University of Pittsburgh faculty members Trent D. Emerick, MD, MBA, FASA, and Kevin Bell, PhD, have been awarded funding from the University of Pittsburgh Center for Medical Innovation (CMI) to further develop the "One-Pass Epidural Needle" (OPEN), a device aimed at enhancing the safety and efficiency of spinal cord stimulator lead placement procedures. The project, which received $18,000 in funding for the 2025 calendar year, promises to address critical challenges in pain management and advance care for patients receiving spinal cord stimulators.
Dr. Emerick, an Associate Professor in the Department of Anesthesiology and Perioperative Medicine and Director of the UPMC Pain Medicine Fellowship, brings extensive clinical expertise in chronic pain management. Dr. Bell, Director of the IDEA Lab and Assistant Professor in the Department of Bioengineering, contributes engineering and innovation expertise that is critical to the project’s success. Together, their collaboration exemplifies the interdisciplinary approach needed to address complex challenges in healthcare.
The preliminary data gathered during the funding period will be used to pursue larger-scale grants, including funding from the National Institutes of Health, to advance the OPEN device through further testing, regulatory approval, and eventual clinical implementation.