The SoundPass Mission

“To save human life and the quality thereof by enhancing the accuracy, speed, precision, and availability of life-saving external ventricular drain (EVD) placement.”

Redefining External Ventricular Drain Placement and Outcomes

3rd Generation SoundPass Stylet and Relay Housing

The Urgency

  • Due to the life-threatening nature of rapid brain swelling after traumatic brain injury (TBI), neurosurgeons will place EVDs to remove Cerebral Spinal Fluid (CSF) to prevent brain herniation, permanent disability, and death, which may happen in a matter of hours if not done promptly.

  • Due to this urgency, placement of EVDs are often done at the bedside (outside of the operating room) based on external anatomy alone (“blind approach”).

The Problem?

  • Neurosurgeons have no way to see inside the skull to place EVDs in their target location (Right Lateral Ventricle).

  • Surgeons often require 2-8 (or more) attempts through healthy brain tissue to find the ventricle if squished - if at all (see image).

  • The current standard of care (“blind placement”) for EVDs is associated with high error, morbidity, and unnecessary mortality, which we believe shouldn’t be the case.

Traumatic Brain Injuries (TBIs) can lead to altered neuroanatomy from bleeding or edema, shifting the target the surgeon must hit to relieve increased Intracranial Pressures (ICPs). Currently, surgeons do not have real-time imaging options to facilitate accurate placement in these scenarios.

We believe that when it comes to your brain, two passes is one too many!

SoundPass Medical has three pillars of innovation underpinning our success.

  • Our stylet replaces the current steel stylet used to give rigidity to the external ventricular drain. A novel transducer with a 1.65mm diameter custom-designed to measure at the depth of the ventricles provides the raw data needed for a useful reconstruction

  • Our proprietary echo-lucent catheter not only allows for imaging to the depth of the ventricle, but also enhances and focuses the ultrasound beam produced by the stylet.

  • Our 3D reconstruction algorithm identifies and reconstructs the ventricles, allows the neurosurgeon to choose their trajectory, and shows them their trajectory, so they can follow the placement all the way into the ventricle.