11

References . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .176

Medical devices have become a visible and dramatic part of modern medical

care. The period following World War II has seen the development of a tre-

mendous range of devices that have revolutionized medical practice and

improved or prolonged millions of lives. At the same time, devices are not

automatically beneficial, and they, like all technology, are associated with risk.