DETECTS(TM) - Tool for Quantifying Circulatory Emboli

In open heart surgery, trapped air within the heart is permitted to escape by a variety of non-standardized techniques including venting, alternating the patient’s position and applying physical pressure on the carotid arteries to prevent cerebral embolism. In certain cases, the trapped emboli can lead to cerebral emboli which causes severe neurological dysfunction or death. A reliable tool that can accurately measure the number of emboli has been developed to improve neurological outcome post cardiac surgery.

Researchers at Queen’s University have developed DETECTS^TM, a software tool for the measurement of emboli during open cardiac surgery. It was designed to interpret two dimensional image data obtained from ultrasound, which enables the identification and measurement of potential embolus present during and post cardiopulmonary bypass.

Advantages:

• Gives physicians/surgeons the ability to objectively measure emboli of a patient’s circulatory system in real time.
• Features include: measuring flow rates of emboli, provides quantitative data on size, volume and count.
• Superior to existing ultrasound emboli quantification methods.
• Easy add-on to existing ultrasound hardware.
• Designed to handle large quantities of emboli.

Applications:

• Cardiac and other Circulatory Surgery
• Patent Foramen Ovale (PFO)

Development Status:

The DETECTS^TM software has been developed and successfully tested on a commercially available ultrasound machine. Ongoing research includes a clip-on, flexible transducer for the aorta and the development of a emboli destruction mechanism that works in conjunction with DETECTS^TM.  Patent Applications have been filed in the Canada and the United States.

Status of Commercialization

PARTEQ Innovations, the technology transfer office of Queen’s University, is seeking industrial partners willing to support ongoing development of the product and/or who are interested in licensing the intellectual property.