From mobile brain scanners to reducing pain: The future of surgery is here

Across Australia millions of people are facing urgent health challenges, some that require surgery. Now, new inventions are transforming patient care – from mobile brain scanners to smarter surgical tools and safer implants.

In Australia, there are 12.6 million hospitalisations each year and more than 2 million surgical procedures, including both elective and emergency surgery, according to data from the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare.

Now researchers are inventing new methods – from revolutionising how we diagnose and treat stroke patients, eliminating prothesis pain, and medical device development – to reshape the future of medical care.  

Minutes matter: Faster scans for better outcomes

More than 445,000 Australians are living with stroke, making it a leading cause of adult disability – but an exciting breakthrough could prove lifesaving in diagnosis and treatment.

Thomas McSkimming, a Flinders University PhD candidate and senior software engineer with the company Micro X, is working on a mobile CT brain scanner that will enable rapid, on-site brain imaging – which can be carried by emergency crews and used at remote locations.

This new technology could revolutionise stroke care, potentially saving countless lives through earlier earlier diagnosis, leading to faster, more effective treatment.

Supervised by an international team including experts from Flinders University and Johns Hopkins University, Thomas’ PhD thesis demonstrates the global reach of this critical research. Upcoming clinical trials in Melbourne and Adelaide mark the next step towards bringing this life-saving technology directly to patients. 

Working together translates into better outcome for Australians

The work being done by Thomas demonstrates the power of researchers, industry and community working together to see new medical technologies made into practical real-world solutions.

The Flinders University Medical Device Research Institute (MDRI) and its flagship Medical Device Partnering Program (MDPP) are central to this effort.

Since 2008, MDPP has supported more than 850 projects, offering technical expertise to help companies develop and refine medical technologies. With more than 127 new devices completed and many more in progress, the program is a powerful example of how collaboration can accelerate innovation.           

Smarter surgery for a global need

Worldwide, at least 5 billion people do not have access to safe, affordable surgical and anaesthesia care when it is needed. This can be partly attributed to a shortage of more than one million specialists in 146 lower and middle-income countries. Because of this, an estimated 143 million additional surgical procedures are needed each year in these countries to save lives and prevent disability.

Simple medical innovations can help reduce these alarming figures.

One area of focus is shoulder and upper arm fractures, which are common among older adults due to osteoporosis and falls. These injuries often require plates and screws, but poor configurations can result in failed repairs and prolonged recovery.

To tackle this, PhD candidate Daniela Mini has developed a cost-effective modelling technique that helps surgeons identify the most effective screw placements. Her method not only improves recovery and reduces complications but also offers a scalable solution for resource-limited settings.

Curbing chronic pain

Orthopaedic implants can often cause pain, stiffness, and infection. But Flinders researchers have developed and tested new titanium-based alloys with reduced stiffness which also contain gallium – a rare metal with antibacterial properties making implants more comfortable and safer.

“Adding gallium to the alloy produces a superior material compared to existing prostheses, with antibacterial properties that reduce potential pain, medical complications and long-term implant failure,” says Flinders Mechanical Engineering Senior Lecturer, Dr Reza Hashemi.

Developed by graduate Rhianna McHendrie and led by Dr Hashemi, this research could lead to better prostheses and fewer long-term complications.

A knee-strengthening reaction

Surgical training often relies on cadavers – humans who have donated their bodies to science. Medical students and surgeons use cadavers to learn and practice surgical techniques, gaining a better understanding of human anatomy and the tactile experience of working with human tissue.

But it’s costly and there is limited supply. Now Flinders researchers, in partnership with Adelaide-based medical training company Fusetec, have created a synthetic knee model that mimics real knee mechanics with impressive accuracy.

Led by Dr Kieran Bennett and Professor Mark Taylor, this model offers a consistent, cost-effective tool for medical education – helping future surgeons learn advanced techniques without relying on human specimens.

These practical innovations show how medical care is been reshaped by innovative thinking to give patients a better outcome and quality of life.