2007年VOA标准英语-Global Positioning Systems Now Help Doctors Per

By Carol Pearson
Washington
18 May 2007
 

The technology that helps drivers to navigate¹ roads and soldiers to map their positions is now helping² doctors repair worn-out knees.  The medical procedure is called navigational knee surgery.  VOA's Carol Pearson has more on how satellite technology is improving surgery.

The U.S. Defense³ Department developed the global positioning system, or GPS, for military purposes.  It transmits precise radio signals by satellite technology. Non-military use includes helping drivers find their way around town. Police use GPS to track down people in emergency situations. 

Now doctors are using the technology to guide them in precision surgery.

"You can see there is no more joint⁴ space, just bone on bone," points out Dr. Dominic Tse. He is preparing to use GPS to navigate through knee surgery. He begins by placing wireless⁵ trackers or transponders into the knee.  The procedure is minimally⁶ invasive.

"The trackers send signals that are captured by the infrared⁷ optical system and then they're transmitted to a computer and then [the] computer analyzes⁸ it and creates a three-dimensional interactive⁹ knee model."

Next, Dr. Tse begins cutting away the damaged joint by carefully following this computerized diagram -- accurate to a fraction of a degree. "So it takes out all the guess work [and] provides far more accuracy than ever possible."

He replaces the damaged knee with an artificial knee.  He says the navigational knee system also makes aligning¹⁰ the new knee easier.

Patient Bob Champion is pleased with the results. "I have 68 steps up to my house and I was able to go up and down the steps, was walking within a couple of days, without using any kind of support. I was back playing golf within six weeks after the surgery. So it was pretty amazing."

Grace Fong had two knee surgeries.  Dr. Tse used navigational knee technology for her second operation. "On the first knee, I had to depend on medication for two weeks.  But for the second one, I don't need any medication."

Because the surgery is precise and minimally invasive, patients have a quicker, easier recovery.

1 navigate   

v.航行，飞行；导航，领航

参考例句：

• He was the first man to navigate the Atlantic by air.他是第一个飞越大西洋的人。
• Such boats can navigate on the Nile.这种船可以在尼罗河上航行。

2 helping   

n.食物的一份&adj.帮助人的，辅助的

参考例句：

• The poor children regularly pony up for a second helping of my hamburger. 那些可怜的孩子们总是要求我把我的汉堡包再给他们一份。
• By doing this, they may at times be helping to restore competition. 这样一来, 他在某些时候,有助于竞争的加强。

3 defense   

n.防御，保卫；[pl.]防务工事；辩护，答辩

参考例句：

• The accused has the right to defense.被告人有权获得辩护。
• The war has impacted the area with military and defense workers.战争使那个地区挤满了军队和防御工程人员。

4 joint   

adj.联合的，共同的；n.关节，接合处；v.连接，贴合

参考例句：

• I had a bad fall,which put my shoulder out of joint.我重重地摔了一跤，肩膀脫臼了。
• We wrote a letter in joint names.我们联名写了封信。

5 wireless   

adj.无线的；n.无线电

参考例句：

• There are a lot of wireless links in a radio.收音机里有许多无线电线路。
• Wireless messages tell us that the ship was sinking.无线电报告知我们那艘船正在下沉。

6 minimally   

最低限度地，最低程度地

参考例句：

• Food spoilage problems occur with minimally processed, concentrated frozen citrus products. 食品的变质也发生在轻微加工的、浓缩冷冻的柑橘制品中。
• So, minimally, they are responsible for such actions and omissions. 所以，至少来说，他们要对这样的行为和忽略负责。

7 infrared   

adj./n.红外线(的)

参考例句：

• Infrared is widely used in industry and medical science.红外线广泛应用于工业和医学科学。
• Infrared radiation has wavelengths longer than those of visible light.红外辐射的波长比可见光的波长长。

8 analyzes   

v.分析( analyze的第三人称单数 )；分解；解释；对…进行心理分析

参考例句：

• This approach analyzes management by studying experience usually through cases. 这个学派通常从实例获得经验，用以分析管理。 来自辞典例句
• The econometrician analyzes statistical data. 经济计量学者要分析统计材料。 来自辞典例句

9 interactive   

adj.相互作用的，互相影响的，（电脑）交互的

参考例句：

• The psychotherapy is carried out in small interactive groups.这种心理治疗是在互动的小组之间进行的。
• This will make videogames more interactive than ever.这将使电子游戏的互动性更胜以往。

10 aligning   

n. (直线)对准 动词align的现在分词形式

参考例句：

• There are signs that the prime minister is aligning himself with the liberals. 有迹象表明首相正在与自由党人结盟。
• ToolTips provide textual hints that assist in drawing lines and aligning objects. 工具提示提供了协助画线和对象对齐的文本提示。 来自About Face 3交互设计精髓