First-In-Human Computer-Optimized Endobronchial Ultrasound-Guided Interstitial Photodynamic Therapy for Patients With Extrabronchial or Endobronchial Obstructing Malignancies.

Objective: Patients with inoperable extrabronchial or endobronchial tumors who are not candidates for curative radiotherapy have dire prognoses with no effective long-term treatment options. To reveal that our computer-optimized interstitial photodynamic therapy (I-PDT) is safe and potentially effective in the treatment of patients with inoperable extra or endobronchial malignancies inducing central airway obstructions.

Methods: High-spatial resolution computer simulations were used to personalize the light dose rate and dose for each tumor.

Three-dimensional printing to facilitate anatomic study, device development, simulation, and planning in thoracic surgery.

Background: The development and deployment of new technologies in additive 3-dimensional (3D) printing (ie, rapid prototyping and additive manufacturing) in conjunction with medical imaging techniques allow the creation of anatomic models based on patient data.

Objective: To explore this rapidly evolving technology for possible use in care and research for patients undergoing thoracic surgery.

Methods: Because of an active research project at our institution on regional lung chemotherapy, human pulmonary arteries (PAs) were chosen for this rapid prototyping project.

Game-based mass casualty burn training.

An interactive, video game-based training module, Burn Center, was developed to simulate the real-life emergency events of a mass casualty disaster scenario, involving in 40 victims.The game contains two components - triage and resuscitation. The goal of the triage game is to correctly stabilize, sort, tag and transport burn victims during a mass casualty event at a busy theme park.

Simulation for training with the Autosuture Endo Stitch device.

The rapid development and deployment of novel laparoscopic instruments present the surgical educator and trainee with a significant challenge. Several useful instruments have been particularly difficult to teach the novice. We have developed a platform that allows the combination of the actual instrument handle with a virtual re-creation of the instrument tip.