Surgical Artificial Intelligence Ureteral Injury Prevention System for Robotic and Laparoscopic Surgery

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Image legend: The software will offer surgeons a real‐time monitoring system for the position of the ureters

Invention Summary:

Overall incidence of significant ureteral injury in gynecologic and colorectal surgeries is 1.7% and 1.9%, respectively. The risk of injury is higher in cases with a complex history of prior surgery, radiation, inflammatory conditions or mass obscuring anatomic planes.

Rutgers researchers have developed an AI‐based technology to assist in preventing iatrogenic ureter injury. The new system will continuously monitor the location of the surgical instruments and will alert or, if necessary, halt movement once the critical safety distance from the ureter is reached. The form of feedback and machine response can be controlled by the physician. The software can be also used during laparoscopic surgery independent of any robotic platform.

Market Applications:

• It can be used by all surgeons performing abdominal operations as it offers the possibility to avoid iatrogenic ureter injury.

Advantages:

• Low implementation complexity since there are no actual changes in practice for practitioner.
• It can be marketed independently from any robotic surgery company.

Intellectual Property & Development Status: Provisional patent application filed, patent pending. Available for licensing and/or research collaboration. For any business development and other collaborative partnerships contact:  marketingbd@research.rutgers.edu