The purpose of Cleveland Clinic's annual "Top 10 Medical Innovations" is to share the perspective on what innovations would help to re-shape health care in the next year. Top 10 are representing the final results of a rigorous selection process when clinicians and researchers at the Cleveland Clinic have been asked: "What game-changing medical technology, device, or therapy do you see breaking through in 2010?"

Cleveland Clinic Top 10 for 2010

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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

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.

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.

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.

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.

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