Emerging Small Medical Devices
By Lloyd L. Hyde
Medical facilities such as hospitals have reduced their bed capacities over the past three decades, and this pattern is likely to continue. One of the main reasons is the growth of outpatient clinics and the range of services they now provide. Many procedures that were once performed only in hospitals can now be done safely in an outpatient setting. That shift benefits hospitals, patients, and insurance providers alike. In my view, several factors drive this change, not the least of which are highly portable, miniaturized medical devices that are handheld or tabletop units. Previously, these devices required very large footprints. They were hard-wired, floor- or wall-mounted, and housed in dedicated rooms with heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC). A cardiac Doppler and/or ultrasound machine, for example, might sit on a cart but still proved large and cumbersome to move. These units were tied to dedicated electrical outlets and rooms with HVAC. When power failed, they often were not on emergency generator circuits. Portable and miniaturized devices work differently. Some run exclusively on battery (DC), while others use alternating current (AC), direct current (battery), or both. So far I have named only two device types in the portable category, but there are many more.
Many readers will already know that smartphone applications paired with approved sensors can measure, record, and display selected medical parameters and vital signs. Wearable monitors and connected home devices extend that same trend. I expect continued miniaturization of medical equipment, wider use of outpatient clinics, further reductions in hospital bed counts, and smaller hospital footprints overall.
Permit me to call your attention to a device brought into clinical use roughly sixty (60) years ago: transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS). It is used mainly for pain management across the healthcare delivery spectrum. In the United States alone, conservative estimates place the number of people living with chronic pain at about 70,000,000. For many of those patients, TENS has provided meaningful relief.
Over the years the medical community has treated pain largely with analgesic and other pain medications. Many of these drugs carry a risk of dependence when used for extended relief. TENS offers a non-drug alternative for many patients. Physicians still prescribe TENS in many cases, and that practice continues. In recent years, however, some TENS units have appeared on retail shelves without a prescription, and online options have expanded. Manufacturers have become more innovative as clinical use evolves. One inventor, designer, and manufacturer based in Illinois is Dyna Wave Corporation.
What this company has achieved deserves high commendation. From a clinical engineering standpoint, it has combined TENS and ultrasound in a single transducer for use across a range of conditions. This “Smart Sound” device is not sold in stores. It is a desktop, tabletop, or roll-away unit found in physical therapy clinics, rehabilitation facilities, sports medicine programs, VA health facilities, pain clinics, diabetic care settings, reconstructive and cosmetic treatment areas, wound care clinics, and labor and delivery units. That list is not exhaustive. Clinics using these devices report strong outcomes in many cases. Applications in personal, home, off-site clinical, and hospital settings extend across the United States and other parts of the world.
Key Takeaways
Smaller medical devices are changing where care is delivered. Procedures that once required a full hospital suite can often move to outpatient clinics because equipment is lighter, battery-powered, and easier to relocate. TENS therapy remains a practical option for millions of Americans managing pain, and newer combined TENS-ultrasound systems show how manufacturers are merging established methods in single clinical platforms. For patients, clinicians, and facility planners, the direction is clear: care is moving closer to the patient, with devices sized to match. Readers interested in related topics may also wish to review Technology Horizon and Medical Instrumentation on this site.
It is a privilege to offer this brief article on small and miniature portable medical devices and their safe use in personal, home, off-site clinical, and hospital settings.
Lloyd Hyde is a retired Clinical Engineer in Chicago and has served Jamaica as Honorary Consul to Chicago.
Contact the author for your organization’s and/or institution’s speaking engagement needs.
