Light beam replaces blood test during heart surgery

The technology developed by UCF scientist Aristide Dogariu uses an optical fibre to beam light through a patient’s blood and interpret the signals that bounce back. Researchers believe that in some situations it could replace the need for doctors to wait while blood is drawn from a patient and tested.

“I absolutely see the technique having potential in the intensive care setting, where it can be part of saving the lives of critically ill patients with all kinds of other disorders,” said Dr William DeCampli, who is chief of paediatric cardiac surgery at Arnold Palmer Hospital for Children and a professor at the UCF College of Medicine. DeCampli helped develop the technology and test it during surgery on infants.