Journal of Surgery and Anesthesia

Utilizing the ethereum blockchain for retrieving and archiving augmented reality surgical navigation data

8^th International Conference on Surgery and Anaesthesia

April 05-06, 2023 | Webinar

Brandon Lucke-Wold

University of Florida, United States

Scientific Tracks Abstracts: J Surg Anesth

Abstract:

Aim: Conventional techniques to share and archive spinal imaging data raise issues with trust and security, with novel approaches being more greatly considered. Ethereum smart contracts present one such novel approach. Ethereum is an open-source platform that allows for the use of smart contracts. Smart contracts are packages of code that are self-executing and reside in the Ethereum state, defining conditions for programmed transactions. Though powerful, limited attempts have been made to showcase the clinical utility of such technologies, especially in the pre and post-operative imaging arenas. Herein, we therefore aim to propose a proof-of-concept smart contract that stores intraoperative Three-Dimensional (3D) Augmented Reality Surgical Navigation (ARSN) data and was tested on a private, proof-of-authority network. To the author's best knowledge, the present study represents a first-use case of the Inter-Planetary File Storage protocol for storing and retrieving spine imaging smart contracts. Methods: The content identifier hashes were stored inside the smart contracts while the Inter-Planetary File System (IPFS) was used to efficiently store the image files. Insertion was achieved with four storage mappings, one for each of the following: fictitious patient data, specific diagnosis, patient Identity Document (ID) and Gertzbein grade. Inserted patient observations were then queried with wildcards. Insertion and retrieval times for different record volumes were collected. Results: It took 276 milliseconds to insert 50 records and 713 milliseconds to insert 350 records. Inserting 50 records required 934 Megabyte (MB) of memory per insertion with patient data and imaging, while inserting 350 records required almost the same amount of memory per insertion. In a database of 350 records, the retrieval function needs about 1,026 MB to query a record with all three fields left blank, but only 970 MB to obtain the same observation from a database of 50 records. Conclusions: The concept presented in this study exemplifies the clinical utility of smart contracts and off-chain data storage for efficient retrieval/insertion of ARSN data.

Biography :

Brandon Lucke-Wold was born and raised in Colorado Springs, Colorado. He graduated magna cum laude with a BS in Neuroscience and distinction in honors from Baylor University. He completed his MD/PhD, Master's in Clinical and Translational Research and the Global Health Track at West Virginia University School of Medicine. His research focus was on traumatic brain injury, neurosurgical simulation and stroke. At West Virginia University, he also served as a health coach for the Diabetes Prevention and Management program in Morgantown and Charleston, WV, which significantly improved health outcomes for participants. In addition to his research and public health projects, he is a co-founder of the biotechnology company Wright-Wold Scientific, the pharmaceutical company CTE cure and was a science advocate on Capitol Hill through the Washington Fellow's program. He has also served as president of the WVU chapters of the American Association of Pharmaceutical Scientists, Neurosurgery Interest group and Erlenmeyer Initiative Entrepreneur group. In addition, he has served as vice president for the graduate student neuroscience interest group, Nu Rho Psi Honor Society and medical students for global health. He was an active member of the Gold Humanism Honor Society and Alpha Omega Alpha Honor Society. He is currently a member of the UF House Staff Council and Positive Culture Committee.