How AI is being used for vascular health and treatments

Advancements in health care are made every day. With new technology, procedures are taking less time and becoming less invasive. As the first hospital in Michigan to pilot Cydar Maps software, McLaren Greater Lansing Heart & Vascular Institute is at the forefront of innovation in vascular care by utilizing augmented artificial intelligence (AI) technology to improve patient care and outcomes for aneurysm repair.

Dr. Jordan Knepper, vascular surgeon and director at the Heart and Vascular Center at MSU Health Care and performs procedures at McLaren Greater Lansing, treats problems in the blood vessels of patients including areas in the arteries and veins that supply blood throughout the body.

“Cydar Maps is a new technology that brings AI to our operating room, and it helps us more accurately predict where these blood vessels are located,” said Dr. Knepper. “The goal is to use this smart technology to decrease the risk of the patient through the reduction of contrast dye use and radiation exposure as well as minimizing the operating time whilst being under anesthesia.”

McLaren Greater Lansing is one of 20 sites in the U.S. and the only location in the Midwest region to offer this technology.

“It’s an exciting time in health care to see how the practical application of technology continues to evolve, assisting and further enhancing the capabilities of our skilled providers,” said Dr. Justin Klamerus, McLaren Health Care executive vice president and chief clinical officer. “Technology like this means we have the potential to recognize and treat vascular problems with improved accuracy and efficiency. The best result is improved outcomes for our patients.”   

Cydar Medical specializes in medical computer vision, machine learning and cloud high-performance computing. The company partnered with Medtronic, a global leader in healthcare technology advance aortic patient treatment decisions. Cydar Maps enables clinicians to create detailed patient-specific 3D maps of their anatomy for procedure planning, image-guided navigation, and post-operative review.

Studies have shown that while using surgical AI mapping software, the patient and clinical team’s exposure to radiation is reduced by 50%. It also reduces the prep time and provides a more precise procedural plan.  

“Cydar Maps brings us a step further than what we’ve done before by using 3D mapping of the blood vessels in the patient and it will analyze any changes to the vessels during the procedure and update the mapping in real time,” said Dr. Knepper. “Because of this planning, we’re able to treat more patients, more complex problems, and get in faster and safer with fewer complications.”

With the use of AI to improve the way vascular surgeries are being done, Dr. Knepper is excited to now offer this new technology integration to the community. 

“We’re bringing the state-of-the-art technology to the greater Lansing region where our patients now have access to the latest technology for vascular services closer to home,” said Dr. Knepper.

To learn more about Cydar Maps at McLaren Greater Lansing, click here.

To learn more about McLaren Greater Lansing’s Heart & Vascular Institute, click here.

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