About the Lab

The Neurosurgery Simulation and Innovations Lab of Bernard R. Bendok, M.D., reaches a new threshold in patient care.

Dr. Bendok and his multidisciplinary team in neurosurgery use the most advanced technologies to create patient-specific simulations of surgeries. The lab utilizes 3D printing, synthetic creation and advanced technologies in holographic renderings enabling neurosurgeons to "practice" an operation before the actual surgery takes place.

The lab focuses on three main objectives: simulation, device development and clinical trials. Having the ability to see a patient's physical pathology using different modalities allows for simulation, which can result in better patient outcomes. Being able to simulate a surgery beforehand allows the surgical team to choose the right tools and approach. If the tools do not exist, Dr. Bendok's research team requests that the tools be engineered or better designed to suit the specific procedure. At this stage, the lab has the ability to create a surgical approach best designed for the patient's needs.

The goals of the Neurosurgery Simulation and Innovations Lab are linked to Mayo Clinic's primary value, "The needs of the patient come first."

About Dr. Bendok

Bernard R. Bendok, M.D., is a professor of neurosurgery in the Mayo Clinic School of Medicine. His principal research interests are improving surgical safety and outcomes and quality of life for people who have neurovascular diseases or strokes. Research in Dr. Bendok's laboratory focuses on the innovation of surgical methods and devices, clinical trials, mathematical modeling of neurovascular diseases, and patient-specific simulation.