Site: Royal Victoria Hospital
Supervisors: Dr. M. Tewfik and Dr. S. Frenkiel
2016-2019: Endoscopic Polypectomy performed In Clinic for chronic rhinosinusitis with polyps: The EPIC multicenter randomised controlled trial
Principal Investigator: Kilty, Shaun (Nominated); Fergusson, Dean
This randomized controlled trial seeks to compare endoscopic polypectomy performed in clinic (EPIC) to endoscopic sinus surgery (ESS), the current gold standard surgical treatment for chronic rhinosinusitis with polyps, is normally completed with patients under general anesthetic in a hospital operating room.
2016/10-present: Department of ENT, McGill University, and UQTR Research Chair in Chemosensory Anatomy
The Role of Trigeminal Sensitivity in Chronic Rhinosinusitis
Collaborators: Drs. Johannes Frasnelli, and Maria-Grazia Martinoli
Chronic Rhinosinusitis (CRS) is one of the most common chronic disorders in North America; two very common symptoms described by patients who suffer from this disorder are nasal obstruction (airflow limitation) as well as hyposmia (decreased sense of smell). We hypothesize that the inflammation in the context of a CRS impairs activity and/or density of the TRPM8 receptor, responsible for airflow sensation. We are investigating the association between TRPM8 receptor density and trigeminal sensation in patients with CRS and normal controls.
2015/04-present: Departments of ENT and Materials Engineering, McGill University
Tissue Characterization of Inverted Papillomas using Raman Spectroscopy
Collaborators: Drs. Marta Cerruti
Inverted papillomas (IP) are locally invasive tumors of the nasal cavity with a propensity to recur. More importantly, they have a potential for malignant transformation, with carcinoma found in 10% of cases; they therefore require close surveillance. Until now, this surveillance consisted of serial endoscopic examinations and/or imaging studies, with biopsies of suspicious tissue. The modernization of optical diagnostic tools, including Raman spectroscopy (RS), can potentially identify early tumor recurrence based on the biological fingerprint of normal and neoplastic tissue. If shown to be reliable, in-office or intraoperative probes able to read Raman spectra could be used to diagnose IP or help surgeons confirm negative resection margins in real time during surgery.
2014/09-present: Departments of ENT and Biomedical Engineering, McGill University
Development and validation of 3D-printed rhinology surgical training models
Collaborators: Drs. Lily Nguyen, Luc Mongeau, Robert Funnel
With this research, we attempt to answer whether surgical training can be standardized by creating a specific training curriculum that utilizes 3-D printed anatomical models produced at a low-cost allowing trainees to acquire skills at a rate that is comfortable for them. We are hoping to demonstrate that a low cost medium fidelity surgical task trainer designed by our group will allow trainees to practice the surgical skills deemed important in nasal and sinus surgery, and to improve their skills at a rate that is the same or better as traditional learning techniques.
2012/01-present: Department of ENT, McGill University Health Centre
Differences in innate immunity gene expression and response between chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS) patients with gram-positive and gram-negative infection
Collaborator: Dr. Simon Rousseau
Oral and topical glucocorticoids are the current mainstay of therapy, however response to the medications is variable among CRS patients. This research seeks to identify biological markers that may contribute to CRS recalcitrance and resistance to glucocorticoids therapy, as well as to evaluate the effect of medical treatment on the sinonasal microbiome.