Tokyo Women's Medical University

Graduate School of Medical Science

Advanced Techno-Surgery

About us

The Faculty of Advanced Techno-Surgery (FATS) conducts research and development to bring about higher levels of quality in medical care. At the core of our research is image-guided surgery (IGS) performed in our intelligent operating theater. Since adopting intraoperative magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in March 2000, as of July 2016, we have performed IGS on 1623 patients, and in doing so, have contributed to the spread of this modality from its inception. Now that we are entering the age of information-guided surgery, FATS aims to improve the quality of multidisciplinary medical care, not only via existing modalities of intraoperative MRI and updated neuro-navigation systems, but also through the addition of a range of innovative modalities that can deliver seamless support in pre-, intra-, and post-surgery settings. Examples of these techniques and procedures include MR spectroscopy, awake craniotomy, intraoperative examination monitoring for awake surgery (IEMAS), rapid intraoperative pathological diagnosis, intraoperative diagnosis of malignancy using flow cytometry, photodynamic diagnosis and treatment, touchless interface (Opect), automated tracking robotic arm (iArmS), and higher brain function testing. We are also working to realize the integration of these technologies in our Smart Cyber Operating Theater (SCOT) by expanding our research and development (R&D) framework to encompass interdisciplinary partnerships in the field of medical engineering with academia, industry, and government.
In the field of oncology, we are striving to realize the fourth modality of cancer therapy after surgery, radiotherapy, and chemotherapy, namely sonodynamic therapy, combining the use of high intensity focused ultrasound therapy and sonosensitizer. However, our emphasis is not solely on technological development, and we are also focused on initiatives to obtain international standard. Our faculty bring a multidisciplinary approach to all of our processes, from basic research to clinical application and product development. Their efforts are forging a model for our next-generation collaborative (interdisciplinary) medical engineering research, translational research, and commercialization of product.

Research

(1) Surgical strategy systems in the field of neurosurgery
Surgery—and neurosurgery in particular—is host to highly complex systems characterized by the continuous introduction of various equipment for testing, diagnosis, and treatment. The key to successful surgery lies in leveraging the information from these systems to optimize procedures by developing the best surgical plans and modifying these plans in response to the surgical process. In this research theme, students will learn how to plan for surgery preoperatively, how to monitor progress by visualizing intraoperative information, how to systematically and effectively modify the surgery to resolve any identified issues, and how to develop the software and hardware to achieve these goals. Students will be required to report on the progress of their research in an academic presentation setting twice a year so that the teaching staff can provide feedback and guidance on their research presentation skills.

(2) Surgical risk management using surgery recorder and simulator systems
Surgery recorder systems for digitally recording and storing intraoperative anesthesia management data, patient physiological data (wearable device data), and surgical data (video data of the operative field) are essential for streamlining and optimizing risk management in surgery. Surgery simulator systems have the potential to be an invaluable data-gathering tool for the analysis and assessment of unforeseen problems. In this research theme, students will learn how to develop surgery recorder and simulator systems to help ensure that surgeries are performed safely. Students will be required to report on the progress of their research in an academic presentation setting twice a year so that the teaching staff can provide feedback and guidance on their research presentation skills.

(3) Minimally invasive neurosurgery systems based on augmented reality In the surgical field, navigation techniques are seen as an important aid for narrow operative field maneuvers to minimize invasiveness. The core technology of augmented reality (AR) provides comprehensive real-time information to assist the surgeon with a constant level of precision, consistency, and objectivity, while eliminating the need to rely on experience and intuition to confirm the current position of the surgical area and progress of the surgical procedure. This research theme aims to equip students with the skills to both develop and utilize a minimally invasive neurosurgery system through the advanced use of AR. Students will be required to report on the progress of their research in an academic presentation setting twice a year so that the teaching staff can provide feedback and guidance on their research presentation skills.

(4) Surgical assistance robotic devices
In this research theme, students will research and develop robotic surgical lasers and new surgical devices using ultrasound and lasers in order to provide surgeons with a “new hand” capable of realizing a level of accuracy, resolution, and operability that exceeds that of human hands by utilizing mechanical, electronic, informational, engineering, and computer-assisted surgical techniques. Students will take a medical engineering approach to their research on the conceptual design, realization, functions, and effects of various diagnostic and therapeutic supportive devices in a number of fields including neurosurgery, abdominal surgery, and thoracic surgery. Students will be required to report on the progress of their research in an academic presentation setting twice a year so that the teaching staff can provide feedback and guidance on their research presentation skills.

(5) Robotic devices for cell sheet transplantation
In this research theme, students will conduct R&D on devices capable of clean-environment, minimally invasive, simple in vivo transplantation of regenerative cell tissues produced by automated cell sheet culturing and stacking systems using temperature-responsive polymers. Specifically, students will research and develop devices to transplant myocardial cell and fibroblast sheets. Students will be required to report on the progress of their research in an academic presentation setting twice a year so that the teaching staff can provide feedback and guidance on their research presentation skills.

(6) Regulatory science for medical devices
Japan’s medical device manufacturing industry currently faces a disconnect in terms of its ability to develop devices and its inability to commercialize them. In particular, the industry is facing a crisis due to its inability to commercialize therapeutic devices, the majority of which are clinically tested and commercialized overseas. The underlying cause of this inability to manufacture is risk aversion by all stakeholders including the public, developers, management, and regulatory authorities. As such, measures to mitigate risk are essential to overcoming this situation. It is also crucial to focus on data packaging from the development stage with an eye to regulatory approval and commercialization and to submit proprietary scientific evidence for safety and efficacy evaluation. In this research theme, students will investigate the regulatory science required to develop various medical devices. Students will be required to report on the progress of their research in an academic presentation setting twice a year so that the teaching staff can provide feedback and guidance on their research presentation skills.

(7) Stereotactic and functional micro-radiosurgery
In gamma knife radiosurgery, the surgeon uses gamma radiation as though using a knife to remove brain tumors without harming the surrounding normal brain tissue in an attempt to radically resect the tumor. The gamma knife device contains 192 cobalt-60 (Co60) sources arranged in a concentric and semi-circular array. The device is designed to focus the gamma radiation on a single point to deliver a single high dose of radiation to the target lesion. Current gamma knife technology is capable of automatically targeting any location within the brain, including tumors located in the craniocervical junction, with an accuracy of 0.1 mm. Using this precise radiosurgical device, students will study the therapeutic accuracy and clinical outcomes of stereotactic and functional micro-radiosurgery. Students will be required to report on the progress of their research in an academic presentation setting twice a year so that the teaching staff can provide feedback and guidance on their research presentation skills.

Faculty

Professor: Yoshihiro Muragaki, Ken Masamune
Associate Professor: Manabu Tamura, Shuji Kitahara
Assistant Professor: Taiichi Saito, Kitaro Yoshimitsu
Instructor: Kaori Kusuda, Tomoko Yamaguchi, Masayuki Nitta (on joint appointment), Shunsuke Tsuzuki (on joint appointment)

Related links

Research Achievements Database

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