The Need
Many of the issues prevalent in MIS result from a limited view of the surgical field and lack of tactile feedback. Without clear vision and touch, surgeons are often unable to discern the tissue that lies beneath their surgical plane. This results in unintended laceration of arteries, and the subsequent pause-and-repair prolongs surgeries. Therefore, it is important to know the location of blood vessels around the operating region.
Currently, there are a number of imaging modalities in the operating room that provide information about the location and perfusion of arteries; however, these modalities remain separate from MIS tools, requiring surgeons to look back and forth between their surgical field and the imaging modality interface. The continuous refocus that is required leads surgeons to defer to their own judgment and experience. |
Surgeons and patients would benefit from a device that detects arteries while using electrosurgical pencils during minimally invasive surgeries.
Project Scope
Minimally invasive surgeries would improve if ES pencils could detect nearby arteries without obstructing their use. Therefore, it is important that our artery detection device attaches to ES pencils without adding significant weight or size. Furthermore, the device should have a high spatial resolution to precisely detect arteries and a low energy output to prevent unintended tissue heating. In April, our team will deliver a proof-of-concept device that outputs an auditory signal when an ES pencil comes in close proximity to an artery.