Low-cost laparoscopic tools to improve cancer surgery in Uganda
KeyScope: The Key to Sustainable Cancer Diagnosis and Treatment in Uganda
['FUNDING_U01'] · DUKE UNIVERSITY · NIH-11105961
This project is building and testing inexpensive, easy-to-sterilize laparoscopic cameras and a power-free abdominal retractor, plus a tele-mentoring link, to help surgeons in Uganda perform less-invasive cancer operations.
Quick facts
| Phase | ['FUNDING_U01'] |
|---|---|
| Study type | Nih_funding |
| Sex | All |
| Sponsor | DUKE UNIVERSITY (nih funded) |
| Locations | 1 site (DURHAM, UNITED STATES) |
| Trial ID | NIH-11105961 on ClinicalTrials.gov |
What this research studies
As a patient in Uganda, this project aims to give surgeons affordable tools—a $150 laparoscope that plugs into a laptop and a simple mechanical retractor—so they can do keyhole cancer surgeries without expensive equipment. The devices are designed to be sterilizable, require no constant power or medical-grade CO2, and to work in low-resource hospital settings. Local surgeons will be trained and supported through a tele-mentoring application while the team pilots the devices in hospitals and collects feedback. Researchers will track recovery times, wound infections, and hospital stays to see whether patients heal faster and return home sooner.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: People in Uganda or similar low-resource settings who need chest or abdominal cancer surgeries that can be performed laparoscopically are the ideal candidates.
Not a fit: Patients whose cancers require open surgery, who need emergency procedures, or who are treated at facilities not using the KeySuite devices may not benefit.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, patients could have smaller incisions, less pain, fewer infections, quicker recoveries, shorter hospital stays, and lower out-of-pocket costs.
How similar studies have performed: Minimally invasive cancer surgery is well established in high-income countries, and early pilot efforts with low-cost laparoscopic tools in low-resource settings have shown promise but remain limited.
Where this research is happening
DURHAM, UNITED STATES
- DUKE UNIVERSITY — DURHAM, UNITED STATES (ACTIVE)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: FITZGERALD, TAMARA N — DUKE UNIVERSITY
- Study coordinator: FITZGERALD, TAMARA N
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page below.
Conditions: Cancer Treatment, Cancers