Dr. Randolph Bishop of The Neurological & Spine Institute is currently one of nine
neurosurgeons in the country conducting a clinical trial and the only one in Georgia.
HOW THIS DOCTOR
IS CHANGING THE
X-RAY INDUSTRY
“It’s not the
fountain of
youth, but it’s
the regenerative
material that can
be directed to grow
a new body part. It
sounds crazy.”
–Dr. Priscilla Ross,
A Winning Combination: Dr. Priscilla Ross and her husband Dr. Randy Bishop
“Previously we’d been limited to palliative treatment (for degenerative disc
disease) until surgery was required,” said Dr. Ross. “This is hopefully catching it
before it gets to that stage. Basically, a new disc will be regenerated, and you can
avoid all the back-pain issues and surgical issues.”
Working from a hypothesis that MIAMI cells will not only regenerate tissue
lost due to degenerative disc disease, but will also have an anti-inflammatory
effect, the study tested 20 patients who all shared a single symptomatic
degenerated disc between the L2 and S1 vertebrae. More than just simple
back pain, DDD is a complete biochemical breakdown of a disc, a process that
dehydrates the disc and floods the affected area with inflammatory chemicals,
which researchers refer to as a degenerative cascade.
Researchers treated the affected discs with surgically introduced
MIAMI cells, and now the waiting game begins. While the study is still
underway, things are looking good.
“We’re waiting on radiographics,” said Dr. Ross. “It’s hard to
know how much is placebo, but there’s already positive feedback.
It’s promising.”
Dr. Ross notes that stem cells have already shown promising
results in other studies, fixing failed fusions in orthopedics and
growing bone cells. Until the full results come in from this study
she isn’t prepared to signal any kind of unqualified success,
but she is optimistic about the brighter future this field of
medicine offers.
“The implications are probably infinite. It’s amazing, I’m
excited,” she said. “This will have a myriad of possibilities and
we’re excited to be a part of the study.”
WHEN GREGORY KOLOVICH MD MPH, ORTHOPEDIC
SURGEON AND PARTNER AT OPTIM ORTHOPEDICS, BEGAN
HIS HAND AND MICROSURGERY PRACTICE THERE IN 2015, he
brought with him his concept for the Micro C™, inspired during
his tenure in the prestigious Harvard Hand Fellowship program.
To begin product development and business formation, Dr.
Kolovich participated in the Georgia Tech ATDC (Advanced
Technology Development Center) Savannah Bootcamp. The
objective: develop and launch the Micro C as the world’s
first compact, handheld fluoroscopy device. A Georgia Tech
graduate with a B.S. in Electrical and Electronics Engineering,
Dr. Kolovich is hardwired to solve problems. He has focused
intensely on solving his own and his fellow surgeons’ challenges
with using the bulky, inflexible “C-arm.” This conventional
equipment had not been improved much since its introduction
60 years ago. In contrast, at less than 5 pounds, and
significantly reducing X-ray emissions, the Micro C solution
ingeniously combines X-ray, digital, and infrared imaging
together with image reception. The 2018 plan is to launch two
designs: the surgical embodiment with the emitter and
an image receptor that moves in sync with the emitter
and the clinical embodiment with the emitter and a
portable image receptor for use in physicians’ offices,
clinics, emergency rooms, and in the field in home
health care, military, and rural settings. Both versions
support capturing and transmitting images and data
to patient medical records systems, across the room
or around the globe. The Micro C readily integrates
into telemedicine solutions that connect expert
physicians with patients in remote locations,
As a “doctorpreneur” Dr. Kolovich has
paid keen attention to the business side,
having already raised $2.2 million to
bring to market this groundbreaking,
patent-pending medical imaging
solution-designed by a surgeon
for surgeons and physicians to
treat a wide range of disorders of
the extremities. From Savannah,
Georgia, to the rest of the world,
this talented doctor and his Micro C
invention know no limits.
- Murem Sharp
JANUARY / FE B RUARY 2018
75