My early focus (1964-80) was development and evaluation of cardiovascular instrumentation and support devices. These included an automated oximeter and a central/peripheral temperature monitoring system - the first computer based monitoring system used in post-surgical care, developed by IBM Corporation at Pacific Medical Center (PMC). How to manage the copious data flow became a key issue, and I contributed to multivariable trajectory methods developed at IBM that predicted recovery states, a precursor of the more extensive methods under investigation today. The first clinically successful adult ECMO treatment for acute respiratory failure was achieved under the leadership of Dr. J.D. Hill at PMC at this time. As a project engineer I was responsible for improving the efficiency of the membrane oxygenator and also, evaluating the effects of prolonged ECMO. This lead to studies that continue to this day on the influence of foreign surfaces on the viability of cells and proteins. Useful methods to quantitatively and nnoninvasively assess cell and protein adhesion to- and release from circulatory support systems, and to improve foreign surface compatibility were invented. At UT Southwestern (1976-present) my interests in cardiovascular support widened to include afterload-reducing devices, synthetic blood vessels and stents. Detailed experimental investigations of devices developed or improved in our laboratory were carried out. Most recently the lab has invented and investigated a novel bioresorbable drug-eluting stent for vascular and nonvascular applications. Other recent projects in the Department of Surgery include a magnetic anchoring system for laparoscopic surgery, and a virtual system, including haptic simulation, to train residents in laparoscopic hernia repair surgery. Embodiments of the resorbable stent have been worked out to address other needs in GI/Endoscopic surgery.
RESEARCH INTERESTS
Bioresorbable intravascular and nonvascular stents
Biocompatible materials for controlled drug and gene delivery
Functional imaging of circulatory assist devices (cell adhesion to pump-oxygenators)
Hypothermia in surgery and critical care
RECENT PUBLICATIONS
Park S, Bergs RA, Eberhart RC, Baker L, Fernandez R and Cadeddu JA, "Trocar-less Instrumentationfor Laparoscopy: Magnetic Positioning of Intra-abdominal Camera and Retractor" Annals of Surgery, Issue 3 Vol 245:379-384, March 2007
Dennis, BH, Eberhart RC, Dulikravich GS, Radons SW, "Finite element simulation of cooling of realistic 3-D human head and neck." J. Biomechanical Engineering, Vol 125:832-840, 2003
Zilberman M, Eberhart RC, "Drug-eluting bioresorbable stents for various applications." Annual Reviews of Biomedical Engineering, Vol 8:153-180, 2006
Su S, Chao R, Landau CR, Nelson KD, Timmons RB, Meidell RB, Eberhart RC, "An expandable, bioresorbable endovascular stent." Annals of Biomedical Engineering, Issue 3 Volume 31:667-677, 2003
Li J, Sly MK, Chao R, Constantinescu A, Kulkarni PV, Wians FH, Jessen ME, Eberhart RC, "Transient adhesion of platelets in pump-oxygenator systems: Influence of SMA and nitric oxide treatments." J Biomaterials Science: Polymer Edition, Vol 10:235-246, 1999
Orr CS, Eberhart RC, "Bioheat transfer in blood-perfused tissues and clinical applications of hypothermia." Annual Review of Heat Transfer, 9:1-78, Select Month or Season 1999
Ngo TB, Romero A, Nelson KD, Eberhart RC, Smith GM, "Bioresorbable filaments promote peripheral nerve regeneration across extended nerve lesions." J. Neuroscience Research, Select Month or Season
Ye YW, Landau C, Willard JE, Rajasubramanian G, Moskowitz A, Aziz S, Meidell RS, Eberhart RC, "Bioresorbable microporous stents deliver recombinant adenovirus gene transfer vectors to the arterial wall." Annals of Biomedical Engineering, 26:398-408, 1998
Point and right click (click and hold for Mac users) your mouse onand select "Save this link (or target) as..." option to save the file to your local computer.
and select "Save this link (or target) as..." option to save the file to your local computer.