Former Fellow's StimSite Clears FDA

Over 3 million operations in the U.S. each year involve cutting close to the ureter, risking damage to the fragile tubes that are vital to kidney function. The ureter is notoriously difficult to locate and identify during surgery, requiring time-consuming dissection and even impromptu consults from urologists. Seeing the long-standing challenge to surgeons, former Houston Methodist surgical resident and research fellow Albert Huang, MD, wondered "Why do we do it this way? Is there an alternative? If not, why not?" It was during a difficult surgery—facing the challenge of avoiding the ureter—when Huang had the idea of using an electrical current to locate the ureter. As the only smooth muscle structure in that part of the body, the ureter is easily identified when stimulated with a small current in a device developed by Huang. It triggers the visible wormlike movement of the ureter on demand, even if it is hidden behind other tissues or structures. This offers surgeons greater confidence and ease when operating around the ureter, and allows them to document in their operative report that the best technology available was used to ensure patient safety. After years of planning, prototyping and testing, the device created by Huang has received FDA clearance. Read the press release here.