In Europe, an estimated 1.7 million people sustain traumatic brain injury per year. Out of these people, 110,000 die. A biosensor developed within our department uses rapid-sampling microdialysis to detect ischemia (restricted blood supply to tissue) during spreading electrical depolarisations. This innovation has given new insights to the brain health of patients who have suffered a traumatic brain injury. The biosensor is implanted into tissue at risk and provides a real-time readout of chemical markers of metabolism.
Our research has led to:
- Improvements in diagnostic precision via the local continuous real-time monitoring method.
- Monitoring equipment influencing clinical decision making
- Through a clinical-research collaborative network, 6 centres use the monitoring equipment and 15 neurosurgeons and 30 intensive care nurses have been trained in how to use it.
- Understanding the relationship between spreading depolarisations and outcome after traumatic brain injury.
- Improved outcomes with the application of technology to other tissue types including reconstructive surgery following cancer treatment.