Page 133 - South Mississippi Living - October, 2020

Balloon Sinuplasty instruments.
work with engineers from the cardiology company Biosense Webster. “We borrowed the technology used to map out the heart when treating cardiac arrhythmias. The hardware component of TruDi is fairly locked in at this stage and doesn’t require much change. But the really exciting thing is working with the engineers to design and develop the software tools that have never been used in sinus surgery,” said Weiss.
A good example of this is Path-to-Target, which Weiss explains is where you choose a starting point in the nose and one in the sinus that is the target, then the computer lays out the course for the surgeon to follow to gain access to that sinus. Weiss says, “It’s kind of like GPS inside the nose!”
“My roles with the development of the product at this stage SOUTH MISSISSIPPI Living | www.smliving.net
TruDi image guidance animation.
are threefold,” he points out. “First, continuing to actively work with the engineers in Haifa and Irvine on software tools for the system. That includes both implementing current tools and developing concepts for future tools. Second, act as an information gathering point for physicians currently using the system so they can share their experiences and in uence future tool development. Lastly, continue to teach, which has always been a source of pleasure for me.”
The Gulf Coast specialist has been training other physicians to use the balloon sinuplasty system since it made its debut. In February he hosted the inaugural national TruDi meeting in Nashville, Tennessee, a meeting that’s planned to be an annual event. He is also involved in weekly internet-based learning for physicians interested in balloon sinuplasty and TruDi.
“Due to the pandemic limiting physicians visiting our site
in person, we are relying much more heavily on virtual teaching,” he said. “We are working on a very exciting virtual solution that will allow physicians to watch and interact with me during my cases and conversely can be used for me to help guide physicians while they perform their surgeries, just like I was standing next to them.” The art of medicine is always changing and improving thanks to innovators like Weiss, who says, “This has all been just an amazing journey, and I can’t wait to see where it takes us next!”
Dr. Weiss plans a procedure using TruDi’s innovative tracking tools.
1137 Ocean Springs Rd., Ocean Springs 1720 Medical Park, Ste. 100, Biloxi 228.357.9681 www.sinuplasty.com
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