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- 😄“Laughing Gas” Works Faster Than Antidepressants - But There’s a Catch
😄“Laughing Gas” Works Faster Than Antidepressants - But There’s a Catch
INSIDE: Cataract Robotics • AF Watches • Aortic AI • Seizure AI • Bone Loss
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AIHealthTech Insider: Issue #78
December 8, 2025
This week’s snapshot? Micro-precision robots completing cataract surgeries. Wearables predicting seizures. AI reading aortas in seconds. Smartwatches flagging AF with near-clinical accuracy. Even laughing gas showing fast- if brief - antidepressant effects.
Across ophthalmology, cardiology, neurology, and radiology, the theme is clear:
diagnostics are becoming predictive, workflows are becoming automated, and clinical decisions are becoming faster and more data-driven.
Summaries are for education, not medical advice. Always verify locally before clinical use.
A UCLA-engineered surgical robot just completed the world’s first human robotic cataract procedures, delivering micro-precision (0.053 mm) and consistent intraocular control across 10 patients.
Image Source: Ideogram/AIHealthTech Insider
Why it matters
Enables highly stable corneal incisions + lens extraction
Reduces variability in delicate micron-level steps of cataract surgery
Opens the door to fully robot-assisted ophthalmic procedures
A JACC: Advances meta-analysis of 26 studies (17,000+ patients) shows smartwatch AF detection has ~95% sensitivity and ~96% specificity. PPG- and single-lead ECG devices performed similarly, but real-world PPV may decrease in low-prevalence populations due to heterogeneity and small-study effects.
Image Source: Ideogram/AIHealthTech Insider
Why it matters
Continuous wrist-based rhythm surveillance can rival traditional ECG and Holter for AF detection
High NPV makes a normal tracing on a validated device reassuring in many scenarios
False positives and low-burden AF episodes risk overtreatment—screening still needs CHA₂DS₂-VASc–guided, individualized decisions
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A systematic review of 7 trials (n=247) finds inhaled N₂O (25–50%) produces fast symptom drops in MDD/TRD/BP depression within 2–24 hours, with effects largely waning by 1 week.
Image Source: Ideogram/AIHealthTech Insider
Why it matters
NMDA-modulating, ketamine-adjacent option with mostly mild, transient AEs (nausea, dizziness, headache)
Repeated 50% N₂O sessions show higher response/remission vs placebo, but durability and optimal dose remain unclear
Evidence base still early-phase: small samples, heterogeneous dosing, limited long-term and adolescent/BP data
👉 Study → Nitrous oxide for the treatment of depression: a systematic review and meta-analysis - eBioMedicine
RapidAI's FDA-cleared Aortic Management tool uses AI to measure, reconstruct, and track the aorta from any CT scan, providing accurate metrics and 3D models instantly. This reduces reading time and aids in early detection during long-term surveillance.
Image Source: RapidAI
Why it matters
Automates complex aortic measurements to cut cognitive load
Standardizes reporting and reduces inter-reader variability
Longitudinal tracking supports earlier, potentially life-saving intervention
Works across routine, acute, and post-treatment CT — expanding real-world use
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🩺Product Spotlight: EPISERAS – AI for Real-Time Seizure Forecasting
Neuraxpharm and mjn-neuro have launched EPISERAS, a CE-marked Class IIa wearable that predicts epileptic seizures in real time. The headset monitors brain activity continuously and uses AI models to generate risk alerts through a companion mobile app.
Image Source: Ideogram/AIHealthTech Insider
Why it matters
Advance warnings improve safety, autonomy, and daily functioning
Remote seizure-pattern tracking reduces in-clinic monitoring needs
Marks a shift from detection to proactive, AI-driven neurological prevention
✨ Surprise: How Weight Loss Quietly Weakens Your Bones
A Bone Research review shows that rapid or sustained weight loss from illness, GLP-1 drugs, or bariatric surgery can reduce bone mineral density, damage micro-architecture, and increase fracture risk due to reduced mechanical loading, hormonal changes, marrow fat gain, under-nutrition, and altered energy metabolism.
Image Source: Ideogram/AIHealthTech Insider
Why it matters
Reframes weight loss as a potential skeletal risk, not just a metabolic win
Explains why hips and cortical bone are hit hardest in dieting, CR, and surgery
Flags the need for bone monitoring, nutrition, and strength training alongside weight-loss therapies
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💡 The Real Question: Where Should AI Go Solo First?
Image Source: Ideogram/AIHealthTech Insider
Over the next 3 years, which clinical task is safest to let AI handle mostly unsupervised? Vote below. |
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