Ultrasound-enhanced guidance for minimally invasive surgery
Official title: A clinical platform for ultrasound-augmented laparoscopy
Funded at Children's Research Institute · NIH-11308637 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This project creates a system that overlays ultrasound onto the surgeon’s laparoscopic video to help surgeons better see internal anatomy during operations on children.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Children's Research Institute NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Washington, United States) |
| Project start | July 1, 2023 |
| Project end | March 31, 2027 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $555,330 |
| NIH project number | 5R01EB030093-04 |
| Project ID | NIH-11308637 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Children (including infants and those up to about 11 years old) who are scheduled for laparoscopic procedures that use intraoperative ultrasound or involve needle ablation are the most likely candidates.
✕Less likely to help
Patients who will not have laparoscopic surgery (for example those undergoing open surgery) or procedures that do not use intraoperative ultrasound would not benefit directly from this system.
What this research studies
If your child needs minimally invasive (laparoscopic) surgery, this project aims to combine the camera view and a small ultrasound probe into a single, easy-to-read display so the surgeon can see both surfaces and internal structures at once. The team develops hardware and software to align (calibrate) the images in real time, track needles during ablation, and present the information as augmented reality directly in the surgeon’s view. The group has already used prototypes in 11 human cases at two surgical centers and will expand testing, refine the system, and collect safety and performance data during real operations. The goal is to make complex procedures more precise and reduce guesswork for surgeons and families.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this could help surgeons find and treat targets more accurately during laparoscopic procedures, potentially lowering complications and improving outcomes for pediatric patients.
How similar studies have gone: Early testing and prior prototypes have been used in 11 human cases showing technical feasibility and promise, but larger clinical evaluations are still limited.
Where this research is happening
-
Children's Research Institute
Washington, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Shekhar, Raj — Children's Research Institute
- Study coordinator: Shekhar, Raj
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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.