Medical equipment
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2008-05-23T06:41:47Z
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[[WP:UNDO|Undid]] revision 214348127 by [[Special:Contributions/63.93.239.97|63.93.239.97]] ([[User talk:63.93.239.97|talk]])
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'''Medical equipment''' is designed to aid in the diagnosis, monitoring or treatment of medical conditions. These devices are usually designed with rigorous [[safety engineering|safety standards]].
''See also the main articles: [[implant (medicine)|implant]], [[artificial limb]]s, [[corrective lenses]], [[cochlear implant]]s, [[dental implant]]s, [[prosthetic]]s ([[ocular prosthetics|ocular]], [[facial prosthetics|facial]])''
There are several basic types:
* [[Diagnostic]] equipment includes [[medical imaging]] machines, used to aid in diagnosis. Examples are [[Medical ultrasonography|ultrasound]] and [[MRI]] machines, [[positron emission tomography|PET]] and [[computed tomography|CT]] scanners, and [[x-ray machine]]s.
* Therapeutic equipment includes [[infusion pump]]s, medical [[laser]]s and [[LASIK]] surgical machines.
* [[Life support]] equipment is used ''maintain'' a patient's bodily function. These include [[medical ventilator]]s, [[heart-lung machines]], [[ECMO]], and [[dialysis machine]]s.
* [[Medical monitors]] allow medical staff to measure a patient's medical state. Monitors may measure patient vital signs and other parameters including [[ECG]], [[Electroencephalography|EEG]], [[blood pressure]], and [[blood gas monitor|dissolved gas]]es in the blood.
* Medical laboratory equipment automates or help analyze [[blood]], [[urine]] and [[gene]]s.
* Diagnostic Medical Equipment may also be used in the home for certain purposes, e.g. for the control of [[diabetes]] mellitus
A [[Biomedical equipment technician]] or [[BMET]] is a vital component of the healthcare delivery system. Employed primarily by hospitals, BMETs are the people responsible for maintaining a facility's medical equipment.
==Inventions==
* C. 1280, [[spectacles]]
* 1540, [[artificial limb]], by [[Ambroise Pare]]
* 1630, obstetric [[forceps]], by [[Peter Chamberlen]]
* 1714, [[mercury thermometer]], by [[Gabriel Fahrenheit]]
* 1775, [[bifocal]] lenses, by [[Benjamin Franklin]]
* 1792, [[ambulance]], by [[Dominique Jean Larrey]]
* 1796, [[vaccination]], by [[Edward Jenner]]
* 1816, [[stethoscope]], by [[René Laennec]]
* 1817, [[dentures|dental plate]], by [[Anthony Plantson]]
* 1853, [[hypodermic syringe]], by [[Alexander Wood]]
* 1887, [[contact lens]], by [[Adolf Fick]]
* 1895, [[X-ray]], by [[Wilhelm Röntgen]]
* 1903, [[electrocardiograph]], by [[Willem Einthoven]]
* 1956, [[endoscope]], by [[Basil Hirschowitz]]
* 1957, [[artificial pacemaker]], by [[C. Walton Lillehei]] and [[Earl Bakken]]
* 1958, [[ultrasound scan]], by [[Ian Donald]]
* 1973, [[Computed tomography|CT (CAT) scan]], by [[Godfrey Hounsfield]] and [[Allan Cormack]]
* 1982, [[artificial heart]], by [[Robert Jarvik]]
;Source: Running Press Cyclopedia, second edition
==See also==
*[[Durable medical equipment]]
*[[Eucomed]]
*[[Home medical equipment]]
*[[Medical devices]]
*[[Surgical instrument]]s
*[[Medical test]]
==Notable medical equipment companies==
*[[Boston Scientific]]
*[[Beckman Coulter]]
*[[Johnson & Johnson]]
*[[Medtronic]]
*[[Mindray]]
*[[Spacelabs Healthcare]]
*[[St.Jude Medical]]
*[[Philips]]
*[[GE Healthcare]]
*[[Siemens AG]]
[[Category:Medical equipment| ]]
[[fr:Équipement médical]]
[[ja:医療機器]]
[[ru:Медицинское оборудование]]
[[zh:医疗器械]]