Biomedical subjects

Nikolas Blevins

Publications and source records attributed to Nikolas Blevins.

3 recordsLinked to original sources

PubMed2006

Cochlear implantation in patients with neurofibromatosis type 2 and bilateral vestibular schwannoma.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the results of cochlear implantation in patients with neurofibromatosis Type 2 (NF2) and bilateral vestibular schwannoma. STUDY DESIGN: Retrospective case review. SETTING: Three academic tertiary referral centers. PATIENTS: Seven patients with NF2 and bilateral vestibular schwannoma who lost hearing in at least one ear after treatment of their tumor (surgery or radiation therapy). INTERVENTION: Cochlear implantation after treatment of their vestibular schwannoma. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE: Postimplantation audiometric scores (pure-tone average thresholds, consonant-nucleus-consonant (CNC) words/phonemes, Central Institute for the Deaf (CID) sentences, Hearing in Noise Test (HINT) quiet/noise, and Monosyllable, Trochee, Spondee (MTS) recognition/category tests), patient satisfaction, and device use patterns. RESULTS: The average age at implantation was 40 years (range, 16-57 yr). Follow-up ranged from 6 to 88 months after implantation. Three patients were implanted with residual useful hearing in the contralateral ear, whereas four patients had no hearing in the contralateral ear. Hearing loss was due to surgical excision of tumor (n=5) or gamma-knife radiotherapy (n=2). Postactivation pure-tone average thresholds in the implanted ear ranged from 30 to 55 dB (average, 32.5 dB), although speech reception testing varied considerably among subjects. Despite this variability, all patients continue to use the device on a daily basis. CONCLUSION: In selected cases of deafness in patients with NF2 where there has been anatomic preservation of the auditory nerve after acoustic neuroma resection or radiation therapy, cochlear implantation may offer some improvement in communication skills, including the possibility of open-set speech communication in some patients. These results compare favorably to the auditory brainstem implant offering an alternative for hearing rehabilitation in patients with NF2.

Adolescent↗

PubMed2006

Achieving proper exposure in surgical simulation.

One important technique common throughout surgery is achieving proper exposure of critical anatomic structures so that their shapes, which may vary somewhat among patients, can be confidently established and avoided. In this paper, we present an algorithm for determining which regions of selected structures are properly exposed in the context of a mastoidectomy simulation. Furthermore, our algorithm then finds and displays all other points along the surface of the structure that lie along a sufficiently short and straight path from an exposed portion such that their locations can be safely inferred. Finally, we present an algorithm for providing realistic visual cues about underlying structures with view-dependent shading of the bone.

Algorithms↗

PubMed2005

Quantifying risky behavior in surgical simulation.

Evaluating a trainee's performance on a simulated procedure involves determining whether a specified objective was met while avoiding certain "injurious" actions that damage vulnerable structures. However, it is also important to teach the stylistic behaviors that minimize overall risk to the patient, even though these criteria may be more difficult to explicitly specify and detect. In this paper, we address the development of metrics that evaluate the risk in a trainee's behavior while performing a simulated mastoidectomy. Specifically, we measure the trainee's ability to maintain an appropriate field of view so as to avoid drilling bone that is hidden from view, as well as to consistently apply appropriate forces and velocities. Models of the maximum safe force and velocity magnitudes as functions of distances from key vulnerable structures are learned from model procedures performed by an expert surgeon on the simulator. In addition to quantitatively scoring the trainee's performance, these metrics allow for interactive 3D visualization of the performance by distinctive coloring of regions in which excessive forces or velocities were applied or insufficient visibility was maintained, enabling the trainee to pinpoint his/her mistakes and how to correct them. Although these risky behaviors relate to a mastoidectomy simulator, the objectives of maintaining visibility and applying safe forces and velocities are common in surgery, so it may be possible to extend much of this methodology to other procedures.

Computer Simulation↗