Telementoring A haptic-guidance system for laparoscopic tools is under development to facilitate minimally invasive surgical training and telementoring.
MEMS Sensors for In-vivo Monitoring A catheter-mounted MEMS-based pressure sensor for continuous, wireless (radiofrequency) integration of pressure monitoring in the urinary tract will be developed. Packaging technologies developed by Minimed Medtronic, Inc. will enable safe long-term use. This sensor should ultimately be applicable to monitoring pressures in other organ systems as well.
Telepresence Using Robotic Wireless System A software application for remote wireless access in real time to a comprehensive set of medical data is being developed. A wireless mobile pocket device will allow access to all data, including viewing radiographic imaging connected to the PACS system. The entire medical electronic record can be accessed remotely in real time. New high-speed cell phone networks are employed. This technology will be fused with the InTouch robot for virtual physician presence at the bedside, in the Emergency Room, or on the battlefield. It will allow for remote expert consultation, with the ability to view the patient, interview the patient, and assess a complete set of medical data in real time.
Ultrasound-Guided Procedural Training Computer-based procedural training and educational methods are being explored to practice procedures without risking iatrogenic injury. The project will develop a desktop computer-based platform that will train users how to perform ultrasound-guided procedures. It should provide a platform for the development of additional procedural training using text, audio, digital video, 3D modeling, and force feedback.
Flexible Ultrasound Arrays for Medical Imaging Flexible conformable ultrasound arrays are under developmetn for medical imaging. These arrays have the advantage of providing multiple unique "looks" around objects to produce high resolution volumetric images of curved body surfaces in real time. This blood-pressure cuff-type flexible conformable array will allow less experienced personnel to obtain high quality images with minimal manipulation of the affected extremities, since mechanical scanning is not required.
Thin Film Nitinol Low-profile Devices for Vascular Repair The focus of this research is to develop an ultra-low profile device containing new thin film Nitinol to occlude the damaged vessels preventing excessive blood loss as well as subsequent repair.
A Novel Framework for Fluid/Structure Interaction in Subject-Specific Surgical Simulations Involving Elastic Cardiac Geometries The benefits of patient-specific computational fluid dynamics simulations of blood flow near healthy and diseased heart valves can potentially revolutionize the treatment of certain pathologies. Such functionality could allow the surgeon to design new procedures tailored to the individual, to determine whether or not surgery is needed by numerically predicting postoperative results and could even be used to train surgical residents in state-of-the-art techniques.
A Novel Thin Film Nitinol Covered Stent to Treat Peripheral Arterial Disease Our group has been examining the utility of covering stents with surface treated thin film nickel titanium to treat a wide range of vascular disease processes. Using a UCLA patented process, our group can create thin film nitinol made to uniform thicknesses as small as one micron.
Rapid Transition Polymer for Temporary Vascular Occlusion During Segmental Liver Resection The complexity of the liver's circulation mandates study of this technique for hepatic resection. The Overall Aim is to optimize the technique to achieve vascular inflow control, improving the ease and safety of segmental liver resection. This will be achieved with in vitro and in vivo experiments in large animals.
Assessing the Role of Technology in Hospital Design Though surgical technology has progressed considerably in recent years, a standard for assessing the utilization and efficacy of a concert of technology in the surgical setting does not yet exist. Through studying the implementation and utilization of the advanced connectivity built into the integrated operating rooms at the Ronald Reagan Medical Center a framework for the assessment of technology in the surgical setting will be developed.
Focal Laser Ablation of Prostate Cancer Targeted laser ablation of prostate cancer cells to precisely destroy the tumor without damaging surrounding healthy tissue.
