Ja-born med engineer behind futuristic laser treatment for prostate, other issues

WESTERN BUREAU:

A Jamaica-born engineer is behind Olympus Medical Group’s latest laser treatment technology, which has been helping to treat patients with serious urological and other illnesses in the United States, Canada, parts of Europe, and Australia.

The out-of-the-box Soltive Premium SuperPulsed Laser System was introduced to medical doctors during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic by Kingston native Kurt Shelton and his eight-member team in Boston in the United States.

Shelton, who joined Olympus over 15 years ago, described the breakthrough as a major technological advancement during an interview with The Gleaner.

Since its launch, the product has been making significant strides in the medical field, especially for people with prostate diseases and kidney stones.

“There was limited innovation in this area for the better part of 20 years. There was technology that was less efficient, and we saw where we could make the change with lasers in urology medicine. Our laser systems treat kidney stones endoscopically, and treat men with enlarged prostates in a more efficient way,” he revealed.

The Priory High School alumnus, who later went on to get his degree at the Northeastern University and Harvard University School of Extension Studies in Boston, Massachusetts, chose to work at a medical company instead of as a defence contractor because he wanted to spend his working life helping people.

“I went into engineering because I have always liked to build and fix things. I am proud of what my team and I have been able to accomplish with this technology. I know that we have improved the lives of our patients, and our physicians and other companies are following us because they see the impact we have made,” Shelton told The Gleaner.

He indicated that by about age 80, roughly 80 per cent of men develop enlarged prostates and will need to be treated. Many men, he said, will need surgery to remove tissue from their prostates as well.

However, those who have been apprehensive about invasive medical procedures can now breathe a sigh of relief, “as this new-to-urology laser technology system has yielded improved results for many individuals in several countries across the world”.

Soltive Premium SuperPulsed Laser System is powered by a novel energy source for striking results, precisely cutting through soft tissue and providing state-of-the-art prostate enucleation, with visibly improved haemostasis.

According to Shelton, the device can be used for gastrointestinal, urology and gynaecology surgery.

The system is also excellent at stopping bleeding during surgical procedures, he added, noting that with existing technology, there is the need to do incisions to remove malignant tissues, which sometimes cause bleeding and make it difficult for surgeons to see what they were doing.

“I have heard physicians now telling me that they feel so much more confident in training young physicians to do these procedures safely because they do not have their vision obstructed, and they can see what is happening and proceed in a safe way,” Shelton said.

The device, he disclosed, also allows physicians to treat the same diseases faster and more effectively, primarily because of the haemostasis properties and ability to more quickly break apart kidney stones.

Shelton noted that at Olympus Medical Systems, their focus is on improving patient care quality every day. They do this through developing and designing world-leading, clinically advanced, precision technologies and services.

He added that their products enable healthcare professionals from a broad range of specialties to peer inside the body, using endoscopic procedures. This allows them to see more, and do more.

By focusing on early detection and minimally invasive treatment of a broad range of diseases, their mutual mission is to improve patient outcomes, minimise discomfort, and accelerate the recovery process.

“Our innovative technologies and services can also optimise workflow and maximise operational efficiency,” Shelton said.

The eight-member engineering group with engineering students and physicians formed the core of the team that produced the device.

Currently, the company does not distribute this product in Jamaica as it is focusing its attention on countries with larger populations.

“I would love for this technology to come to Jamaica. I have been trying to get our company to develop a marketing team here so that this technology is available. Unfortunately, however, Jamaican surgeons may need to wait some time for it to be approved for use here,” Shelton said.

janet.silvera@gleanerjm.com