Research in Action: - University of Calgary

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$LATEX for Philosophers - University of Calgary$

In the space of seven years—the blink of an eye in the world of research—Calgary neurosurgeon Dr. Garnette Sutherland took an idea about how to improve the precision of brain surgery and made medical history. The story illustrates exactly why biomedical engineering has such potential to improve health care and change lives, and why the University of Calgary is poised to play a leading role in this revolution. In 2002, Sutherland, a professor of neurosurgery at the University of Calgary’s Faculty of Medicine, assembled a multidisciplinary team of scientists and engineers to tackle a problem that plagues all surgeons. No matter how skilled, they are limited by the physical constraints of their own hands. Making medical history Sutherland’s vision was to create a surgical robot capable of operating on the brain in a way that is less invasive and more delicate than a surgeon’s hands. On May 12, 2008, he performed a world’s first—groundbreaking neurosurgery using the neuroArm surgical robotic system to remove a complex brain tumour from a 21-year-old Calgary chef and mother. This was the first time a robot has performed surgery of this kind, but not the last. Similar operations are now being conducted at the Foothills Medical Centre, a major health-care partner of the University of Calgary. A revolution in neurosurgery “This system has exceptional capabilities,” says Sutherland. “This is a turning point in the performance and teaching of neurosurgery.” Typically, the human hand can steady itself and move in increments of one or two millimetres. NeuroArm can move in increments of 50 microns—about the width of a human hair. “NeuroArm allows us to harness the capabilities and advantages of both human and machine,” says Alex Greer, the project’s robotics engineer. “We enhance the surgeon’s manual skills with tremor filtering. By providing updated imaging and navigation, the surgeon has the tools to better plan and execute complex neurosurgical procedures.” The neuroArm system is controlled by a surgeon from a computer workstation, working in conjunction with intraoperative magnetic resonance (MRI). Sutherland developed this ground-breaking MRI machine, now marketed by Winnipeg’s IMRIS Inc., with the NRC Institute for Biodiagnostics in the 1990s. The neuroArm was produced in collaboration with MacDonald, Dettwiler and Associates Ltd., (MDA) creators of the Canadarm and Canadarm2 used on the International Space Station. Indeed, bringing neuroArm to life required a unique partnership between medicine, the Schulich School of Engineering, physics and education, some of Calgary's most visionary philanthropists, the high-tech sector and research funding organizations. As expected, the research, and now the reality of a human surgery using neuroArm, has garnered attention from neuroscientists and specialists across the globe. hbi.ucalgary.ca medicine.ucalgary.ca neuroarm.org 4 UofC Research in Action Dr. Garnette Sutherland is leading the world with neuroArm, a robot that’s revolutionizing brain surgery by allowing surgeons to remove more tumours more effectively.
Dr. Garnette Sutherland was the first in the world to use a surgical robot to remove a complex brain tumour, using U of C expertise in neuroscience, robotics and medical imaging. Sutherland believes that this is just the beginning. “The breakthrough of robotic technology is happening, it’s evolving and it will continue to evolve.” Biomedical Engineering: Understanding the Brain 5
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Research in Action: - University of Calgary

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