SOM-APL 2 (APL title: Improved Surgical Ink for Margin Identification)

Unmet Need
The accurate assessment of the resection margin in breast cancer surgeries is an important step to ensure that the cancer has been resected with clear margins.
Traditionally, marking the boundaries of specimens and defining its orientation has been done through suturing or coloring the sides of the specimen. However, both methods of specimen definition are flawed. Fully orienting the margins of the specimen with six sutures is not feasible and the two sutures orientation method is prone to misinterpretation by pathologists. Orienting with paint to the six margins is more accurate, but the problem of drying time and color mixing limits this method’s use.
 
Technology Overview
Because of this problem, Hopkins researchers are developing a fast-curing ink that can be used for surgeons to label tissue samples to be sent to a pathologist. The proposed ink will cure within seconds and be based on a system composed of pigment particles dispersed into a quick reacting adhesive component. The addition of final spray of another substance, would cure the paint immediately with minimal color interactions and mixing
 
Stage of Development
Prototype Testing.
 
Publications
Pending.

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