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Wooden Stethoscope
French scientist Rene Theophile created a wooden stethoscope to perform auscultation. This was the first stethoscope. Using stethoscope, the physicians is able to recognize abnormal heart noises such as; a murmur, irregular rate, and sounds that might not seem normal. -
Bi-aural Stethoscope
This is when stethoscope had its major improvement. The Irish physician Arthur Leared made the device bi aural. -
Lippman Electrometer
Lippmann electrometer was invented by Gabriel Lippmann. This device was also known as the capillary electrometer. The capillary electrometer was used to measure the electrical activity within the human’s heart. -
Plastic and Rubber Binaural Setheoscope
The hollow wooden tubes were replaced with rubber and plastic binaural stethoscope to enhance the function. The stethoscope looked similar to the ones which are used in the present time. -
Early Electrocardiogram
Dutch physiologist Willem Einthoven was inspired by Waller’s experiments. In 1902 he developed an instrument to record traces of the heart’s activity and the instrument was called string galvanometer. During that time, the string galvanometer was considered as the early electrocardiogram. -
Development in Electrocardiogram
The next stages in the development of the Electrocardiogram machine lead to the introduction of vacuum tubes for amplification which improved the physical characteristics of the recorder and increased the strength of the electrical signal. -
Prototype for Heart Lung Machine
John Gibbon built a prototype of a heart lung machine and tested its functions on animals, especially cats. This machine was able to replace the function of a cat’s heart and lungs for 20 minutes straight by maintaining the blood flow of the heart. -
Development of Electrocardiogram
Along with the tubes, and the visuals, a printer was attached with the printer to print out the resutls of the diagnosos. A similar electrocardiogram is used nowadays to diagnnose the electrical activity of the heart. After the diagnosis, a paper came out which had line tracings. The tracing consisted of spikes and dips and they are called waves. The cardiologists observe the spikes and dips (result) to decide whether treatment is required. -
Heart Lung Machine Improvement
Gibbon improved his heart lung machine prototype by implementing high quality pumps and oxygenator to enhance its performance. Pumps and oxygenators sustained the oxygen flow within the heart by providing the oxygen required. -
Improved Model of Heart Lung Machine
Dr. Gibbon and Thomas Watson collaborated and created an improved model of the cardiopulmonary bypass machine (heart lung machine). This model was tested on dogs and they realized that test subjects died due to embolisms (when small particles or tissues travel to another part of the body causing a blockage of a blood vessel). -
Use of Filters in Heart Lung Machine
Filters were used in their apparatus to overcome embolisms. Dr. Gibbon and the engineers used a 300-micron by 300-micron mesh filters to capture the particles and tissue from travelling. -
A-mode Ultrasound Equipment
George D. Ludwig developed A-mode ultrasound equipment to detect gallstones. Amplitude mode is a machine used to scan a line through the body, and as it scans, it shows a one dimensional image of the echo amplitude (showed on the vertical axis) and the echo depth (showed in the horizontal axis). -
M-mode Ultrasound Instrument
M-Mode Ultrasound was developed to display echo graphic data of heart’s wall motion and valve motion. Motion mode ultrasound is a machine used displays the tissue motion of the graph, and it is mainly used in the cardiovascular diagnosis to examine the movement of the myocardium and valves, and the vessel walls. -
One dimensional Magtenic Resonance Image
Herman Carr creates one-dimensional MR (Magnetic Resonance) image. -
Implantable Pacemakers
Medtronic, Dr. William Chardack and Engineer Wilson Greatbach developed the first commercially produced implantable pacemakers for heart patients. The surgeons were able to implant this device into patient’s heart in order to regulate proper heart rate and rhythm. -
Electronic Sethoscope
Electronic stethoscope was invented in the 1970s. The electronic stethoscope increased the heart noises, and it also produced a graph of the heartbeats providing the doctors with more information. -
Doppler Ultrasound Instruments
Spectral wave Doppler and colour Doppler ultrasound instruments were developed for imaging blood flow through the chambers and different places in the heart. -
Long lasting Pacemakers
Medtronic invents and implements a long lasting battery for the pacemakers. Before, the pacemakers were temporary meaning it would not function for a long time. When the battery was implemented, the pacemaker would last a long time providing the service required by the patient. -
Whole Body MRI Scanner
Damadian manufactured the first whole body MRI scanner which he named the “Indomitable”. This machine used to produce a detailed picture of the human body as well as the heart and the diseases or the symptoms can be identified from looking at the detailed X-ray image. -
Percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty (PTCA)
Percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty (PTCA) was introduced in the 1970s by Gruntzig. This was a procedure to open the narrowed or blocked coronary arteries. The technology used to conduct the procedure was a catheter which has a balloon inserted within. The catheter is inserted and guided to blocked artery and it inflates to compress the plaque towards the artery wall unblocking the coronary artery. -
Heart Lung Machine used for Transplantation
Researchers proved that if the heart is cooled down below 28 degrees Celsius and provided the right amount of chemicals, the heart can be stopped for many hours allowing complicated surgeries to be performed. This is required during heart transplantation. -
Development in Pacemaker
Medtronic improved the functions of the pacemaker. It introduced rate-responsive within pacemakers which basically adjusts an appropriate pacing rate to counterpart patient’s level of physical activity instead of a fixed pacing rate. -
3D-imensional Ultrasound
3-D ultrasound was developed which captured 3-D images of the heart as well as other body organs. A 3D ultrasound is acquired by emitting high-frequency sound waves. As computers developed, a true 3D ultrasound became more feasible. -
Smallest Pacemaker
Medtronic introduces the smallest and efficient pacemaker. This pacemaker only weighted 17grams, with dimensions of 40mm by 32mm by 7mm thickness. This pacemaker was targeted for both adults and children. -
Bare Metal Stents
The balloon catheter had limitations therefore Bare –metal stents was introduced (BMS) during the 1990s. BMS overcame the limitations since many aspects of the catheter were developed such as: flexibility and the sizes were reduced so it can be inserted into narrow arteries. It overcame the limitations but studies showed that 20-30% of the cases showed that the artery was re-narrowed after 6 months of using BMS. -
MRI Scanner
Cardiac imaging was improved and further developed, and it was frequently used in the imaging centers to diagnose various diseases including various kinds of cardiac diseases. -
Drug Eluting Stents
Drug eluting stents (DES) was introduced to 2001 to minimize rest enosis (the re-happening of abnormal narrowing of coronary arteries). It consists of polymer coating which gradually releases drugs to minimize rest enosis. DES was physically and functionally distinct to BMS and it provided better service due to refinements made to stent. -
Improvement in the visuals for Electrocardiogram
Along with the tubes, the visuals were also improved allowing the physicians to visualize the changes in the heart’s electrical activity. Nowadays, electrocardiogram is used for various purposes such as: finding symptoms of numerous heart diseases, finding cause of chest pain or heart attacks, examining the heart chambers, and many others. -
Improved Pacemaker
There was a problem that emerged with DES which was thrombosis, and to minimize the risk, BioMatrix launched an advanced stent by improving DES. This stent had improved flexibility and better deliverability of eluting drugs. -
Pacemaker for MRI Diagnosis
Medtronic developed a pacemaker specifically made MRI (magnetic resonance imaging) surroundings or environments. Pacemakers had certain limitations, but with this advancement, patients now have access to latest diagnostic technologies. -
Impact: Comparison in the quality of the treatment
Better technologies in the present time compared to the past:
- Technologies now function effectively and efficiently
- Specific technologies are developed to diagnose and treat specific diseases. For example: there were only pacemakers, but now there are temporary and a permanent pacemakers. -
Impact: Negative impact on Patient
Most negative impacts involve the patient's safety
- During diagnosis, patients are exposed to radiation which is harmful and can cause other diseases.
- There are complications associated with the invasive procedures such as infection and death.
- Technologies are not 100% dependable and may stop working in the middle of treatment.
- Better and uncommon technologies are costly and many cannot afford. -
Negative Impact on Cardiologists
There are also negative impacts such as:
- This decreases the intellectual ability of the cardiologists
- Physicians are becoming machine dependent
- There is a risk of sharing financial benefits between technological companies and cardiologists which makes the cardiologists dishonest. -
Impact: Benefit for patients
The evolution of technologies have benefitted patients in many ways:
- Sudden deaths due to heart diseases are prevented
- Cardiac patients have better quality of life
- Patients are able to do more productive work than past
- The cost of the treatments are decreasing
- The life expectancy rate have increased -
Positive Impact on Cardiologists
Technological development helped cardiologists in many ways:
- The physcians are able to diagnose patients better
- Diagnosis and treatment are less time consuming including invasive procedures.
- Technologies have become safer as time progressed
-Both patients and doctors have alternative treatment options.
