A new mobile application coming out of UW-Milwaukee’s App Brewery is improving brain function testing during neurosurgery.
NeuroMapper was developed by David Sabsevitz, a board certified neuropsychologist practicing at Froedtert Hospital and an associate professor of neurology at the Medical College of Wisconsin.
During brain surgery, patients are sometimes brought to a state of consciousness in order to test areas of the brain near a brain tumor to see if they can be removed without impairing function. This intraoperative testing procedure is often administered by conversing with the patient, asking simple questions and having them identify pictures.
The new app allows for more efficient testing of cognitive functions through a tablet-based system, and lets health care professionals tailor the testing to the patient’s performance level, according to a release from UWM. It also delivers real-time analytics on patient brain function to surgeons.
“Tumors can sometimes involve or be near important brain areas that control movement, vision, and cognition or our thinking abilities, so it is critical for the neurosurgeon to be able to identify and, if possible, avoid removing these areas to minimize risk to the patient,” Sabsevitz said. “NeuroMapper is allowing us to take cognitive mapping to a new level in the operating room.” Read the full story here.
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