Brian Wong Hot Topics presentation: Emerging Applications for Optical Coherence Tomography in the Head, Neck, and Upper Airway

In his presentation, "Emerging Applications for Optical Coherence Tomography in the Head, Neck, and Upper Airway," Brian Wong of the Beckman Laser Institute notes that sleep apnea and other airway obstruction issues affect a significant number of people.

The problem becomes particularly acute in a neonatal infant, whose particularly tiny airways are easily damaged and can be blocked by resulting scarring. An OCT system utilizing a microcatheter can provide detailed anatomical data which is used to construct a 3D model of the airway and allow for flow dynamic analysis to identify obstructions and provide guidance to reconstruction surgery.

Wong specializes in aesthetic, corrective, and reconstructive facial surgery, with an emphasis on rhinoplasty. He is also a specialist in reconstructive cranio-maxillofacial surgery, and in the treatment of vascular tumors of the head and neck. As a Beckman Laser Institute professor, he directs a large research laboratory focusing on the development of new ways to reshape and regenerate living tissues, as well as perform minimally invasive surgery and optical imaging.