For more than three decades, Dr. Fady T. Charbel has not only advanced the frontiers of cerebrovascular neurosurgery—he’s reshaped them.
From his pioneering work in cerebral blood flow measurement to the development of groundbreaking surgical techniques and instruments, the internationally recognized professor and neurosurgery chief remains at the forefront of innovation. And at each critical step in that journey, Transonic has been a trusted partner.
This fall, our collaboration continues. At an upcoming symposium Nov. 12-15 at the University of Illinois Chicago Surgical Innovation and Training Lab, Dr. Charbel will once again rely on Transonic’s flow measurement technology—testimony to the confidence one of the world’s leading neurosurgeons places in our solutions.
A Legacy of Innovation Built on Flow Optimization
Dr. Charbel’s name is synonymous in the field with flow. As Chief of the Department of Neurosurgery and Chief of the Neurovascular Section of the Neuropsychiatric Institute at the University of Illinois at Chicago, he championed the integration of quantitative blood flow data into neurosurgical practice long before it was widely adopted. His co-development of the Charbel Micro-Flowprobe® more than 25 years ago, engineered in close partnership with Transonic, transformed intraoperative flow measurement and remains a staple for guiding surgeons to identify the optimal location for clipping aneurysms and relieving cranial blood vessel blockages.
He was named UIC’s Inventor of the Year for this groundbreaking technology.
Transonic has since introduced numerous models of Charbel Micro-Flowprobes® for other procedures, including:
- Reusable Charbel Micro-Flowprobes®
- Charbel Intracranial Micro-Flowprobes® with a long bayonet handle
- Charbel Extracranial Micro-Flowprobes® with a shorter bayonet handle and a larger flow-sensing body
These instruments were the result of years of clinical observation, engineering collaboration, and a shared vision: empowering surgeons with real-time, actionable hemodynamic data to improve patient outcomes.
“Flow is a vital parameter during cerebrovascular surgery,” Dr. Charbel in a previous Transonic post about mentorship in medicine. “Including flow in my surgical approach gives me a high degree of control over surgical outcomes. When I close the patient, I know the patient will recover without ischemia surprises. This translates into peace of mind—for the patient and me—and saves money for the hospital.”
Many of these endeavors continue to rely on accurate, reproducible flow measurements—a cornerstone of Transonic’s value proposition.
“It was [Dr. Charbel]’s caring that founded his relationship with Transonic almost 30 years ago,” Transonic’s Dan Foster said. “His patients needed more than current technology could provide, so he turned to the best—the only—flow measurement company in the industry … Dr. Charbel is so dedicated that when he needed a new device so he could save more lives, he called our company and worked with us to design it.
Advancing Surgical Tools and Training
When a leader like Dr. Charbel steps to the podium, equipped with technology he helped design, the entire field pays attention.
And it’s not just legacy—it’s momentum. Dr. Charbel’s research resulted in the development of Noninvasive Optimal Vessel Analysis (NOVA), a software program that quantifies volume, velocity and direction of blood flowing through vessels in the brain using standard MRI equipment.
This led to numerous discoveries about strokes, including published findings that stroke patients with low blood flow in the back of the brain are at a greater risk of a second stroke. More recently, he partnered with several other surgeons to open the Surgical Innovation Training Laboratory at the Illinois Neuropsychiatric Institute.
This institute, the first of its kind in the United States, gives students and medical professionals hands-on experience using robotics and artificial intelligence in surgery. This includes using advanced surgical simulators as well as AI for real-time decision-making during surgery, improving patient outcomes.
What’s Next For Our Partnership: The UIC Flow Symposium and Bypass Course
In November, Dr. Charbel will be participating in a symposium at the Surgical Innovation and Training Lab at the University of Illinois Chicago. Users of the Charbel Micro-Flowprobes® are invited to participate, sharing how they have used it in their practice to educate the next generation of surgeons.
As we look ahead to the symposium, we’re reminded that the most meaningful innovations result from close collaboration between surgeons, engineers, and manufacturers.
Transonic is proud to stand beside Dr. Fady Charbel in pursuit of better tools, better data, and better patient care.
Subscribe to our blog and follow us on social media for more details to come about this fall’s symposium, and prepare to see the flow of progress in action.
