Fiber-Optic Pedicle Probes to Advance Spine Surgery through Diffuse Reflectance Spectroscopy

Diffuse Reflectance Spectroscopy (DRS) can provide tissue feedback for pedicle screw placement in spine surgery, yet the integration of fiber optics into the tip of the pedicle probe, a device used to pierce through bone, is challenging, since the optical probing depth and signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) are affected negatively compared to those of...

Diffuse reflectance spectroscopy of the spine: improved breach detection with angulated fibers

Accuracy in spinal fusion varies greatly depending on the experience of the physician. Real-time tissue feedback with diffuse reflectance spectroscopy has been shown to provide cortical breach detection using a conventional probe with two parallel fibers. In this study, Monte Carlo simulations and optical phantom experiments were conducted to...

Hyperspectral Imaging for Tissue Classification after Advanced Stage Ovarian Cancer Surgery: A Pilot Study

The most important prognostic factor for the survival of advanced-stage epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC) is the completeness of cytoreductive surgery (CRS). Therefore, an intraoperative technique to detect microscopic tumors would be of great value. The aim of this pilot study is to assess the feasibility of near-infrared hyperspectral imaging ...

Steering light in fiber-optic medical devices: a patent review

Introduction: Steering light is relevant to many medical applications that require tissue illumination, sensing, or modification. To control the propagation direction of light beams, a great variety of innovative fiber-optic medical devices have been designed. Areas covered: This review provides a comprehensive overview of the patent...

Tissue-mimicking phantom materials with tunable optical properties suitable for assessment of diffuse reflectance spectroscopy during electrosurgery

Emerging intraoperative tumor margin assessment techniques require the development of more complex and reliable organ phantoms to assess the performance of the technique before its translation into the clinic. In this work, electrically conductive tissue-mimicking materials (TMMs) based on fat, water and agar/gelatin were produced with...

Reprocessing Zamak laryngoscope blades into new instrument parts: an ‘all-in-one’ experimental study

Introduction: Disposable instruments in healthcare have led to a significant increase of medical waste. The aim of this study is to validate the recycling of disposable Zamak laryngoscope blades into new medical products by using a new ‘all-in-one’ affordable reprocessing setup as alternative for die-casting. <br/>Methods: An “all-in-one”...

Electrosurgical knife equipped with diffused reflectance spectroscopy sensing for tumor margin detection during breast conserving surgery: A phantom study

Distinguishing the diseased breast tissue from the healthy tissue is a sorely challenging task for the surgeons during breast conserving surgery (BCS) as both tissues own relatively similar visual and haptic characteristics. It has been shown that diffused reflectance spectroscopy (DRS) has the potential to be used as a real-time tumor margin...

Proton density fat fraction of the spinal column: an MRI cadaver study

Background: The increased popularity of minimally invasive spinal surgery calls for a revision of guidance techniques to prevent injuries of nearby neural and vascular structures. Lipid content has previously been proposed as a distinguishing criterion for different bone tissues to provide guidance along the interface of cancellous and...

Diffuse reflectance spectroscopy for breach detection during pedicle screw placement: a first in vivo investigation in a porcine model

BACKGROUND: The safe and accurate placement of pedicle screws remains a critical step in open and minimally invasive spine surgery, emphasizing the need for intraoperative guidance techniques. Diffuse reflectance spectroscopy (DRS) is an optical sensing technology that may provide intraoperative guidance in pedicle screw placement. PURPOSE:...

Intraoperative tumor margin assessment using diffuse reflectance spectroscopy: The effect of electrosurgery on tissue discrimination using ex vivo animal tissue models

Using an intraoperative margin assessment technique during breast-conserving surgery (BCS) helps surgeons to decrease the risk of positive margin occurrence. Diffuse reflectance spectroscopy (DRS) has the potential to discriminate healthy breast tissue from cancerous tissue. We investigated the performance of an electrosurgical knife...

Diffuse reflectance spectroscopy, a potential optical sensing technology for the detection of cortical breaches during spinal screw placement

Safe and accurate placement of screws remains a critical issue in open and minimally invasive spine surgery. We propose to use diffuse reflectance (DR) spectroscopy as a sensing technology at the tip of a surgical instrument to ensure a safe path of the instrument through the cancellous bone of the vertebrae. This approach could potentially...

Validation of diffuse reflectance spectroscopy with magnetic resonance imaging for accurate vertebral bone fat fraction quantification

Safe and accurate placement of pedicle screws remains a critical step in open and minimally invasive spine surgery. The diffuse reflectance spectroscopy (DRS) technique may offer the possibility of intra-operative guidance for pedicle screw placement. Currently, Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) is one of the most accurate techniques used to...

Real-time oncological guidance using diffuse reflectance spectroscopy in electrosurgery: The effect of coagulation on tissue discrimination

In breast surgery, a lack of knowledge about what is below the tissue surface may lead to positive tumor margins and iatrogenic damage. Diffuse reflectance spectroscopy (DRS) is a spectroscopic technique that can distinguish between healthy and tumor tissue making it a suitable technology for intraoperative guidance. However, because tumor...