Cleveland Clinic Unveils ‘Top 10’ Medical Innovations for 2010

The Top 10 Medical Innovations for 2010 were announced yeterday at the seventh annual Cleveland Clinic Medical Innovation Summit. In developing the Top 10, Cleveland Clinic enlisted the expertise of AlixPartners, LLP, an independent international management advisory firm. AlixPartners led the process to probe the opinions of Cleveland Clinic physicians and researchers, create a field of nominated innovative technologies for consideration, and develop a consensus perspective on the Top 10 Medical Innovations for 2010.

Cleveland Clinic's Top 10 Medical Innovations for 2010 list features a wide range of new techniques and therapies that are being developed to treat everything from deafness, Parkinson's disease, pneumonia, and sleep disorders.  Also of note is the mention of "Whole-Slide Imaging for Management of Digital Data in Pathology".  — Good news for the industry and consumers. 

The list of breakthrough devices and therapies was selected by a panel of Cleveland Clinic physicians and scientists, and it was unveiled during Cleveland Clinic's 2009 Medical Innovation Summit, which is currently underway.

Four major criteria served as the basis for qualifying and selecting the Top 10 Medical Innovations. Nominated innovations were required to:

• Have significant potential for short-term clinical impact (either a major improvement in patient benefit or an improved function that enhances healthcare delivery).
• Have a high probability of success.
• Be on the market or close to being introduced.
• Have sufficient data available to support its nomination.

The Top 10 Medical Innovations for 2010:

10. Whole-Slide Imaging for Management of Digital Data In Pathology: A technology for creating digital pathology slides with excellent image quality that can be viewed, stored, streamed over the Internet, and analyzed on a computer.

9. Devices for Occluding Left Atrial Appendage to Reduce Stroke Risk: Device alternatives to long-term warfarin use that can prevent clots from developing in patients with atrial fibrillation.

8. Oral Thrombopoeitin (TPO) Receptor Agonist That Stimulates Platelet Production: A recently approved drug that stimulates production of cells in bone marrow that form platelet cells in the blood.

7. Outpatient Diagnosis of Sleep-Related Breathing Disorders: Self-contained, reliable, at-home sleep-monitoring devices for screening, diagnosing, and treatment assessment of sleep-related breathing disorders.

6. Forced Exercise To Improve Motor Function in Patients With Parkinson's: Pedaling at 90 RPMs on a tandem bike to dramatically improve motor functioning of patients with Parkinson's disease.

5. Fertility Preservation Through Oocyte Cryopreservation: A rapidly-improving technology that allows eggs of a healthy woman to be safely frozen and stored, ready to be thawed and fertilized at a later date.

4. Non-Vitamin K Antagonist Oral Anticoagulants: Predictable and well-tolerated alternatives to the oral anticoagulant warfarin that provide a more convenient — and safe — way for patients to dose themselves and prevent blood-clot formation.

3. Continuous-Flow Ventricular Assist Devices: Tiny 3-ounce devices surgically attached alongside the heart that quietly and effectively take over the pumping ability of the heart.

2. Low-Volume, Low-Pressure Tracheal Tube Cuff To Reduce Ventilator-Associated Pneumonia: A device that dramatically reduces the risk of ventilator-associated pneumonia and death in the hospital ICU by providing continuous effective airway seals.

1. Bone Conduction of Sound For Single-Sided Deafness: A new non-surgical, removable hearing and communication device designed to imperceptibly transmit sound via the teeth to help people with single-sided deafness.

"Cleveland Clinic is known for its tradition of innovation, and this Top Ten list reflects the hospital's continuing commitment to exploring new ways to treat illnesses and to develop new therapies," said Christopher Coburn, Executive Director, Innovations, the Cleveland Clinic's corporate venturing arm.

For more information about this year's Medical Innovation Summit and the conference agenda, visit http://www.clevelandclinic.org/innovations/summit/default.htm.