Newswise — Marc Garbey, Ph.D., has joined Houston Methodist as scientific director of the Center for Computational Surgery. He was previously professor in the Department of Computer Science and the Department of Biology and Biochemistry at the University of Houston.
Garbey, who specializes in applied mathematics, is working with Houston Methodist Hospital surgeons and the Houston Methodist Institute of Technology, Education and Innovation (MITIE) to create an intelligent operating room (OR). The primary goal is to rethink operating room functions and integrated technologies to improve patient safety during surgery, enhance real-time tracking of OR activities, and improve patient outcomes.
This project uses devices to collect and process operating room and surgical technology data to optimize the OR setting. Devices include sensors placed on anesthesia machines to detect when a patient is under anesthesia. Other sensors track a patient’s location in real time, from the pre-operation area to the operating and recovery rooms.
“The smart OR technology isn’t meant to replace the rigorous reporting by our nursing and operating room staff, nor will the data replace the OR team’s depth of knowledge,” said Barbara Bass, M.D., chair of the Houston Methodist Hospital department of surgery and executive director of MITIE. “I believe the technology will create unbiased continuous data on operating room status and surgery progress to help us create an optimal environment for our patients.”
Another major component of an intelligent OR is the enhancement of the trocar, a small, hollow tube used in minimally invasive surgeries where cameras and surgical instruments are passed in to the body. Garbey’s team is developing a SmartTrocar that uses a small, wireless camera and combines image analysis with mathematical computation to identify and track surgical tools while in use.
Garbey trained and worked in France for a number of years, focusing on applied mathematics. He joined the University of Houston in 2002, where his interest shifted to computational medicine, specifically in surgery. Garbey has published extensively in applied mathematics, computer science and mechanical and theoretical biology. He is regarded as a leading expert in the field of computational surgery. Garbey has authored several books and articles in the field and also founded the Journal of Computational Surgery.
Garbey’s collaboration at Houston Methodist is supported through the National Science Foundation (NSF) Industry/University Cooperative Research Center Program, which brings industry partners and research enterprises together. Garbey has additional funding from the NSF and National Institutes of Health, as well as private industry and others.
To speak with Marc Garbey, Ph.D., contact Gale Smith, Houston Methodist, at 281.627.0439 or [email protected]. For more information about Houston Methodist, visit www.houstonmethodist.org. Follow us on Twitter and Facebook or visit our blog.
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