Monday, March 01, 2010
THE removal of varicose veins can be a day-long procedure involving X-rays or other scans, but could become a much simpler affair due to the combined expertise of Irish surgeons and scientists.
The development of a device which would allow surgeons to see the damaged veins they are working on through the skin is one of a number of projects being worked on as part of a collaboration which may also have major job-creation potential in Ireland.
The Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland (RCSI) and Tyndall National Institute are joining forces to help propel the country to the forefront of innovation in the biomedical device sector. The idea will bring together medical experts, scientists and engineers to apply technology already being developed at Tyndall’s base in Cork to the needs of clinicians for surgical procedures.
Among the ideas for which work is already under way is a device that would simplify varicose vein removal for surgeons and patients alike. The procedure currently requires a patient to have an x-ray or CT scan before surgery to identify where the vein is. But technology planned at Tyndall would install a light source at the end of the guide wire inserted into the patient’s leg artery.
"By finding the right frequency of light to allow it shine through the skin, the surgeon would not need the assistance of an X-ray or other scan image. Not only will it make the procedure shorter and less costly for patients, they will be less exposed to radiation," said Derek Young of RCSI’s Centre for Innovation in Surgical Technology (CIST).
The collaboration between Tyndall and RCSI, formally signed at the Cork institute yesterday, will also focus on new devices to assist in screening for cancer and other problems in the colon, normally done through imaging from scope cameras.
"We’re trying to add technology to assist cameras that will allow the colon to be scanned, but not just by the clinician examination of images. If there’s a lesion or blockage, they can sometimes be hard to see but, if you had software that recognises changes in patterns, it would assist screening and hopefully reduce human error," Mr Young said.
Such technology would have major global significance, given that colorectal cancer is the third most common form of the disease in the western world. While colon cancer is one of the most curable, late recognition in its advance stages can cost governments more than €30,000 per patient.
Among the other plans are software to allow surgeons use image detection techniques that could better identify other abnormalities in the stomach during laparoscopic surgeries, such as gall bladder removal. The partnership may also produce devices that can be worn like badges to measure radiation levels to which hospital staff are exposed in x-ray and other scanning departments.
According to Carlo Webster of Tyndall’s wafer fabrication facilities, the idea is that new devices could be conceived, developed and eventually produced in Ireland. "There is scope for the biomedical devices coming from our partnership with RCSI to be manufactured in Ireland and the aim is that the technologies can stay in Ireland and be distributed from here."
With medical and diagnostic products already accounting for almost 12% of the country’s total exports and supporting 24,000 jobs, there is clearly a solid base for mass production of any innovations emerging from the merging of expertise between both groups.
Ultimately, however, the results could also lead to improvements to care and outcomes, less invasive surgery, faster recovery and reduced costs for patients in Ireland and around the world.
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