CortiTech

Unmet Need
Deep-seated brain tumors are exceedingly difficult to treat surgically and careful treatment planning is required in order to avoid unintended brain damage during surgery. Currently, about 9% of patients undergoing neurosurgical operations experience surgical complications related to the retractor (a paddle-like tool used to open a working corridor within the brain tissue) causing tissue hemorrhaging, swelling, or infarction. This high complication rate forces surgeons to decide between aggressively treating and removing a deep-seated brain tumor and risking an unintended injury or approaching the problem more conservatively and risking incomplete tumor resection. A safer way to access deep brain lesions would improve patient safety by reducing retractor related injuries.
 
Technology Overview
Johns Hopkins researchers have designed a minimally invasive brain retractor that allows surgeons to access deep-seated lesions in a less disruptive manner. This ergonomic tool has been designed with the patient and the surgeon in mind and boasts a small point of entry while providing dynamic control of the device. Once inserted, the surgeon can radially expand and contract the device on demand allowing for precise control over the size of the working corridor. Radial expansion disperses pressure equally on the tissue and limits hemorrhage and swelling. Use of these flexible, tubular retractors will enable minimally invasive surgery of previously intractable deep-seated brain lesions by reducing surgical complications.
 
Stage of Development
A prototype device has been fabricated.
 
Publications
Manuscript in preparation.

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