Surgery and Intervention

How AI is Advancing Technology in Surgery and Intervention

February 22, 2024

student advances technology in surgery with AI-driven medical device

Much of the sophisticated technology in surgery and intervention being deployed today is driven by the science of artificial intelligence. Artificial intelligence is shaping the future of healthcare technology by assisting clinicians with its advanced algorithms.

From robotic surgery to highly accurate cancer detection, artificial intelligence is being threaded throughout a variety of vital procedures and shaping the future of surgery. This new surgical technology is enabling clinicians to perform procedures with laser-focused accuracy.

The precision and accuracy deployed by artificial intelligence benefit practitioners and patients. Such integrations are being used across different subfields in medicine and for a variety of procedures and interventions.

Vanderbilt School of Engineering is Paving the Way to New Surgical Technologies

As our knowledge and research of artificial intelligence increases, surgical advancements are subsequently being achieved and integrated into our healthcare system.

Vanderbilt University School of Engineering is leading the way to future integrations of artificial intelligence and surgery. Students, alumni and faculty are breaking ground in this realm of innovation.

Below are two examples of how the Vanderbilt School of Engineering faculty are advancing AI-based technologies to improve patient care.

AI in Ultrasound Imaging Helps Surgeons With Crucial Catches

Brett Byram, Associate Professor of Biomedical Engineering at Vanderbilt University is working on advanced techniques in ultrasound imaging to help surgeons monitor critical tissue properties that determine the health of tissue such as perfusion.

Unfortunately, sometimes there are patient presentation or disease factors that can make the ultrasonic signal quality so low that these crucial characteristics cannot be imaged.

Byram’s Biomedical Elasticity and Acoustic Measurement (BEAM) laboratory is developing several techniques using state-of-the-art artificial intelligence methods to explore deep learning-based image formation to overcome these barriers. Thus, enhancing procedures like biopsy guidance, and perfusion imaging for locoregional therapies and reducing the frequency of needed transesophageal echocardiography exams.

AI Image Processing Enables Precise Cochlear Implant Placements

A multidisciplinary team made of engineers, surgeons, and audiologists at the Vanderbilt Institute for Surgery and Engineering developed a series of AI-based image processing algorithms that operate on CT Images to help clinicians precisely determine the position of individual cochlear implant electrodes so they align with the nerves they activate.

Engineering lead, Benoit Dawant — Cornelius Vanderbilt Professor of Engineering, says that this Image-Guided Cochlear Implant Programming (IGCIP) strategy has been demonstrated to dramatically improve the long-term hearing capabilities of cochlear implant users without any additional surgery.

Thanks to AI, the team hopes to fully automate their algorithms and develop cloud-based software accessible by clinicians at the time and point of care. This is another sophisticated way AI and technology in surgery and intervention are merged to provide superior patient care.

Innovate Surgical Technologies to Improve Patient Care By Earning Your Master of Engineering in Surgery and Intervention

Join the advancement of technology in surgery and intervention by equipping yourself with a degree that will set you on the path of innovation. With a plethora of engineering careers, earning your master of engineering degree in surgery and intervention will equip you with a dynamic edge in this growing field.

With all the exciting possibilities and hope that artificial intelligence brings, now is the time to dive into this groundbreaking discipline. If you are ready to become a part of the next generation of engineers, request more information or start your application today.