Commercialization Prize Spotlight: RUNNER UP: OASIS

Enabling the Operating Room of the Future

“Most people envision an operating room or angio suite as a highly organized, wonderfully designed place where surgeons do exactly what they've been trained to do in a perfect environment,” says Joel Ramjist, CEO of Northern Vascular Systems. “In reality however, the environment is less like a beautiful symphony, and more like a chaotic orchestra of people, devices and technologies adapting to circumstances by the moment.”

In the operating room (OR), pressures and challenges can arise quickly. Preoperative imaging may differ from what is visible in real time. A surgeon may need to make a split-second decision or select a different device on thefly. The availability or configuration of medical equipment (such as an ultrasound screen) may not be well suited or situated to facilitate the task at hand. Suddenly, armed with numerous tools and inputs from various sources, a form of cognitive overload can occur.

“It’s becoming increasingly clear that surgeons must think on their feet and, at times, bring in something new and unplanned,” added Ramjist. “The question is –where does this leave room for emerging technologies?”

This question is the catalyst behind the Open Architecture Surgical Innovation Suite– or OASIS – an exciting REMAP project comprised of medical, life sciences and academic experts focused on the integration of medical technologies that enable surgeons to do what they do best, while lessening cognitive overload in the OR.

The project is led by Dr. Victor Yang and the Biophotonics and Bioengineering Laboratory at Western University and London Health Sciences Centre, in collaboration with Northern Vascular Systems – a Toronto-based spin-off from the Biophotonics and Bioengineering Laboratory (BBL). Together,they aspire to create the OR of the future by integrating multiple current and emerging technologies, providing clinicians with optimal data and access to new therapeutic options to improve patient outcomes. To achieve this, they are deploying a disciplined and systematic approach to test, refine, and implement new technologies that streamline OR workflow, reduce information overload, and introduce proven systems into neurosurgical ORs.

“We’re creating platform technologies that enable the discovery of innovative therapeutics in clinical practice,” explained Ramjist. “Instead of clinicians having to conform to the constraints of a device, we’re developing technology that allows the device to conform to the needs of the surgeon.”

Areas of focus over the past year have included:  imaging development and fusion; the integration of optical coherence tomography (OCT), computed tomography (CT), magnetic resonance (MR), and ultrasound; optical imaging; an integrated robotics platform; and neurovascular imaging and therapeutics.

Expanding Scope and Impact

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Moving forward, a key priority for the OASIS team will involve expanding the project’s horizons to include the neurovascular embolization market, which represents over a third of the $3.27B transcatheter market.

To achieve this, the team is currently developing a vascular embolic platform technology, connecting with new collaborators in the interventional radiology space, and determining how to expand technological reach beyond Canada for further first-in-human studies.

A testament to the project’s achievements and vision, in 2023, OASIS was selected as one of three finalists to compete for REMAP’s Commercialization Prize – recognizing projects with the most compelling business case to accelerate innovation.

After a compelling presentation by Ramjist, the OASIS team was named the proud runner-up for the award – and received $30,000 in additional funding to assist commercialization efforts.

“With the support of REMAP, the OASIS project is integrating a variety of made-in-Canada medical innovations and technologies that give the clinicians the tools they need to better treat patients,” said Ramjist. “This additional funding will enable us to expand our scope and solidify the connections we need to capture market opportunity and drive better patient care.”

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