest medicaltrade fair, held from 18 to 21 Novem-ber 2009, registered almost 138,000trade visitors from over 100 countries.

45% of visitors came from abroad, aparticularly high number also travelled


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Beyond this, the numerous innova-tions launched at MEDICA 2009 havealso confirmed the continued trendtowards home health care and tele-medical applications. While in thepast electronic thermometers were theonly medical devices to be found inprivate homes, these days we see theadvent of measuring devices for awide variety of vital data such as miniECG sets, for instance.

On show at MEDICA 2009 were vari-ous heart monitoring systems that areincorporated in clothing. These sys-tems are currently still in the experi-mental stage. They are comfortable towear and make for uncomplicated pa-tient monitoring over extended peri-ods of time.

The MEDICA Congress once again hada wide range of topics in store this year.The international continuous medicaleducation module in English, whichwas included in the programme for thefirst time, attracted a great deal ofattention. Here integral diagnosticsand therapy in the fields of oncology,patient monitoring at ORs/ICUs andtrends in the area of heart surgery were

the focal themes that met with profes-sional delegates’ avid interest.

“Hospital Policy after the General Elec-tions” was the theme guiding the32nd German Hospital Conference.2,215 participants gathered informa-tion on the latest planned health poli-cies of the different political parties inthe German Parliament for the 17thlegislative period and their potentialfinancial impact on hospitals.

COMPAMED 2009 attract-ed over 16,000 visitors

Even more visitor attention wasattracted by COMPAMED 2009,the trade fair starting in parallelwith MEDICA and drawing to aclose on Friday 20 November.

Over 16,000 of the 138,000 tradevisitors took a special interest in thesubjects covered by the leading inter-national trade fair for supplies to med-ical manufacturing.In Halls 8a and 8b a total of 518exhibitors from 35 nations providedinsights into their product and devel-opment know-how: from componentsand individual assemblies, micro sys-tem technology and nanotechnologyapplications to solutions for custommanufacturing.A focal theme of the product market-place called “High-Tech for MedicalDevices” organised by IVAM, theProfessional Association for Micro-Technology, and the COMPAMEDForum were aspects of product devel-opment and high-technology compo-nents for processing medicalproducts.


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Interview with SidhilManaging Director,James Ibbotson

Voted “Young Business Personof the Year” by the Halifax Cou-rier, James Ibbotson has had ameteoric rise, within a decade,from a graduate internship atthe company to MD of the UK’sleading manufacturer of hospi-tal and community healthcareequipment.

James began his career with Sidhil inJune 1998, joining the company origi-nally on a graduate internship, work-ing closely with the manufacturingdirector as a junior manager and

‘troubleshooter’. His potential was rec-ognized early by the Board of Direc-tors, and his training was kept asflexible as possible to maximize hisexposure to all aspects of thecompany’s business.When the company moved manufac-turing premises from Boothtown toHolmfield following acquisition of ifthe former Crosrol site, James played a

cutting equipment at the Holmfieldsite. James explains, ”This develop-ment has expanded production capac-ity and added new dimensions tomanufacturing accuracy and qualitycontrol, as well as bringing significantbenefits in terms of improved productdesign and efficiency, which has im-pacted positively on the company’sability to bring new product to marketquickly and efficiently.” In 2008 James took on the role ofOperations Director, then took his cur-rent position of MD in January 2009.James’s vision for the future of Sidhil isbuilt around the company’s UK manu-facturing facility, the ability to inno-vate and to bring relevant products tomarket quickly and cost effectively.

“Since 2008 Sidhil has seen turnovergrow from £10 million to over £14million, with projections to exceed£17 million in the coming financialyear, despite the economic climate.We have ambitious growth plans andJames Ibbotson Managing Director

leading role in planning and imple-menting the move. At Holmfield, hetook on the role of Production Manag-er, driving the new layout for produc-tion processes to optimize workflow.

“This involved utilizing the spaceavailable to restructure manufactur-ing operations, implementing flexibleand efficient manufacturing process-es to cater for high volume alongsidethe production of more bespoke prod-ucts in line with changing demand inthe healthcare market”, James toldMEH.In 2004 he moved to the commercialside of the business to gain a broaderperspective of the industry and thechallenges inherent in supplying thediverse market sectors in which Si-dhil operates. After two years as Terri-tory Sales Manager for the Midlandsregion, James became Factory Man-ager in 2006. In this role, he wasresponsible for the successful installa-tion of the advanced CN Lasertbe


December 2009 | 15

expect to achieve these through signif-icant investment in R&D and productdevelopment, aiming to be the marketleader in beds and surfaces in thecommunity sector and a major playersupplying both acute hospital equip-ment and GP furniture. This will besupported by the planned launch of anumber of new and highly innovativeproducts throughout 2009/2010.”The first of these products has alreadybeen launched and has met with uni-versal industry approval, the new In-dependence Innov8 hospital wardbed. The bed was showcased at Medi-ca in November. Asked about thelaunch and James told MEH that, “TheInnov8 bed was very well received by

our established overseas distributorsas well as new potential distributorsand customers. This was the first timethat the bed has been seen outside ofthe UK so we are very pleased withthe reaction. Medica 2009 sur-passed all of our expectations, espe-cially in the sourcing of newdistributors- which was our primaryobjective for being there. Our Exportstrategy for 2010 is to continue toseek out new markets and install aneffective distributor network. Whilstwe have global ambitions, the MiddleEast will be our primary area of focus.”Asked what singles the Innov8 bed outfrom the competition James said,

“Apart from incorporating superb ergo-

Company profile

Sidhil is the UK's leading manufacturer of hospital beds and ward furniture, community loan store beds andequipment, GP surgery plinths, couches and furniture, residential/nursing care home beds and furniture, andequipment for daily living.The family owned business has been in existence for 110 years. Everyone, from the newest recruit to the Chairman,is dedicated to supporting the healthcare professional, while at the same time Sidhil is part of the privately ownedSiddall & Hilton Group of companies, a multimillion pound organisation providing tremendous financial stability.Based in the heart of beautiful Yorkshire, Sidhil is home to a dedicated team of healthcare professionals. All thefunctions of the company - product development, sales, manufacturing, customer service, and accounts - are housedin their advanced manufacturing facility.

nomics with unquestionable reliabili-ty, the USP of our Innov8 range ofbeds is that they are manufacturedwith Biocote. Biocote is an antimicro-bial ingredient that utilizes silver prop-erties which inhibits the growth of awide range of micro organisms thusforming an effective part of infectioncontrol and hygiene practice.

“We are delighted that the Innov8 bedhas been nominated for a MiddleEast Hospital Healthcare and Ino-vation award especially as this prod-uct has only just been launched in ouroverseas markets. We know we havesomething a little bit special with thisproduct and perhaps this nominationsupports our somewhat biased view!”


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Overweight and Adipositas (obesity)are main risk factors for diseases suchas metabolic syndrome or diabetesmellitus.

Regularly monitoring your weightwith personal or diagnostic scalesfrom Beurer and maintaining a nor-mal, healthy weight are needed tocounteract these diseases. For ahealthy diet, Beurer has created theperfect partner with a diet-kitchenscale.

With the data for 1,000 differenttypes of foods stored into its memory,the scale can calculate the amount ofcalories, kilojoules, fat, bread units,protein, carbohydrates and cholester-ol for the food weighed. This enables

a quick and precise way to controldiet and nutrition.

The diagnostic and therapy devicesfrom Beurer help recognise diseasesearly, offer relief from them or moni-tor their development. With a wide-ranging assortment of upper arm andwrist blood pressure monitors, inhala-tors and blood glucose monitors,Beurer offers patients medical devic-es of the highest quality and healthconscious individuals the necessaryequipment for recognisingpossible dangers at an early stage.

“Thanks to our collaborations withindependent testing institutes, such asthe German Hypertension Society orthe German Diabetes Foundation, weare able to ensure the high standardof quality that we have for our prod-

Medica 2009 -

Beurer

90 Years of Experience – 90Years of Innovation – 90 Years ofHealth & Wellness

The specialist for medical diagnos-tics and prevention: Beurer at Med-ica 2009

In the 90th year of its existence, theUlm-based company Beurer present-ed itself at Medica this year along withnumerous new products – underscor-ing its position as a specialist in healthcare, medicaldiagnostics and therapy.

Beurer, with its wide-ranging portfolio,is a reliable partner in health care andtherapy and offers made-to-order prod-ucts for every area. This includesblood pressure and blood glucosemonitors, nebulizers and even ther-mometers in the medical sector. Addi-tionally, products such as personalscales, kitchen scales, heart rate moni-tors or the AS50 activity sensor form aunique combination with which Beur-er impressively demonstrates its role asprevention specialist.

Health care and diagnostics & therapyare the pillars of the Beurer preventionsystem. Common chronic diseasessuch as diabetes mellitus or metabolicsyndrome can be prevented and highblood pressure reduced. Three essen-tial factors play a critical role: exercise,a normal, healthy weight and a dietfocused on eating healthy foods. Withheart rate monitors or the new AS50activity sensor from Beurer, you canoptimally adjust your daily activitylevel and, if needed, even transfer thedata to a PC for evaluation.


December 2009 | 17

Regular checks can help detect hyper-tension early or help keep high bloodpressure under control.The common problem with previoushome devices can be that there wasno way of knowing whether users hadthe necessary mental and physicalrelaxed to accurately check theirblood pressure. The market leader inblood pressure monitors has nowsolved this problem with the so calledresting heart rate indicator.

A response after the measuring pro-cess has completed signals whetherusers are relaxed enough and, if thatis not the case, requests that they tryagain. Beurer has integrated the rest-ing heart rate indicator into three newblood pressure monitors and each

ucts and can pass that on to our cus-tomers. Beurer only considers thelaunch of a medical product as com-plete when it has received positiveresults from every possible testing au-thority and the product is available onthe market. That’s why we are espe-cially pleased to be able to introducea total of seven new blood pressuremonitors at Medica this year,” com-mentsKerstin Kreuchauf, Head of Marketingat Beurer.

World’s First Resting Heart RateIndicator revolutionises how bloodpressure is checked at home

Measuring blood pressure at home isno longer a problem thanks to theemergence of modern devices.

offers the utmost in accuracy, reli-ability and precision.

Blood pressure measurementsshould be taken in a state of mentaland physical relaxation. Various cir-cumstances can lead to the neces-sary resting blood pressure not beingachieved and thereby making themeasured values unreliable.The resting heart rate indicator,which Beurer is introducing in threenew blood pressure devices, pro-vides the necessary accuracy byshowing users whether the data isreliable.

Along with the resting heart rate indi-cator, the new blood pressure moni-tors BM70, BM60 and BC60 alsooffer additional features which makechecking blood pressure at homecomfortable and reliable, while en-suring absolute precision.

About Beurer

Specialist health and wellbeing com-pany Beurer was founded in 1919.The first company to manufactureheating pads in Germany, Beurertoday offers a broadly based portfo-lio spanning electric blankets, heat-ed pillows, underblankets, bloodpressure and blood sugar monitors,body temperature thermometers,kitchen and personal scales, mas-sage, therapy and beauty treatmentproducts and pulse watches.

The Ulm-based company operates aglobal distribution network extend-ing throughout more than 80 coun-tries, and currently has around 350employees.

Find out more at www.beurer-medical.de and www.beurer.de.


December 2009 | 18

Medica 2009-

Medsmart Solutions

Based in the United Kingdom,Medsmart Solutions is a dynam-ic organisation which is dedi-cated to the manufacture andsupply of innovative clinicaltechnology products to the glob-al healthcare industry.

Medsmart are a family of companies,which includes both Biovision Medi-cal Limited and Orthopaedic Innova-tion Limited, both of whom arecommitted to producing products ofthe highest quality for this specialisedmarket.

Robert Woodcock, Marketing Manag-er, explains, “Our expertise in thisfield is supported by over 25 yearsexperience working closely with sur-geons and healthcare professionalsthroughout the world. We fully under-stand their needs and take pride in

Our sales team our now busy re-sponding to those enquiries and theresults so far are very encouraging.Certainly we feel that the eventhelped raise the profile of MedsmartSolutions significantly and we haveno doubt that it was the perfect vehi-cle for showcasing our product range.Looking to the future we are expect-ing a steep increase in internationalsales as a result of exhibiting at Medi-ca 2009.”

Product focus:The SmartPower™ range fromOrthopaedic Innovation.

Single use, completely disposable,pre-sterilsed and ready to use highperformance surgical power equip-ment.Designed and manufactured in theUnited States, the SmartPower™range of Sternum, Oscillating andReciprocating Saws, Drills and Ream-ers are a cut above the rest, providingpower on demand wherever andwhenever you need it. Lightweight,easy to handle and never found want-ing, the SmartPower™ range is readyto use ‘fresh out of the box’ and at theend of each procedure theyare simply disposed of cleanly andefficiently. Indeed, every part of theunit can be destroyed easily, leavingno harmful residues.

Using the SmartPower™ range sur-geons and theatre staff can be confi-

being able to supply products andservices that more than meet theirspecifications and the expectations oftheir patients.”Orthopaedic Innovation manufacturea range of specialist instruments andconsumables for use in orthopaedicsurgical procedures.

Biovision Medical distributes a rangeof Demineralised Bone Allograftproducts in a variety of forms such asblock, crunch and putty, and canarrange for direct delivery of soft tis-sue such as ligaments and tendons.Medsmart recently exhibited theirproduct range at Medica ’09 in No-vember. Mr Woodcock told MEH,

“We were very pleased with the exhi-bition as a whole.

There was certainly a great deal ofinterest shown in our products, partic-ularly our range of single use, dispos-able surgical power tools. We alsohad numerous enquiries for theSmartpulse, our pulse lavage tool, aswell as our range of DBM Allograftproducts.


December 2009 | 19

cemented, press-fit or revisions. TheSmartpulse™ is a versatile instrumentwhich combines convenience andpower for the removal of necrotictissue, bacteria and foreign materialwhilst providing controlled pressurefor efficient cleansing and irrigation.The single use system is supplied in adouble sterile pack and includes alightweight hand piece, two tips, oneof which is a dual cone splash shieldtip, designed for optimal fluid con-tainment, therefore helping to controlthe dangers associated with transientspray.The easy set up system is battery pow-ered and features trigger controlledpressure settings to deliver either apowerful cleaning action or a gentlelavage for soft tissue. Concurrent suc-tion and irrigation thoroughly re-moves debris and contaminantswithout flooding the operative site.

SmartCages™ and SmartSpac-ers™ are the latest addition to therange of specialist products offeredby Orthopaedic Innovation Limited.

Featuring a rounded rim to preservethe surrounding structures during in-sertion, a large area in which to placebone graft and produced in TitaniumG5 and Peek Optima - a polymer

with exceptional bio compatible test-ed qualities - the SmartCage™ Cervi-cal Cages are designed to allow theperfect union of the cage with thecervical plates.

The anatomic shape of the cages alsoadapts perfectly to the intervertebralspace giving it favourable contactwith the subcondrol bone.

In addition, all the contact surfacesare serrated, a design feature whichmakes primary fixation much easier.

For more information call +44(0)1909 550869 or visit the websiteat -

www.orthopaedicinnovation.com

dent that their equipment is 100%reliable every time, completely elimi-nating ‘downtime’ due to equipmentfailures, the need for re-sterilisationand any associated maintenancecosts.

The SmartPower™ Sternum Saw issupplied pre-assembled with a blade.The Oscillating Saw is shipped with-out blades but features a universallocking hub which will accept anystandard blades and the Reciprocat-ing Saw has a similar feature whichallows the fitting of standard recipro-cating saw blades.

The SmartPower™ Reamer also fea-tures a universal locking hub whichaccepts the Zimmer/Hall chuck andthe SmartPower™ Drill requires theuse of a Trinkle™ chuck whichcomes pre-sterilised and ready to use.A selection of sterile accessories isalso available to adapt the units toaccept a host of different bits.

Smartpulse™, SmartCages™and SmartSpacers™

The fully disposable single use Smart-pulse™ for smooth and efficientwound debridement has been devel-oped for use in total joint procedures,


December 2009 | 20

Medica 2009-

Medibord

Innovation in medical compos-ites

Medibord Ltd, from Nottingham in theUK, have launched the world’s firstfully x-ray translucent and non-con-ductive material for a range of couchtops and patient positioning devices.

Medibord™ is a unique and innova-tive MRI, CT and radiotherapy compat-ible material. Unlike carbon fibrealternatives, Medibord has been de-signed to be fully x-ray translucent andnon-conductive ensuring no heatingoccurs with MRI giving no artefactsand enabling accurate software imageoverlay.

Jonathan Richards, CEO of Medibord,told MEH, “We were delighted withthe launch of the Medibord™ at Medi-ca 2009 which received an excellentresponse from the OEM suppliers ofMRI and CT equipment as well aspotential distribution partners. Due to

its unique transparency and our abili-ty to bespoke manufacture to suit anymachine or specific need it appearsthat the Medibord™ can offer a num-ber of substantial benefits comparedto carbon fibre.

“There is also the potential for use forveterinary care and in particular itsuse for equine imaging and treatment.We hope to be exhibiting or at leasthave a presence at the forthcomingArab Health Exhibition as we see theMiddle East as one of our key globalmarkets”

Mr Richards continues, “With thechallenges that today’s world faces,there are increasing demands to sup-ply a service or product that offersexceptional value for money whilstproviding an innovative, environmen-tally positive and sustainable solution.The lightweight, reinforced thermo-plastic panel is ideally suited for anumber of applications in the medi-cal sector but provides a unique ad-vantage due to its MRI and CTcompatibility.”

Successful clinical trials carried outby the British Healthcare Service at

the Nottingham University Hospitalshave proved the Medibord™ to be arevolutionary material for the use inradiotherapy and MRI scans and treat-ment.Medibord™ has CE certification andthe Company is seeking partners topromote their unique and competitiverange of solutions to the global medi-cal and healthcare market.www.medibord.com

It uses its unique fusion method ofmanufacture to offer the followingbenefits:

Lightweight - less than 4.5kg/m²Rigid - impressive strength to weightratioRobust - high impact resistance offerssuperb durabilityEcological - 100% recyclableMRI Compatible - uniquely magneto-radio translucentModular - ability to form and offer 2Dfor shaping cost effective ancillaries


December 2009 | 21

Downs Surgicaladvert to go here


December 2009 | 22

Medica 2009-

Yorkshire’s Healthcare innova-tion receives worldwide recog-nition at MEDICA

Yorkshire Healthcare Technologiescompanies are poised to do recordexport business after a highly suc-cessful exhibition at MEDICA

Throughout the show regional compa-nies exhibited their cutting edge inno-vations on the Yorkshire Pavilion,which was co-sponsored by MedilinkYorkshire & Humber (Y&H) – the or-ganisation dedicated to the growth ofthe Healthcare Technologies sector -and Yorkshire Forward, the regionaldevelopment agency.The 10 companies on the Pavilionincluded Biosign, Brenmoor, METRC,Paxman Coolers, Platts and Nisbett,Surgical Innovations, Tissuemed, TrioHealthcare, Tomorrow Options andZilico.

Jim Farmery, Assistant Direct for Busi-ness at Yorkshire Forward, said:

“Healthcare innovation is one of theregion’s rapidly emerging industriesand these companies, through theirinnovation, have earned the chance tofly the flag for Yorkshire and Humberacross the world.

“Their success should act as a catalystfor further investment in the regionand encourage the progress of otherbusinesses in the sector.”

Some of the pioneering Yorkshire prod-ucts on display at the show includedSheffield based Zilico’s hand-held de-vice that offers a more accurate detec-tion of cervical cancer in real time;removing several weeks of waiting fora diagnosis.

The next generation in scalp coolerswas also unveiled at the show byPaxman Coolers from Huddersfield.It provides cancer patients with thebest possible chance of retainingtheir hair whilst undergoing chemo-therapy treatment.

Doncaster based Biosign launchedtheir new range of signs that kill99.99% of superbug bacteria includ-ing MRSA at the show. The signshave silver ionisation layer whichprovides a robust anti-microbial pro-tection that stops bacteria buildingup on the surface.

Also from Sheffield, Platts & Nisbettused the event to highlight their be-spoke ‘made to measure’ surgicalinstrument service. The companymanufacture all their products in-house, which means they are able toaccommodate unusual and bespokerequests.

Finally a world leading laparoscopicdevice, which is described as an

‘innovative cost effective solution’ bysurgeons worldwide gained world-wide interest at the show. Showcasedby Leeds based Surgical Innovations,The Logi™Flex is a flexible laparoscop-ic device which uses pioneering flextechnology to offer surgeons betterrigidity during delicate surgical proce-dures.


December 2009 | 23

ADAM ROUILLY

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December 2009 | 24

rope, Asia, Australia, North andSouth America.

Globalization begins from inside.Since BrainLAB employs people fromover 30 countries, speaking as manydifferent languages, the official lan-guage at BrainLAB is English.About 600 employees work in theMunich headquarters, including the200 R&D engineers who form a ma-jor part of the product developmentteam.

Employees are focused and dynamic,and together create an innovativeand inspiring environment character-ized by democratic processes.

Important product development deci-sions are made as the result of anon-going interdisciplinary exchangeinvolving software and hardware en-gineers, clinical application special-ists, technicians and marketingprofessionals.

BrainLab

BrainLAB develops, manufacturesand markets software-driven medicaltechnology that enables proceduresthat are more precise, less invasive,and therefore less expensive thantraditional treatments.

Among the core products are image-guided systems that provide highlyaccurate real-time information usedfor navigation during surgical proce-dures. This utility has been furtherexpanded to serve as a computerterminal for physicians to more effec-tively access and interpret diagnosticscans and other digital medical infor-mation for better informed decisions.BrainLAB solutions allow expansionfrom a single system to operatingsuites to digitally integrated hospitalscovering all subspecialties from neu-rosurgery, orthopedics, ENT, CMF tospine & trauma and oncology.

With more than 3300 systems in-stalled in over 75 countries, Brain-LAB is a market leader inimage-guided technology. The pri-vately held BrainLAB group, foundedin 1989, is headquartered in Munich,Germany, and today employs around950 people in 16 offices across Eu-


December 2009 | 25

Mission

At BrainLAB, we are dedicated firstand foremost to people. To that end,we focus on the development of hightechnology products that help forge aglobal medical standard and advancehealth care.

Our goals are unswerving—to providethe best possible technology to benefit

Technology

BrainLAB has developed a navigationsystem for the human body. With thistechnology, target volumes of braintumors, for example, can be localizedwith great accuracy to either attack thetumor with high-precision radiation orto remove it with minimally invasivesurgery. In addition, the navigationsystem already supports precise place-ment of screws in the spine and nowprovides total hip and knee replace-ment navigation.Common treatment options for braintumors or arteriovenous malforma-tions are open craniotomy with orwithout complementary radiotherapy.However, functional disorders are of-ten located in areas of the brain thatare difficult for the neurosurgeon to

patients worldwide, and to developthe highest quality products and serv-ices to satisfy the needs and exceedthe expectations of our customers.

To achieve this, we have assembledan organization of professionals whobelieve that the pursuit of excellencehas no finish line.

Stefan Vilsmeier, CEO

BrainLAB at a Glance

1989 Founding of BrainLAB in Mu-nichCore business: medical softwaresolutions for Orthopedics, Neuro-surgery, ENT and Radiosurgery

More than 3300 systems installedworldwide950 employees; approx. 600 at theMunich headquarters200 R&D engineers200 service engineers

Locations16 offices worldwideHeadquarters and production:Feldkirchen (by Munich)

Other international offices:Paris, Madrid, London, Milan, SaoPaulo, Chicago, Sydney, Dubai,New Delhi, Seoul, Kuala Lumpur,Tokyo, Singapore, Hong Kong andBeijing


December 2009 | 26

access. In cases where common treat-ment options cannot be employed orcan only be employed with consider-able risk for the patient, BrainLABsystems for minimally invasive neuro-surgery and radiosurgery offer newpossibilities.

For some indications, radiosurgeryrepresents an alternative treatmentmethod for brain tumor patients whocannot undergo conventional neuro-surgery for clinical reasons. This treat-ment is non-invasive and does notrequire anesthesia.

The patient is usually able to returnhome the same day. Since radiosur-

gery can be applied on an outpatientbasis, costs are reduced considerably,and a patient's quality of life is im-proved.

Even tumors in other parts of thebody can now be successfully treatedwith the high-precision radiosurgerysystem Novalis® Tx from BrainLABand Varian.

BrainLAB offers integrated solutionsthat bring medical centers to a newlevel of integration and patient careby providing the infrastructure andsupport for the most effective accessand management of digital medicalinformation. By enabling physicians

to effectively select and analyze criti-cal information when it is needed most,BrainLAB solutions help to enhancedecision-making, for better treatmentoutcomes.

BrainLAB offers a flexible and holisticintegrated medical building block sys-tem for hospitals that comprises im-age-guided technology for surgery,radiotherapy and drug delivery. Acomprehensive portfolio of innovativeand ergonomic solutions caters toeach hospital's clinical, technical andeconomic requirements.More information can be found on theBrainLab website:/www.brainlab.com


December 2009 | 27

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December 2009 | 28

Specialist article

The future of oncology andcancer therapy

With cancer soon to replacecardiovascular disease as theworld’s biggest killer, ClausSchwing (Biomedical Engineer,Ulrichstein) looks at the recentprogress that has been made inthe diagnosis and treatment ofcancer, and the challenges stillto be overcome.

Modern diagnostic and treatment con-cepts in oncology are a "classic topic"of MEDICA in Düsseldorf. For MEDICA2009 they were also the focus of thenew international series of English lan-guage programs at the MEDICA con-vention. Under the direction of Prof.Dr. Jürgen Debus and Prof. Dr. Hans-U.Kauczor at the University of Heidel-berg Medical Centre, innovative waysof integrated cancer diagnosis, andcancer therapy that use suitable imag-ing techniques and systems for deter-mining findings, were presented at theMEDCIA Congress this year.Irrespective of the diverse possibilitiesthat were touched upon during MEDI-CA 2009 by the medical offerings ofexhibitors as well as in the presenta-tions at the convention, the presenttherapeutic procedures have reachedtheir limits. The alternative to the stan-dard concept: Diagnostics and therapy

in the future should be focused onthe genetics of the individual patient.The European Commission alongwith private industry will invest twobillion Euros in identifying biomark-ers. Laboratory medicine is ready toface the challenge.

By the end of this year, it is suspectedthat cancer will have replaced cardio-vascular disease as the main disease-related cause of death throughout theworld.

During the coming year, it is estimat-ed that twelve million new instancesof neoplastic disease will occurthroughout the world and that sevenmillion people will die from a malig-nant tumour - according to the prog-nosis of the WHO Institute for CancerResearch (CIRC).

"There is no doubt that the great ex-pectations have not been fulfilled,"although there has been "enormousprogress" in some types of cancer, sosaid the Nobel prize winner and CEOof the German Cancer Research Cen-tre in Heidelberg, Professor Haraldzur Hausen as he expressed his reser-vations about the limited success inthe campaign against cancer.

To combat the diverse causes for thedevelopment of cancer (there areover 200 types of cancer), medicine -despite its impressive therapeuticprogress - only has a limited numberof effective tools available. The re-sult: Every second person sufferingfrom cancer will die of the disease.Health economists look on with de-spair when they see new medicationsbeing used in oncology that are up to300 percent more expensive thanstandard preparations and yet only20 percent of cancer patients re-spond to them. Since these 20 per-cent cannot be identified beforetherapy because corresponding bio-

logical markers are unavailable, 80percent of the patients are accordinglysubjected to an extremely expensiveand yet ultimately useless therapy.

Attacking the cancer cell atdifferent levels

Science has been able to decipher thesignal pathways in the tumour cell; itis roughly known what occurs within.And yet "two-thirds of patients do notrespond to therapy," states ProfessorGuido Adler, Chairman of the HealthAdvisory Board in the Federal Ministryfor Education and Research when re-ferring to the dilemma as it is knownto exist for intestinal cancer. Accord-ing to Adler, it is necessary to attackthe cancer cell at different levels simul-taneously; thus, treatment proceduresmust be used in combination. Theobjective is to develop "custom-madetreatment concepts".

Thus, the search goes on to obtain theright therapy for the right patient. De-spite identical diseases and identicaltherapy, patients respond in a dramati-cally different way. Treatment should


December 2009 | 29

be adapted insofar as possible to theindividual biology of the tumour. Thealternative to the only with limitationssuitable principle of "one medicationfor all" is an individualised therapythat requires individualised laboratorydiagnostics.

And the way to individualised medi-cine passes through molecular genet-ics. Personal gene patterns of patientsthat are routinely analysed are thebasis on which custom-made medica-tions are subsequently created. Thefuture of molecular diagnostics couldbe as follows: The laboratory assistantdraws a blood sample, places it into anautomated sequencer and obtains aprintout of the tumour's building plantogether with treatment recommenda-tions for attacking the tumour at itsgenetically weak point.Even if such a personalised genomeanalysis of neoplastic diseases werepossible in the future, it could not bepaid for using present technology. Thesequencing of the genome took sever-al months and cost more than onemillion Euros.

The limits of individualisedcancer therapy

Thus, the concept of an individualisedcancer therapy presently still appearsto be unrealistic. On the other hand,scientists consider it realistic to identi-fy risk groups and to design a some-what more specific course of therapyby using genetic tests.

A biochip is already available thathelps estimate the risk of progressionfor a disease such as breast cancer.This genetic test detects the activity of70 genes that participate in the cellularproliferation of breast tumours. It isassumed that the ability to form metas-tases is genetically set in the tumour

cell. Thus, it becomes possible to al-ready determine the risk of recurrencein the primary tumour. One in threebreast cancer patients will developmalignant metastases in subsequentyears.A different example is the pancreaticcarcinoma: Already before startingchemotherapy in pancreatic cancer, itis possible to reliably predict how ef-fective certain chemotherapeuticagents will be. In any case, this is apossibility according to a workinggroup in the field of pancreas researchat the Klinikum rechts der Isar in Mu-nich.

And it is possible that enzymes couldbe an indicator of the response tocancer medications. Enzymes are in-volved in the degradation of drugs inthe body. Since enzymes vary signifi-cantly from person to person, a person-al enzyme profile can improve theactive agent and dose selection of can-cer medications.On the long road to individualisedcancer therapy, specific medications

called "targeted cancer therapeutics"have recently become available. Ifthe usual classical chemotherapeu-tics act like steam rollers that non-specifically unfold their toxic cellulareffects, then the new groups of activeagents are targeted and cytostatic.Their side effects are not nearly asdramatic and bothersome as those ofthe agents used in standard cyclictherapy. However, the new substanc-es must be taken over a long periodof time. Barely one dozen such prepa-rations have been approved for use sofar. (Statistics: German Society for Pathol-ogy)


December 2009 | 30

Health o meter Advert onthis page


December 2009 | 31

Health o meter®Professional InnovativeScales

New in the Arab Health Region

The manufacturer of Health o meter®Professional, the world's most recog-nized brand in patient weighing scales,Pelstar LLC, has been supplying hospi-tal quality scales in the Middle East /Arab Hospital region for over 5 years,and is a certified ISO 13485 companycommitted to offering its customerspremium quality scales at the rightprice.The company recognizes the manydemands distributors and healthcareprofessionals face now and recentlyintroduced ProPlus® -- a new line of10 innovative scales for hospital, clini-cal and physician uses. The weighingcapacity of this new line varies byscale and goes up to 1000 lb / 454kg.All models are printer, computer orEMR / EHR ready, to reduce errors andsave time in use. Additionally, thecompany provides a 3-year manufac-turer's warranty on all these scales.

Nick Anastasi, International SalesManager for the company, has beenworking with distributors in the Mid-dle East / Arab Hospital region, provid-ing training and support for this newline of high quality, well-designedscales. He comments that "ProPlus®is not only innovative and designed tomeet modern healthcare requirements,

but these scales also provide the low-est cost of ownership in use."

The new ProPlus® line provides dura-ble, non-skid platforms and LB/KGconversion with a lockout option toincrease safety in use. Patient safety,ease of use and operator-friendly op-tions are also standard in other Healtho meter® Professional scales.Since 1919 Health o meter® Profes-sional has been the healthcare indus-try's leading scale brand, designingand selling premiere weighing instru-ments to professionals throughout theworld.

Three years ago, Health o meter® wasthe first physician scale brand to offera complete solution for EMR develop-ers and providers to integrate patientscales into their systems and has afree Software Development Kit forEMR integration available. As a mar-ket leader, the company saw develop-

ing a solution for this importantconnectivity between device and datamanagement systems as imperativeand as part of its commitment to themedical community and patientsworldwide.

Health practitioners and pediatriciansweigh or take the height of their pa-tients or clients with Health o meter®Professional products in doctor's offic-es, clinics, hospitals, long term care,bariatric, therapeutic and fitness facili-ties, professional home health caregiver settings, veterinary and otherlocations where precision is importantaround the clock.

This new line of scales is another ex-ample of the scale expertise andknowledge the company has broughtto professionals over the past century.Built into ProPlus® scales are 270Patient memory, multiple data ports,exclusive tare functionality, customiz-


December 2009 | 32

able weight display options, user-friendly data entry screens that areeasy to understand, motion-sensingtechnology to compensate for patientmovement, Body Mass Index (BMI)calculation and troubleshooting diag-nostics.

ProPlus® scales are all factory calibrat-ed and include patented features thatinclude self calibration, so no testweights are required. The 180? swiveldisplay head is easy to use, and easyto read. The handrail scales have "live"handrails for patient stability. The fullpage ad in this issue provides moredetails about these scales.

Over the years, the company has re-ceived numerous awards, recognizedby many distributors as their preferredsupplier. Dan Maeir, CEO of the com-pany, told Middle East Hospital that

"Our continued success stems from ourcommitment to innovation, dependa-bility, dedication to customers and

eight decades of technical expertisethat allow us to provide innovationto a greater scale™."

He added, "While doctors have trust-ed the Health o meter® name andreliability for nearly a century, theirpatients have also come to recognizethe promise of quality and precisionthat a Health o meter® scale repre-sents. Health o meter® Professionalscales set the standard for superiorquality, innovation and better pa-tient care. We recognize the impor-tance of these standards forhealthcare."

We'd like to have the opportunity towork with you.We continually develop and improveour products to work with the ad-vances in technology that are availa-ble today.

Health o meter® Professional Mission Statement:

We’d like to have the opportunity to work with you. We continually developand improve our products to work with the advances in technology that areavailable today. “Health o meter® Professional is dedicated to providinghealthcare professionals with the best weighing scales. We will do every-thing possible to make it easy for our customers to do business with us.”

We understand the importance ofa dependable scale and your needto save time any way you can,without compromising accuracy.

For more information, contact NickAnastasi [email protected] or call201-360-1484.

Contact information --Health o meter® Professional ScalesPelstar, LLC Corporate Headquarters11800 South Austin Avenue, Unit BAlsip, IL 60803 USAToll Free: 800- 815-6615Telephone: 708-377-0568Facsimile: 708-377-0569www.homscales.com


December 2009 | 33

page for Kimal Advert-awaiting final conf/ artwork


December 2009 | 34

Advert for Welch Allyn onthis page

Whiter, Brighter, and Greener Exam Lights for Any Healthcare Environment.For nearly 100 years, Welch Allyn has been a pioneer in developing the highest-quality medical light sources. Our new Green Series MedicalExam Lights are the latest step in that evolution. Featuring a touchless power source and LEDs that provide brighter, whiter light than traditionalhalogen bulbs, Green Series Medical Exam Lights let you see true tissue colour rendition and uniform spots, helping you improve patient exams.And since LEDs never require replacement and use less energy, Green Series Medical Exam Lights have a lower cost of ownership—and agreener impact on the environment.

Whether you’re in the GP office, specialty clinic, outpatient surgery center, hospital ED, or somewhere in between, there is a Green

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Middle east Hospital magazine December 2009

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Transcript of Middle east Hospital magazine December 2009