Week 4: MedTech + Art

Week 4: MedTech + Art

29 April 2018

My Mom Before Her Surgery

I didn’t appreciate the artistic side to medicine until my mother underwent a hip replacement surgery two years ago. She was having chronic pain in her hip due to an injury in college, and was taking over-the-counter pain medicine to try and mitigate her injury. When she decided to go forward with her hip replacement she was told about a new medical technology which I found to be quite fascinating. This technology means they are now able to use MAKO robotic-arm assistance to replace hips with minimal human involvement. This is the future of medical technology, with more and more surgeries being replaced with 3D imaging and robotic placements and fixings. 

Titanium Hip

If you have ever seen a titanium hip, which is what my mom had placed, you would notice just how beautiful the design is. Made perfectly to match each individual hip, the outside of the metal is etched to ensure proper bone melding. The old bones are completely removed to make way for this new metal, and the pieces fit perfectly to make sure there is no catching in the movement of the joint. It is this beautiful, sleek, and matching metal structure which has given my mother so much relief and the ability to walk, run, and move without any discomfort.

Kevin Warwick And His Work

The idea that this new technology is a form of art is discussed quite well by Professor Vesna. I think the concept that MRI’s and other such medical imaging is art is quite profound and something that more people should consider when delving into their own personal medical issues. I think Kevin Warwick and his work with neurosurgical implants is really the future of medical technology. I expect more and more biological devices to be introduced into our society to improve health and that they will soon be incorporated into more artistic showcases as well.

References

“DePuy ASR Recall– Hip Replacement Recall & Lawsuits.” Injury Lawyer News, 19 Aug. 2014, injurylawyer-news.com/depuy-hip-replacement/asr-recall/.

Orlan – Carnal Art (2001) Documentary. Dir. Stéphan Oriach. Perf. Orlan. N.d. Film. YouTube. Web. 26 Oct. 2012. 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=no_66MGu0Oo

“The Benefits of Robotic-Arm Assistance in Joint Replacement Surgery | Utah | IASIS: Centers of Orthopedics & Sports Medicine.” Steward Health Care, 12 July 2017, www.utahorthopediccenters.com/mako-for-hips-and-knees/the-benefits-of-robotic-arm-assistance-in-joint-replacement-surgery/.

“Total Hip Replacement with Mako.” Mako Robotic-Arm Assisted Hip Replacement | THR | Stryker, Stryker, 2018, patients.stryker.com/hip-replacement/procedures/mako-robotic-arm-assisted.

Vesna, Victoria. “Medicine and Art: Parts 1-3.” YouTube. YouTube, n.d. Web. 25 Oct. 2012. http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded.

Warwick, Kevin. “Home.” Kevin Warwick, www.kevinwarwick.org/.