Lay summary
I am a 2nd year doctor at Auckland Hospital with an intended vocational pathway in Neurosurgery. In addition to my clinical work, I am pursuing a PhD that aims to revolutionise the way we approach hydrocephalus. This debilitating condition can cause significant anxiety and risk of misdiagnosis, and often requires frequent ED visits and brain scans to diagnose whether or not a shunt, the gold standard treatment, is malfunctioning. The timely diagnosis of shunt failure is important because delaying treatment leads to increased morbidity and mortality.
To create a solution that will significantly enhance the quality of life and health outcomes for patients with hydrocephalus, I am working with a team of engineers, physiologists and clinicians. We are developing a diagnostic brain implant (2x3x20mm) that will measure intracranial pressure wirelessly, allowing early detection of the abnormal brain pressures seen in shunt failure. My project will culminate in a first-in-human safety study.