Episode 15: Digital Neurosurgery. A Conversation with Dr. Thomas Picht

Dr. Maxwell Boakye
January 1, 2022

If you’ve never heard the term digital neurosurgery before, you’re not alone. While it sounds like something out of a space opera, digital neurosurgery is likely the future of medical neuroscience. On this episode, I have the pleasure of interviewing Dr. Thomas Picht, the first professor of digital neurosurgery in the world. We take a deep dive into everything that digital neurosurgery entails, exciting technological advancements in the field, and the future ramifications of the digitalization of medicine.

You will want to hear this episode if you are interested in…

What is digital neurosurgery? [3:04]
The Adaptive Digital Twin in digital neurosurgery [9:14]
The challenges brain tumor neurosurgeons face and how Dr. Picht is trying to solve them [12:38]
Exciting technological advancements Dr. Picht is using in the field [13:57]
Dr. Picht’s research at the Berlin Simulation and Training Center [15:59]
How simulation training impacts education in the medical field [18:21]
How the advent of electroencephalography (EEG) and transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) improves patient outcomes [29:29]
The reason Dr. Picht chose digital neurosurgery [32:41]
Dr. Pichts advice for young digital neurosurgeons [35:32]

Let’s get digital!

When I first heard the term digital neurosurgery, I was a bit stunned. How can neurosurgery be digital? It sounds like a concept created by Gene Roddenberry. But Dr. Picht assured me it is a very real and growing part of the neuroscientific field. When we think about it, there isn’t a single aspect of the patient journey that doesn’t involve some type of digitalization. From imaging to the operating room, digital technology is present every step of the way. As the Professor of Digital Neurosurgery, Dr. Picht wants to see how digitalization impacts our working environments and our relationship with patients. Beyond research, he wants to create new workflows in the best interest of patients to improve overall outcomes. Listen to our entire conversation to hear more of Dr. Pichts heart for digital neurosurgery.

Neurosurgery 2.0

Since the dawn of time, technology has helped humanity reach new and fantastic heights. That is especially true in the medical field. I am constantly amazed by the innovations my colleagues are researching and creating. So it makes sense that when I get the opportunity to interview someone like Dr. Picht, we discuss the technological advancements he’s most excited about. One of those advancements is augmented reality. Moving beyond a simple 2D screen, neurosurgeons now can inject relevant surgical information into their field of view rather than performing operations based on a mental roadmap. Talk about an upgrade! For more information on this and other exciting neuroscience technology, listen to this episode!

Embracing the challenges ahead

As medical science advances, we are constantly learning more about the human brain. One of the biggest paradigm shifts in recent years is understanding that brain function is represented in highly dynamic networks instead of only in localized brain areas. Dr. Picht believes that the biggest challenge for the current generation of neuroscientists will be combining our ever-growing knowledge of how the human brain works with all of the new medical technology available in practical ways. He adds, “You can have wonderful theoretical concepts, but when it comes to performing brain surgery, it needs to be very robust and applicable in daily clinical life.” I tend to agree. While great progress has been made with technologies like transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS), we’ve only begun to scratch the surface of what is possible.