Newswise — Chicago (May 19, 2014) — Representing a unique collaboration, the American Association of Neurological Surgeons (AANS), on behalf of its affiliate the Neurosurgery Research and Education Foundation (NREF), and Brainlab, Inc. today announced plans for the development of a groundbreaking patient registry. The registry is aimed at establishing national benchmarks for stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS) treatments in order to provide clinicians and patients the data they need to make informed treatment decisions. Data from 30 diverse, high-volume sites will produce information from thousands of patients with brain metastases, benign brain tumors and arteriovenous malformations (AVMs).

“The work going into this registry will help us identify clinical trends and analyze outcomes by leveraging aspects of patient data “said AANS Past-President William T. Couldwell, MD, PhD, FAANS. “This registry dovetails perfectly with the mission of the AANS which is to advance the specialty of neurological surgery in order to promote the highest quality of patient care.”

The registry will initially focus on benign brain tumors, AVMs and brain metastases, potentially expanding beyond this in phase two. Analysis of the de-identified patient data will be published by the AANS/NREF, and the fully de-identified data elements will subsequently be made available in the public domain. This transparency and impartiality are important to the registry and will likely stimulate secondary publications beyond what is published by the AANS. Storage, analysis and scientific supervision of the data are managed independently from Brainlab to ensure impartiality of the data. “Brainlab is so passionate about this registry that we’ve committed to funding the majority of the initial 30-site pilot phase of the project,” said Stefan Vilsmeier, President and CEO of Brainlab. “Our dedication to this clinical field is rooted in technology and research and we invite other med- and biotech companies to join this initiative and share the successes and benefits this registry will bestow on the entire community.”

In addition to committing up to $3.2 million in financial support, Brainlab will make available technical expertise, in terms of infrastructure and software, to extract and standardize treatment planning and other patient data on both macro and granular levels. Beyond the level of detail expected to be mined, the amount of data collected will be so extensive that it surpasses most clinical studies previously performed.

“The benefits of this registry to scientists, physicians and patients will be great,” said AANS President Robert E. Harbaugh, MD, FAANS. “By creating this database, we will provide everyone with the information needed to refine our radiosurgical treatment indications and techniques for medical conditions that are increasing in incidence and prevalence year after year. This will allow us to maximize treatment effectiveness, ensuring that all patients who need radiosurgical treatments will have access to care.”

About AANSFounded in 1931 as the Harvey Cushing Society, the American Association of Neurological Surgeons (AANS) is a scientific and educational association with more than 8,600 members worldwide. The AANS is dedicated to advancing the specialty of neurological surgery in order to provide the highest quality of neurosurgical care to the public. All active members of the AANS are Board-certified by the American Board of Neurological Surgery, the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada, or the Mexican Council of Neurological Surgery, A.C. To learn more, visit www.aans.org.

About NREFThe Neurosurgery Research and Education Foundation (NREF) is a not-for-profit 501(C)(3) organization created in 1980 by the American Association of Neurological Surgeons (AANS) to support research and education efforts that enhance and confirm the critical role neurosurgeons play in improving lives.

The NREF is dedicated to providing education to neurosurgeons at all stages of their careers, as well as funding research into new and existing neurosurgical treatments, in order to identify links between best practices and improved outcomes in patient care. Through voluntary public donations, corporate support, and donations from allied groups, the NREF supports endeavors that impact the lives of those suffering from epilepsy, stroke, brain tumors, spinal disorders, sports-related head injuries, lower back pain and Parkinson’s disease. To learn more, visit www.nref.org.

About BrainlabBrainlab, headquartered in Munich, develops, manufactures and markets software-driven medical technology, enabling access to and consistency of advanced, less invasive patient treatment.

Core products revolve around information-guided surgery, precision radiation therapy, and information and knowledge sharing that fosters interdisciplinary collaboration. Brainlab technology currently powers treatments in the fields of neurosurgery, radiosurgery/radiotherapy, orthopedics, ENT, CMF, spine, and trauma.

Privately held since its formation in 1989, Brainlab has more than 5,000 systems installed in about 95 countries. Brainlab employs 1,150 people in 17 offices worldwide, including 290 research & development engineers, who form a crucial part of the product development team. To learn more, visit www.brainlab.com.