Intelligent surgical instruments

In tumor surgeries, the complete removal of tumors as well as the avoidance of action on healthy cells is critical to the survival of the patient.

For that reason, biomedical engineers at Emory University School of Medicine, the Georgia Institute of Technology and the University of Pennsylvania, have developed a hand-held device that can help doctors clearly identify the location of Tumor in patients undergoing surgery.

The tool is named SpectroPen (pictured). Before surgery, the doctor inserts intravenous antibody containing gold particles coated with polymer and a fluorescent dye. These particles are more likely to cling to the outside of tumor cells than to normal cells. The SpectroPen instrument uses near-infrared lasers and a dispersed fluorescent or light detector that can receive signals from gold particles and pigments. SpectroPen connects by optical fiber cable, which records these light signals, enabling the doctor to locate and manipulate the tumor accurately without affecting other organs.