Economic evaluations of medical devices in paediatrics: a systematic review and a quality appraisal of the literature.

Background: Although economic evaluations (EEs) have been increasingly applied to medical devices, little discussion has been conducted on how the different health realities of specific populations may impact the application of methods and the ensuing results. This is particularly relevant for pediatric populations, as most EEs on devices are conducted in adults, with specific aspects related to the uniqueness of child health often being overlooked. This study provides a review of the published EEs on devices used in paediatrics, assessing the quality of reporting, and summarising methodological challenges.

Assessment of mechanical properties of porcine aortas under physiological loading conditions using vascular elastography.

Non-invasive assessment of the elastic properties of the arterial wall is often performed with ultrasound (US) imaging. The purpose of this study is to estimate mechanical properties of the vascular wall using in vitro inflation testing on biological tissue and two-dimensional (2-D) US elastography, and investigate the performance of the proposed methodology for physiological conditions. An inflation experiment was performed on 12 porcine aortas for (a) a large pressure range (0-140mmHg); and (b) physiological pressures (70-130mmHg) to mimic in vivo hemodynamic conditions.