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        <title>Frontiers in Medical Technology | New and Recent Articles</title>
        <link>https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/medical-technology</link>
        <description>RSS Feed for Frontiers in Medical Technology | New and Recent Articles</description>
        <language>en-us</language>
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        <pubDate>2026-05-13T15:19:54.61+00:00</pubDate>
        <ttl>60</ttl>
        <item>
        <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fmedt.2026.1780084</guid>
        <link>https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fmedt.2026.1780084</link>
        <title><![CDATA[Real-time face keypoint detection for pre-anesthetic assessment with optimized YOLO11 model based on DeBiFormer]]></title>
        <pubdate>2026-05-13T00:00:00Z</pubdate>
        <category>Original Research</category>
        <author>Daotong Wang</author><author>Jianbo Su</author>
        <description><![CDATA[IntroductionPre-anesthetic assessment involves a series of evaluations for airway management. However, the lack of quantitative analysis may limit its reliability. In this study, we propose an optimized YOLO11-Pose framework with a DeBiFormer module for automated, image-based pre-anesthetic assessment.MethodsThe proposed model performs single-stage inference to localize clinically relevant facial and hand keypoints associated with mouth opening, thyromental distance, and neck mobility. The framework was evaluated on a dataset collected from Ruijin Hospital under controlled acquisition conditions.ResultsExperimental results demonstrated high detection performance. Measurement-based evaluations, including Bland-Altman analysis, pixel-level error, and normalized mean error (NME), indicated reliable agreement with reference annotations. In addition, Mallampati classification was evaluated to assess clinical applicability. The model achieved an accuracy of 77.34% in the four-class setting and improved performance in a clinically motivated binary setting, with an accuracy of 83.99% and a quadratic weighted kappa of 0.65, indicating substantial agreement.DiscussionThese results suggest that the proposed method provides robust and clinically meaningful assessment of airway characteristics and may support automated pre-anesthetic evaluation in clinical practice.]]></description>
      </item><item>
        <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fmedt.2026.1800134</guid>
        <link>https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fmedt.2026.1800134</link>
        <title><![CDATA[Economic evaluation of hearing aid use and quality of life in older adults with hearing impairment in India]]></title>
        <pubdate>2026-05-12T00:00:00Z</pubdate>
        <category>Brief Research Report</category>
        <author>Rakesh Kumar Sahoo</author><author>Krushna Chandra Sahoo</author><author>Urmi Pattanayak</author><author>Abhinav Sinha</author><author>Abhisek Jena</author><author>Lanu Wanboy Aimol</author><author>Kavitha Rajsekar</author><author>Debdutta Bhattacharya</author><author>Sanghamitra Pati</author>
        <description><![CDATA[Hearing impairment is a growing public health challenge among older adults in India, with low uptake of hearing aids despite potential benefits for communication, social participation, and health-related quality of life (HRQoL). This study evaluated the cost–utility of hearing aid provision for older adults (≥60 years) with hearing impairment in India to inform policy and financing decisions. A cost–utility analysis compared hearing aid use with no hearing aid over a 3-year decision tree and a 15-year Markov model. Data were collected in 2023 from 636 participants (276 users, 360 non-users). HRQoL was measured using EQ-5D-5L and converted to QALYs with the India value set. Costs were based on the government ceiling price for digital behind-the-ear hearing aids (₹8,000 per ear), modelled for unilateral and bilateral use. ICERs and budget impact were estimated. Mean EQ-5D-5L utility was higher among hearing aid users than non-users (0.832 vs. 0.601), with corresponding QALYs of 5.824 vs. 4.207 (incremental gain 1.617 QALYs). In the 3-year decision tree, ICERs were ₹5,419/QALY (one-year) and ₹10,359/QALY (two-year). In the discounted 15-year Markov model, ICERs were ₹3,076/QALY (one-year) and ₹5,971/QALY (two-year). Budget impact was ₹1,230 crore over 3 years (₹410 crore annually) for the modelled scale-up among older adults. Hearing-aid provision for older adults with hearing impairment in India is highly cost-effective in short- and long-term modelling. Prioritising access within healthy ageing and universal health coverage, alongside strengthened assessment, fitting, counselling, and follow-up, could maximise real-world benefits.]]></description>
      </item><item>
        <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fmedt.2026.1800307</guid>
        <link>https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fmedt.2026.1800307</link>
        <title><![CDATA[Powering care at the frontlines: healthcare providers' perspectives on solarised primary health centres in rural Karnataka, India, using the WHO HHFA framework]]></title>
        <pubdate>2026-05-07T00:00:00Z</pubdate>
        <category>Original Research</category>
        <author>Veeresh Tadahal</author><author>Rinshu Dwivedi</author><author>Ramesh Athe</author>
        <description><![CDATA[IntroductionReliable electricity is fundamental to effective healthcare delivery; however, healthcare facilities in low- and middle-income countries continue to experience chronic energy shortage and frequent power interruptions. In rural India, Primary Health Centres (PHCs) often struggle to provide essential care due to unreliable electricity. This study explored healthcare providers’ perspective on the impact of solar energy interventions on healthcare infrastructure and service delivery in an aspirational district of Karnataka, India.MethodsA qualitative phenomenological study was conducted across the Yadgir district of North Karnataka, India. Focus Group Discussion (FGDs) and In-depth Interviews (IDIs) were carried out with 55 participants (16 men and 39 women), primarily healthcare providers, including medical officers, nurses, technicians, Accredited Social Health Activists (ASHAs), and other support staff. The interviews and discussions were audio-recorded, transcribed, translated into English, and thematically analysed. The study adhered to the Consolidated Criteria for Reporting Qualitative Research (COREQ) guidelines and applied the Harmonized Healthcare Assessment (HHFA) framework.ResultsFour main themes emerged: (1) strengthened service availability; (2) enhanced service readiness; (3) advanced quality of care; and (4) improved data management, costs, operation, and maintenance. Solarisation of healthcare facilities significantly improved service quality, reliability, and resilience by enabling safe maternal deliveries, ensuring reliable vaccine cold storage, and supporting timely emergency care. The perspectives of healthcare providers offer a sustainable pathway to universal health coverage in underserved regions.]]></description>
      </item><item>
        <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fmedt.2026.1754047</guid>
        <link>https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fmedt.2026.1754047</link>
        <title><![CDATA[Direct-visualization endoscopic retrograde appendicitis therapy for chronic appendicitis with diarrhea: clinical features and outcomes]]></title>
        <pubdate>2026-05-01T00:00:00Z</pubdate>
        <category>Original Research</category>
        <author>Chun Gao</author><author>Cheng-Zhou Du</author><author>Run-Long He</author><author>Wei Wang</author>
        <description><![CDATA[Background and aimsChronic appendicitis complicated with diarrhea presents diagnostic and therapeutic challenges due to its atypical and prolonged symptoms, often mimicking functional gastrointestinal disorders. This study aimed to evaluate the clinical characteristics and therapeutic efficacy of Direct-visualization Endoscopic Retrograde Appendicitis Therapy (D-ERAT) in these patients.MethodsWe retrospectively analyzed 55 patients with chronic appendicitis and diarrhea who underwent D-ERAT under direct endoscopic visualization. Baseline demographic, clinical, and laboratory data, imaging findings, intraoperative endoscopic observations, and postoperative recovery indicators were collected. Diarrhea frequency, stool consistency, inflammatory markers, postoperative complications, and quality of life were assessed. Patients were followed up at 1, 3, and 6 months postoperatively.ResultsPreoperatively, patients experienced a mean of 7.5 ± 2.5 diarrhea episodes per day, with Bristol stool types 5–7. Abdominal CT identified appendiceal abnormalities in all patients, while ultrasound detected 69.1%. Endoscopic findings revealed intraluminal fecaliths in 91.5% and mucosal fibrosis in 87.27%. The patency of the appendiceal lumen was well restored in all cases after the operation. Postoperatively, diarrhea frequency decreased to 1.5 ± 0.4/day, and stool consistency normalized to Bristol types 3–4. Inflammatory markers, including WBC, neutrophil percentage, and CRP, significantly improved. At 6 months, 85.5% of patients remained largely asymptomatic, indicating stable medium-term efficacy. No major adverse events occurred.ConclusionsD-ERAT is a safe and effective minimally invasive therapy for chronic appendicitis with diarrhea, offering rapid symptom relief, preserved appendiceal function, and shorter hospitalization.]]></description>
      </item><item>
        <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fmedt.2026.1811963</guid>
        <link>https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fmedt.2026.1811963</link>
        <title><![CDATA[Multi-Stage micro-CT–based dimensional accuracy assessment of a voronoi-based patient-specific cranial implant fabricated by electron beam melting]]></title>
        <pubdate>2026-04-24T00:00:00Z</pubdate>
        <category>Original Research</category>
        <author>Horațiu Rotar</author><author>Cosmin Cosma</author><author>Nicolae Bâlc</author><author>Seong-Gon Kim</author><author>Daniel Ostaș</author>
        <description><![CDATA[IntroductionPatient-specific cranial implants fabricated using powder bed fusion technologies require rigorous dimensional validation to ensure reliable digital-to-physical translation, particularly when complex architectures are employed. However, multistage quantitative evaluations that distinguish deviations introduced during additive manufacturing and post-processing remain limited.MethodsA multistage dimensional accuracy assessment workflow based on high-resolution micro-computed tomography (micro-CT) was applied to a representative patient-specific cranial implant featuring a Voronoi-based macrostructure fabricated in Ti–6Al–4 V using Electron Beam Melting (EBM). The implant was digitized in the unpolished and surface-finished conditions. Three-dimensional surface models were compared with the original virtual design using full-field deviation analysis to quantify geometric variations attributable to manufacturing and post-processing.ResultsAfter the finishing procedure, the surface roughness decreased significantly, with Ra reduced from 19.41 µm to 1.43 µm and Rz from 83.28 µm to 6.31 µm. A comparison between the virtual model and the unpolished implant revealed dimensional deviations predominantly within −0.20 to +0.35 mm, with localized positive deviations up to +0.55 mm associated with powder adhesion and support interaction. Following post-processing, deviations shifted predominantly toward negative values owing to controlled material removal, with a mean deviation of −0.05 mm and a maximum negative deviation of −0.18 mm. Surface finishing reduced the maximum positive deviation from +0.55 mm to +0.04 mm, corresponding to an approximate 93% reduction in positive dimensional deviation. The overall topology and structural continuity of the Voronoi-based architecture were preserved throughout manufacturing and finishing.DiscussionThis proof-of-concept study demonstrated the feasibility of a multistage micro-CT-based workflow for the dimensional validation of complex patient-specific cranial implants fabricated by EBM. The proposed methodology enables differentiation between manufacturing- and post-processing-induced deviations and supports reproducible quality assessment of additively manufactured cranial implant geometries.]]></description>
      </item><item>
        <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fmedt.2026.1780837</guid>
        <link>https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fmedt.2026.1780837</link>
        <title><![CDATA[Enhancing context-aware SARS disorder management: a proposed multi-agent simulation framework with machine learning and bio-sensor data integration]]></title>
        <pubdate>2026-04-15T00:00:00Z</pubdate>
        <category>Original Research</category>
        <author> Abdullah</author><author>Zulaikha Fatima</author><author>Nida Hafeez</author><author>Muhammad Ateeb Ather</author><author>Rolando Quintero Tellez</author><author>Grigori Sidorov</author><author>Carlos Guzmán Sánchez-Mejorada</author><author>Miguel Jesús Torres Ruiz</author>
        <description><![CDATA[In this work, SARS disorder denotes a generic acute severe respiratory distress condition characterized by abnormal respiratory rate, oxygen saturation, fever, and cardiovascular stress indicators, and does not represent a COVID-19 diagnostic system. Our research aims at analyzing a context-aware SARS disorder management system through the implementation of a multi-agent simulation framework using the NetLogo setting. The system relies on the use of interacting agents as well as non-monotonic, context-sensitive reasoning to reduce uncertainty and deal with the possible inconsistencies that happen due to biosensor recordings. A knowledge-based inference component is the combination of physiological sensor outputs and domain specific contextual data to assist in making informed decisions. The research involved the use of several machine-learning classifiers, that is, Naïve Bayes, Multinomial Naïve Bayes, Decision Table, Logistic Regression, and Sequential Minimal Optimization (SMO) so as to evaluate their appropriateness in being incorporated into the developed structure. To measure the system performance, standard evaluation measures were used such as True Positive (TP), False Positive (FP), Precision, Recall, F-Measure, Matthews Correlation Coefficient (MCC), Receiver Operating Characteristic (ROC) curve, and the Precision-Recall curve (PRC). The framework includes a list of physiological, environmental, and contextual variables, such as electrocardiographic parameters, heart-rate parameters, blood-pressure parameters, arterial oxygen saturation parameters, core body temperature, room temperature, the past history of the patient, and parameters that relate to alerts. The classification task is to produce probabilistic forecasts that help to define whether a patient should be alerted or clinical staff members informed in order to facilitate context-specific healthcare response.]]></description>
      </item><item>
        <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fmedt.2026.1746432</guid>
        <link>https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fmedt.2026.1746432</link>
        <title><![CDATA[Characterization of endovascular rescue of massive gastroduodenal artery hemorrhage following upper gastrointestinal surgery]]></title>
        <pubdate>2026-04-10T00:00:00Z</pubdate>
        <category>Original Research</category>
        <author>Zhiyuan Zhou</author><author>Lei Zheng</author><author>Weiqing Tang</author><author>Bin Liu</author><author>Pengfei Wang</author><author>Chaoran Yu</author><author>Weimin Wang</author>
        <description><![CDATA[BackgroundPostoperative hemorrhage from the gastroduodenal artery (GDA) is a rare but life-threatening complication following upper gastrointestinal surgery. Its management is particularly challenging due to the frequent co-occurrence of hypovolemic shock, complex intra-abdominal infection, and malnutrition, which collectively contribute to high morbidity and mortality.MethodsWe conducted a retrospective analysis of patients who underwent either gastrectomy or pancreaticoduodenectomy and subsequently developed delayed massive GDA bleeding between January 2021 and June 2025 in the Department of General Surgery, Shanghai Ninth People's Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine.ResultsSix patients was included in this study, of whom five had undergone radical D2 lymphadenectomy and developed duodenal stump leakage or anastomotic leakage and one had undergone pancreaticoduodenectomy. All cases experienced massive postoperative arterial hemorrhage. Emergent angiographic arterial embolization was successfully performed in all cases, achieving effective hemostasis with satisfactory outcomes. Specifically, one patient required four sequential interventions, one required three, one required two, and the remaining three achieved hemostasis after a single emergent procedure. Notably, acute liver function abnormalities were observed in two cases following embolization of the common hepatic artery.ConclusionMassive postoperative GDA hemorrhage is a life-threatening complication after abdominal surgery. Emergent arterial embolization proves to be a rapid, minimally invasive, effective, and safe therapeutic option for this critical condition.]]></description>
      </item><item>
        <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fmedt.2026.1771655</guid>
        <link>https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fmedt.2026.1771655</link>
        <title><![CDATA[Design strategies for flexible core biopsy needles: insights from patent literature]]></title>
        <pubdate>2026-04-01T00:00:00Z</pubdate>
        <category>Review</category>
        <author>Nynke M. Ansems</author><author>Dalibor Vasilic</author><author>Paul Breedveld</author>
        <description><![CDATA[Flexible biopsy needles are essential for minimally invasive cancer diagnostics, enabling core biopsy sampling through endoscopic and catheter-based procedures. These approaches allow clinicians to access deep-seated or anatomically challenging lesions while reducing patient risk compared to traditional percutaneous methods. However, the shift toward minimally invasive techniques imposes competing design demands on the biopsy needle tip, which must be miniaturized and flexible enough to navigate narrow lumens while maintaining cutting efficiency and retaining adequate tissue samples for clinical diagnosis. This review presents a patent-based analysis of flexible core biopsy needle designs, focusing on mechanisms at the needle tip that govern tissue cutting and retention. We systematically evaluated 65 international patent applications and developed a classification framework for cutting and gripping strategies. Using this framework, we identified dominant technological trends and highlighted underexplored concepts. Forward-cutting tips combined with suction or macroshape grips that engage the sample from the front dominate current designs due to their mechanical simplicity. However, alternative approaches such as compliant tip designs and multidirectional cutting mechanisms offer opportunities to enhance tissue yield without increasing device diameter. Implementing these innovations could reduce the need for repeated insertions, improve sampling efficiency, and enable access to lesions previously considered unreachable. This review provides an overview of flexible core biopsy needle designs and offers insights to guide future innovations that advance minimally invasive cancer diagnostics.]]></description>
      </item><item>
        <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fmedt.2026.1779701</guid>
        <link>https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fmedt.2026.1779701</link>
        <title><![CDATA[Exploring the treatment of osteomyelitis based on nanozyme-based antibacterial strategies]]></title>
        <pubdate>2026-03-31T00:00:00Z</pubdate>
        <category>Review</category>
        <author>Junzhen Wu</author><author>Shuo Duan</author><author>Shuaiwei Li</author><author>Yisi Wang</author><author>Minglei Zhang</author>
        <description><![CDATA[Osteomyelitis is a severe bone infection caused by bacterial invasion, posing significant therapeutic challenges due to biofilm formation and antibiotic resistance. In recent years, nanozymes—a class of functional nanomaterials with enzyme-like catalytic activities—have shown considerable potential in antimicrobial applications owing to their high stability, tunable catalytic activity, and low tendency to induce resistance, positioning them as promising alternatives to conventional antibiotics. This review systematically examines the therapeutic prospects of nanozyme-based delivery systems for treating osteomyelitis. We detail the antibacterial mechanisms of nanozymes exhibiting various enzyme-mimicking activities—primarily peroxidase-, oxidase-, haloperoxidase-, and hydrolase-like functionalities—such as generating reactive oxygen species (ROS) by catalyzing endogenous hydrogen peroxide and physically degrading biofilm components. This review aims to provide a theoretical foundation and novel insights for developing efficient and safe nanozyme-based antimicrobial agents against osteomyelitis.]]></description>
      </item><item>
        <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fmedt.2026.1812982</guid>
        <link>https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fmedt.2026.1812982</link>
        <title><![CDATA[Editorial: Evolution in cardiovascular MedTech]]></title>
        <pubdate>2026-03-24T00:00:00Z</pubdate>
        <category>Editorial</category>
        <author>Mauro Malvè</author><author>Rosaire Mongrain</author><author>Stephane Avril</author>
        <description></description>
      </item><item>
        <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fmedt.2026.1750006</guid>
        <link>https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fmedt.2026.1750006</link>
        <title><![CDATA[Dental devices and antimicrobial resistance: challenges, innovations, and regulatory compliances]]></title>
        <pubdate>2026-03-20T00:00:00Z</pubdate>
        <category>Review</category>
        <author>Gargi Singh</author><author>Manav Singh</author><author>Anjanasree Murali</author><author>Sanyam Gandhi</author><author>Om V. Singh</author>
        <description><![CDATA[Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is an escalating threat to infection control in dentistry, where dense multispecies biofilms and frequent device-tissue contact can select for and disseminate antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs). The oral cavity functions as a reservoir and exchange network for ARGs (the oral resistome), enabling multidrug-resistant (MDR) infections and treatment failure, particularly on dental implants, restorative materials, and dental unit waterlines when reprocessing or maintenance is inadequate. Anti-biofilm surface engineering, including antimicrobial peptide-functionalized coatings, silver-based nanostructures, and nitric oxide-releasing platforms, offers non-antibiotic approaches to reduce adhesion and disrupt early biofilm development. However, translation requires addressing durability, long-term biocompatibility and toxicology (e.g., ion release), the potential for resistance or tolerance under sublethal exposure, and clinically meaningful validation in relevant multispecies models and human studies. Regulatory expectations (e.g., FDA quality system requirements under 21 CFR Part 820 and international standards ISO 13485, ISO 14971, and ISO 10993-1) frame risk management, antimicrobial performance claims, sterilization/reprocessing validation, and postmarket surveillance. Aligning antimicrobial stewardship with validated device design, sterilization, and monitoring strategies is essential to mitigate AMR proliferation and improve long-term clinical outcomes. This article is a comprehensive narrative review focusing on AMR in dental devices, materials innovation, and regulatory frameworks.]]></description>
      </item><item>
        <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fmedt.2026.1708094</guid>
        <link>https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fmedt.2026.1708094</link>
        <title><![CDATA[Mamba-enhanced codebook learning with anatomical constraints for liver and tumor segmentation in 3D CT volumes]]></title>
        <pubdate>2026-03-18T00:00:00Z</pubdate>
        <category>Original Research</category>
        <author>Yanfei Teng</author><author>Xiang Li</author><author>Zhenpeng Chen</author><author>Shunlin Guo</author>
        <description><![CDATA[Precise delineation of the liver and its tumors in 3D CT scans plays a vital role in clinical diagnosis and therapeutic planning. However, current deep learning approaches frequently struggle with tumor heterogeneity, varying lesion sizes, and ambiguous boundaries, which can limit their effectiveness. To address these issues, we propose an end-to-end hierarchical network that effectively integrates multi-scale context modeling, global relational learning, and structured feature representation. First, a multi-scale texture encoder is designed to capture tumor characteristics across different spatial resolutions. To model long-range dependencies across slices, we introduce a global relational representation module built upon the emerging Mamba architecture, enabling efficient and directional context aggregation in 3D volumes. Second, to enhance feature compactness and stability, we propose a learnable codebook module that quantizes high-dimensional features into a finite set of semantic prototypes, promoting discriminative representation learning while suppressing redundancy. Furthermore, anatomical prior knowledge—specifically, the spatial constraint that tumors must reside within the liver—is incorporated via an inclusion loss, which explicitly regularizes the segmentation outputs. Comprehensive experiments on the public LiTS dataset show that our method attains state-of-the-art results, surpassing existing methods in Dice score, volumetric overlap error (VOE), and boundary metrics (ASD and 95HD). Ablation analyses confirm the individual contribution of each module, demonstrating the architecture’s effectiveness for accurate and reliable liver and tumor segmentation.]]></description>
      </item><item>
        <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fmedt.2026.1799255</guid>
        <link>https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fmedt.2026.1799255</link>
        <title><![CDATA[Correction: Making the invisible visible: integrated visualization and automated quantification of thrombus deformation during mechanical thrombectomy]]></title>
        <pubdate>2026-03-17T00:00:00Z</pubdate>
        <category>Correction</category>
        <author>Marielle Ernst</author><author>Felizitas Sommer</author><author>Michael Bartl</author><author>Christian H. Riedel</author><author>Philip Langer</author>
        <description></description>
      </item><item>
        <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fmedt.2026.1774341</guid>
        <link>https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fmedt.2026.1774341</link>
        <title><![CDATA[Structure and legibility of informed consent for clinical practice in Ecuador]]></title>
        <pubdate>2026-03-11T00:00:00Z</pubdate>
        <category>Original Research</category>
        <author>Cristina Elisabeth Urgilés-Barahona</author><author>Xavier Astudillo-Romero</author><author>Gloria Carrión</author><author>Diego Gómez-Correa</author><author>Weneper Rojas</author><author>Alfonsina Benavides</author>
        <description><![CDATA[IntroductionInformed consent is an essential process in healthcare. It is a right endorsed by the Universal Declaration of Bioethics and Human Rights and allows people to make free and informed decisions about their health. The structure of the informed consent forms is evaluated in accordance with the regulations established in the Management Model for the Application of Informed Consent in Health Care in Ecuador.MethodsA descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted. The assessment instruments were developed based on current national regulations. A total of 482 informed consent forms from 62 health institutions in the country were evaluated.ResultsCompliance with the structure established by national regulations is heterogeneous, ranging from 74.46% to 94.87%. Although these values suggest a relatively high level of adherence, they are insufficient to ensure fully informed decision-making that guarantees both patient autonomy and safety. Readability was 45.23%, which made it difficult to understand properly.ConclusionInformed consent in the Ecuadorian context presents deficiencies in compliance with its structure, which compromises its completeness, and a significant gap in its legibility, which compromises informed decision-making and limits the exercise of patient-centred medical practice.]]></description>
      </item><item>
        <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fmedt.2026.1735319</guid>
        <link>https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fmedt.2026.1735319</link>
        <title><![CDATA[Feasibility and safety of electrohydraulic acoustic therapy for treatment of hypertension in patients with chronic kidney disease]]></title>
        <pubdate>2026-03-03T00:00:00Z</pubdate>
        <category>Brief Research Report</category>
        <author>Aleksandra Kukla</author><author>Alex Slutzker</author><author>Alexandra Perez Alterman</author><author>Petar Veruovic</author><author>Michael Glikson</author><author>Shuli Silberman</author><author>Amir Lerman</author><author>Lilach O. Lerman</author><author>Talya Wolak</author>
        <description><![CDATA[BackgroundUncontrolled hypertension is common in chronic kidney disease (CKD) patients. Electro-hydraulic acoustic therapy (eHAT) is a non-invasive treatment that may lower blood pressure (BP), but its safety and efficacy in CKD remain unclear. This study aimed to evaluate eHAT's feasibility and safety in this population.MethodsIn this single-arm, prospective, single-center proof-of-concept study, CKD patients received six eHAT treatments over three weeks. BP was assessed in-office (attended and unattended) at baseline and at 4-, 12-, 24-, and 48-weeks post-treatment. Ambulatory BP monitoring (ABPM) was performed at baseline, 12, and 48 weeks. The primary endpoint was change in systolic office BP (OBP) from baseline to 12 weeks. Secondary endpoints included additional BP measurements, kidney function, and safety.ResultsFifteen patients completed all follow-ups. At 12 weeks, mean systolic OBP decreased by 9.73 mmHg (SD 14.77; p = 0.0032) and remained significantly lower at 24 weeks (−7.67 mmHg; p = 0.0335) and 48 weeks (−19.40 mmHg; p < 0.0001). Diastolic OBP reductions were significant at 12 (p = 0.0413) and 48 weeks (p = 0.0022). By 12 weeks, 26% of participants reduced the number or dose of antihypertensive medications. Kidney function remained stable throughout. No safety signals were detected.ConclusionOur study highlights the feasibility and tolerability of eHAT in patients with CKD and HTN. Nonetheless, due to the small sample size and lack of a control group, these findings should be considered preliminary.]]></description>
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        <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fmedt.2026.1759039</guid>
        <link>https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fmedt.2026.1759039</link>
        <title><![CDATA[Development and kinetic evaluation of vitamin C-loaded contact lenses prepared by a simple soaking technique]]></title>
        <pubdate>2026-02-26T00:00:00Z</pubdate>
        <category>Original Research</category>
        <author>Novan Rifky Lutfhyansyah</author><author>Haider Butt</author>
        <description><![CDATA[Conventional ocular drug delivery systems are often limited by low bioavailability and short residence times at the ocular surface, motivating the development of alternative delivery platforms. In this study, vitamin C-loaded contact lenses were prepared using a simple soaking technique and systematically evaluated. Two commercial lenses, Senofilcon A and Hilafilcon B, were immersed in vitamin C solutions, and their loading efficiency, release kinetics, stability, water content, and oxygen permeability were investigated. Vitamin C release was quantified using UV-Vis spectrometry and analyzed using zero-order, first-order, Higuchi, and Korsmeyer–Peppas models. Hilafilcon B exhibited higher vitamin C loading and cumulative release (∼14 µg/mL) than Senofilcon A (∼10 µg/mL), consistent with its higher hydrophilicity and equilibrium water content (∼56% compared to ∼29%). Kinetic analysis indicated that the vitamin C release from both lenses was best described by the Korsmeyer–Peppas model (Hilafilcon B, n = 0.610; Senofilcon A, n = 0.783), suggesting anomalous transport behavior. Vitamin C stability was strongly influenced by storage conditions, with refrigerated storage improving stability, while UV exposure accelerated degradation. Overall, these findings demonstrate that vitamin C incorporation via soaking provides a straightforward approach for developing antioxidant-loaded contact lenses with potential relevance for ocular drug delivery.]]></description>
      </item><item>
        <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fmedt.2026.1717535</guid>
        <link>https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fmedt.2026.1717535</link>
        <title><![CDATA[Fostering equity in precision health through diverse 3D facial data]]></title>
        <pubdate>2026-02-19T00:00:00Z</pubdate>
        <category>Original Research</category>
        <author>Saumya Jamuar</author><author>Richard Palmer</author><author>Zi Qiang Teo</author><author>Stuart Lee</author><author>Petra Helmholz</author><author>Shermaine Chan</author><author>Gareth Baynam</author>
        <description><![CDATA[IntroductionThe promise of precision medicine lies in its ability to provide greater diagnostic accuracy and customized therapy by filtering out patients less likely to benefit from it. Our study focuses on the importance of reducing uncertainty in interpretation of individuals 3D facial data to support more equitable precision medicine applications. The Human Genome Project and subsequent advances in sequencing have led to the creation of vast genetic datasets, predominantly representing individuals of European origin. However, there is a significant underrepresentation of individuals of African, Asian, and Indigenous ancestries.MethodsThe study involved 1,218 participants from various genetic ancestries backgrounds, with a focus on the paediatric population of Chinese genetic ancestry. The study subjects underwent 3D facial photogrammetry in outpatient department setting and with the aid of Cliniface software growth curves were obtained to produce reference statistics of 3D facial norms.ResultsThe results showed measurable and distinct facial differences in children with Chinese genetic ancestry when compared with other groups representing different genetic ancestries highlighting the need for population diversity and inclusion enrichment in genetic databases. Also, these facial differences and markers are uniquely poised to be correlated in clinic as disease specific digital biomarkers with further investigation and validation in conditions such as hereditary angioedema.DiscussionThe study underscores the importance of creating larger datasets involving more diverse genetic ancestry groups to enhance the evidence base for advanced and equitable disease diagnosis, treatment monitoring, prognostication and customized drug development.]]></description>
      </item><item>
        <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fmedt.2026.1729631</guid>
        <link>https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fmedt.2026.1729631</link>
        <title><![CDATA[Early and accelerated access programs for medical devices in the European Union: mapping regulatory derogations and national schemes]]></title>
        <pubdate>2026-02-13T00:00:00Z</pubdate>
        <category>Policy and Practice Reviews</category>
        <author>Baptiste Haon</author><author>Mira Hartmann</author><author>Sanae Akodad</author><author>Hilde Stevens</author><author>Lise Rochaix</author>
        <description><![CDATA[BackgroundEarly access programs (EAPs) can provide patients with medical devices before full market access in urgent or high unmet-need situations. Unlike pharmaceuticals, the European Union (EU) has no harmonised early-access framework for medical devices, resulting in fragmented national practices. We use EAP as an umbrella term for two overlapping categories with distinct objectives: (1) early access in the strict sense, authorising exceptional pre-market use under defined conditions; and (2) accelerated access, aiming to shorten time to routine access by streamlining regulatory, reimbursement, or evidence-generation pathways. We map and compare these mechanisms across the 27 EU Member States (MS).MethodsWe conducted a qualitative document-based analysis of peer-reviewed literature, grey literature (policy papers, regulatory guidance), and legal sources (EU legislation, national laws) published up to June 2025. We searched PubMed and Google Scholar, consulted Eur-Lex, and reviewed national competent authority websites. Search terms (English and local languages, then translated) combined “medical device” with “early access,” “accelerated access,” “compassionate use,” and “derogation,” plus “EU” or MS names. Documents were included if they described mechanisms enabling early use of medical devices. We synthesised and compared key program characteristics.ResultsWe identified early and accelerated access pathways at EU level and within MS. EU law provides derogations from CE-marking requirements, notably Article 59 of the EU Medical Device Regulation (EU MDR), allowing national authorisation of non-CE-marked devices in exceptional circumstances. The EU MDR also enables the use of custom-made devices and certain in-house manufactured devices by health institutions without full CE marking. Nationally, at least half of MS operate compassionate or expanded access schemes for devices, and some implement reimbursement or evidence-development mechanisms (e.g., France’s forfait innovation) to support early use while generating decision-relevant data.ConclusionsEarly access to medical devices in Europe relies on EU regulatory derogations and heterogeneous national schemes. The landscape remains fragmented and unevenly documented. We recommend: (1) a more structured EU-level route for high-risk and combination products, (2) lifecycle-based national schemes integrating regulatory and payer access, (3) measures to reduce inequities and administrative barriers, particularly in Central and Eastern Europe, and (4) improved transparency and standardised data collection on implemented pathways.]]></description>
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        <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fmedt.2025.1725661</guid>
        <link>https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fmedt.2025.1725661</link>
        <title><![CDATA[Anthropometry and diagnostic aware deep learning for exercise assessment]]></title>
        <pubdate>2026-02-06T00:00:00Z</pubdate>
        <category>Original Research</category>
        <author>Karla Miriam Reyes Leiva</author><author>Pavla Nikelova</author><author>Martin Cerny</author>
        <description><![CDATA[BackgroundCorrect technique during strength exercises such as squats and Romanian deadlifts (RDLs) is fundamental for performance and injury prevention.ObjectiveWe introduce ADA (Anthropometry and Diagnostic Aware), a multimodal deep-learning framework that integrates IMU kinematics with anthropometric and diagnostic features to classify movement quality and predict movement related risk.MethodsSeventeen-sensor IMU data were collected from 15 healthy subjects performing correct and incorrect squat and RDL trials. A CNN-LSTM branch processed kinematic sequences and a fully connected branch processed static anthropometric/diagnostic inputs; feature fusion used attention weighting.ResultsIncorporating anthropometry and diagnostic context increased sequence-level accuracy from 86.5% (kinematics only) to 94.8% (ADA) and enabled binary risk prediction at 97.8%. Personalized (transfer learning) fine tuning further improved accuracies (mean gains 3%–5% depending on window length).ConclusionADA demonstrates that subject-specific static features improve movement quality classification and risk stratification, supporting wearable-based personalized feedback in training and rehabilitation.]]></description>
      </item><item>
        <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fmedt.2026.1763067</guid>
        <link>https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fmedt.2026.1763067</link>
        <title><![CDATA[From basic biology to engineered therapies: the keratinocyte stem cell playbook]]></title>
        <pubdate>2026-02-06T00:00:00Z</pubdate>
        <category>Review</category>
        <author>Adnan Uddin</author><author>Mohamad Rahmani</author><author>Abdulrahim Sajini</author>
        <description><![CDATA[Keratinocyte stem cells (KSCs) are the principal drivers of epidermal renewal, barrier maintenance, and wound repair. Their ability to alternate between self-renewal and differentiation is orchestrated by tightly integrated extrinsic and intrinsic programs that ensure tissue stability while enabling rapid regeneration after injury. This review synthesizes current understanding of KSC homeostasis through a unified framework of three interdependent “fate locks”—the identity switch (ΔNp63 ↔ Notch/IRF6-KLF4/GRHL3/OVOL), the cell-cycle lock (E2F/MYC ↔ p21/p27-RB), and the mechanotransduction lock (YAP/TAZ ↔ Hippo/LATS). We summarize how niche-derived cues—integrins/ECM, EGFR, Wnt, Notch, Ca2+/CaSR, and TGF-β—interface with intrinsic timers such as asymmetric division, DNMT1-UHRF1-mediated epigenetic memory, the DNA-damage response, proteostasis/autophagy, and redox signaling to steer keratinocyte fate. Building on this biological foundation, we categorize current methods for isolation and xeno-free expansion of primary human keratinocytes, emphasizing advances in defined media, feeder-free substrates, and biomimetic culture surfaces. We further review 3D and organotypic models, hydrogel-based delivery systems, and the growing portfolio of keratinocyte-derived clinical products used in wound healing. Finally, we highlight emerging applications extending beyond cutaneous repair—including immunomodulation, pigment restoration, ocular and mucosal regeneration, and acellular exosome-based therapeutics.]]></description>
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