Researchers at Linköping University have successfully visualized blood flow in an artificial heart in real time using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). The findings, published in Scientific Reports, pave the way for designing artificial hearts that lower the risk of blood clots and red blood cell damage—two of the most common complications in current devices. The project was carried out in collaboration with Scandinavian Real Heart AB, a company working on the development of an artificial heart. “The heart is a…

Around one-third of the 50 million people living with epilepsy worldwide do not respond to anti-seizure medications, leaving them with limited treatment options. Surgical removal of the seizure-causing region can sometimes help, but it is not viable when seizures originate from multiple or unclear brain regions. Deep brain stimulation (DBS) has emerged as a promising alternative for these patients. DBS involves implanting electrodes that deliver controlled electrical impulses to specific brain regions to help control seizures. While stimulation of the…

Each year in the UK, more than 40,000 people suffer an out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA), yet fewer than 10% survive. Rapid CPR and early use of an Automated External Defibrillator (AED) can at least double survival chances, but in practice, AEDs are often difficult to locate quickly. To address this, researchers at the University of Warwick have partnered with the Welsh Ambulance Services University NHS Trust and drone specialists SkyBound to test whether drones could deliver AEDs directly to the…

The precise excision of tumours is a key and formidable part of oncological surgery. For example, up to 35% of surgical operations for breast cancer result in positive margins, which show that there are cancerous cells in the area around the removed tissue. This increases the risk of cancer recurrence and often leads to repeated surgeries. Before surgery, imaging techniques like ultrasonography are helpful, but during the process, they frequently fail to clearly define the boundaries of the tumour. The…