Date: Thursday, March 28, 2024
Time: 11:45 a.m. Lunch, 12:00 p.m. start
Location: Stevenson 5326

Title:
Leaving No Stone Unturned: Improving Endoscopic Kidney Surgery

Abstract:
Ureteroscopy for treatment of urinary calculi has been utilized since the development of the pulsed lasers in the 1980s. In addition to the advances in energy delivery for lithotripsy, improvements in observation and the transition to flexible ureteroscopes have promoted the wide adoption of retrograde intrarenal surgery. However, the depth perception and field of view of ureteroscopes are still limited. In addition, intraoperative blood and debris may hamper observation and tracking of stone fragments, leading to increased operating time and residual stone fragments. Although image quality has improved with digital computer chip detectors, further improving stone localization and tracking could improve operative efficiency and stone-free rates.

Bio:
Nick Kavoussi is an assistant professor of Urology at VUMC. He graduated from Columbia University School of Engineering and Applied Sciences with a degree in Applied Mathematics, ultimately matriculating at State University of New York Downstate Medical College in Brooklyn. He did his urologic residency at the University of Texas Southwestern and came to VUMC in 2018 as a fellow in minimally invasive surgery. His interests involve the application of novel technologies to minimally invasive stone and kidney cancer surgery to improve outcomes for patients.