EPSRC-NIHR HTC Partnership Award: Technology Network on Devices for Surgery and Rehabilitation

外科技术的进步对重大急性疾病的治疗产生了重大影响，延长了患者的寿命，并不断提高患者的生存率。早期诊断，提高效率和提供治疗措施结合手术技术的进步都有助于改善预后。许多绝症现在已经转变为临床可控的慢性终身疾病。大病后寿命和生存率的增加导致许多手术患者更有可能出现合并症；因此，手术的未来正朝着精确干预的方向发展，越来越多地受到对术后生活质量的关注，以及对手术采取系统方法的需求的驱动。该网络的目的是建立一个外科创新论坛，通过将EPSRC医疗技术与NIHR医疗技术合作社（HTCs）结合起来，将工程研究、临床转化和工业发展无缝集成，以加速新型外科和辅助设备的开发和临床应用，从而改善患者的治疗、功能恢复、康复和生活质量。该网络由两个NIHR HTC提供支持-由Barts健康NHS信托领导的肠内HTC和由伯明翰大学医院NHS基金会信托领导的创伤管理HTC。拟议的网络也将得到卫生KTN和一些学术、NHS、工业和医疗保健利益相关者的支持。拟议的技术网络将涵盖以下三个领域的研究和临床基础：1)改善围手术期护理的传感-这是减轻术后并发症的决定性因素；2)智能手术设备-提高手术的一致性和准确性，简化术中手术决策，避免潜在的术后并发症和修改；3)辅助设备和机器人——在社区或家庭护理环境中促进远程监测和管理康复。这三个领域有着共同的工程研究挑战，但需要在不同的临床背景下进行。该网络计划的活动包括：1)网络活动：专题讨论会和重点讲习班；2)战略路线图活动和用户论坛；3)支持跨学科流动和产业借调；4)概念验证项目和设计竞赛；5)展览和患者/公众参与；6)在线参与、网络论坛和社交媒体；7)卫生政策和高层参与。对于那些参与拟议网络的人来说，好处包括与合作的htc、主办机构已经建立的广泛的工业和临床联系建立伙伴关系，针对外科未来的临床研究和开发途径，医疗保健利益相关者和政策制定者的参与，在这个高度跨学科的领域获得研究专业知识和年轻人才，早期的终端用户参与，以及利用设计专业知识。获得用户群体反馈，通过htc的临床网络快速提供结果，将证据与NICE的需求相匹配，以及强大的商业参与。

Advances in surgery have made a significant impact on the management of major acute diseases, prolonging life and continuously extending survival rates. Earlier diagnosis, improved efficiency and delivery of therapeutic measures combined with advances in surgical techniques have all contributed to improved prognosis. Many terminal illnesses have now been transformed into clinically manageable, chronic lifelong conditions. Increased longevity and survival after major illness has resulted in many surgical patients being more likely to have co-morbidities; the future of surgery is therefore moving towards precision intervention, increasingly driven by focus on quality-of-life after surgery, as well as the need for taking a systems approach towards surgery. The aim of the proposed network is to establish a forum for surgical innovation with seamless integration of engineering research, clinical translation and industrial development by aligning EPSRC healthcare technologies with NIHR Healthcare Technology Co-operatives (HTCs) to accelerate the development and clinical adoption of new surgical and assistive devices that can improve the treatment, functional restoration, rehabilitation and quality-of-life for patients. The network is supported by two NIHR HTCs - the Enteric HTC led by Barts Health NHS Trust and the Trauma Management HTC by University Hospitals of Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust. The proposed network will also be supported by Health KTN and a number of academic, NHS, industrial and healthcare stakeholders. The research and clinical bases to be covered by the proposed Technology Network will include the following three areas: 1) Sensing for improved peri-operative care - which is a determining factor for mitigating against post-operative complications; 2) Smart surgical devices - for surgery with increased consistency and accuracy, streamlining intraoperative surgical decision making and circumventing potential post-operative complications and revisions; 3) Assistive devices and robots - to facilitate remote monitoring and managed rehabilitation in community or home care settings. The three areas share common engineering research challenges but need to be pursued under different clinical context. The planned activities of the network include 1) Network Events: Symposia and Focused Workshops; 2) Strategic Roadmap events and User Forums; 3) Support for Interdisciplinary Mobility and Industrial Secondment; 4) Proof-of-Concept Projects and Design Competitions; 5) Exhibitions and Patient/Public Engagement; and 6) Online Engagement, Web Forum and Social Media; and 7) Health Policy and High Level Engagement. The benefits for those involved in the proposed network include partnership with extensive industrial and clinical connections already established by the partnering HTCs, host institutions, clinically aligned research and development pathways addressing the future of surgery, engagement of healthcare stakeholders and policy makers, access to research expertise and young talents in this highly interdisciplinary area, early end-user involvement, and tapping into design expertise, access to user group feedback, deliver rapid results through HTCs' clinical network, match evidence to needs of NICE, strong commercial engagement.