Who to ask for input? New display technology for image-guided surgery

[Biomed_Engineer]

I am posting this to see if anyone can help with names of surgeons who use image-guided surgery systems for their frank input and feedback on a technology I'm developing?

I'm a mechanical engineer with 4 years experience designing and developing software for a top aerospace engine company.

I recently filed a provisional patent application for a display technology that could be a game-changer for surgeons performing image-guided operations.

I've emailed several surgeons in different fields (Neuro / ENT / Ortho) after searching for names. Those who replied were all users image-guided systems and most of them sounded interested and gave useful feedback.

For those who didn't respond, I don't know if they didn't perform image-guided surgery or if this project didn't seem significant enough to respond.

Does anyone have suggestions to help me get in contact with surgeons who use this technology so I can get their honest feedback?

I added a brief description of the proposed system below. If any of you uses image-guided technology does this seem like it would be beneficial? If so, in what fields/ or specific operations?

Thanks for any advice you can give. Please feel free to PM me if needed.





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Brief description of proposed system:

• The display system would essentially provide a virtual 3D 'X-ray' into the patient in real-time using pre-scanned 3D CT, or MRI. This would allow the surgeon to intuitively pinpoint target anatomy and avoid important surrounding anatomy like major blood vessels etc. ( Note the display is not head-mounted).

• Tracks instruments and the patient within the system's foot print. This prevents loss of tracking by someone standing on one side of patient (as is the case with Brainlab, Stealthstation, and other systems).

• System would allow touchless, direct-interaction with navigation software while within the operating field.

• The setup is drapable and could be swung in and out of the field on the fly. Display would supplement, if not replace major portions of, current image-guided systems.

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[HighPriest]

I, for one, use navigation often and am always interested in anything that might improve upon what I'm using. However, based upon the description above, this sytem seems similar to the Fusion system that medtronic offers (with the exception of the direct interaction with the software). But again, you're trying to explain what is likely a complicated system in a few short bullets.

 

[Biomed_Engineer]

Thanks for the response.
Yes, it is similar to Fusion, but the key difference is it overlays pre-segmented 3D imagery directly with the patient. The surgeon could look directly at the patient and see the underlying (pre-scanned) anatomy in 3D.

Would this be a technology any of you could see yourselves using?

The most applicable use seems to be for surgery planning, if not for intra-operative use and also surgery training. Possible fields are skull-base tumors, spine tumors, surgery to relieve nerve pinch in spine, or for stereotactic brain biopsies.

What type of work do any of you think it might better apply to?

Are there any surgeons any of you might recommend who could offer their candid input?

Thanks again - I appreciate any feedback or advice I can get for this project.