Omnet++ simulation of facial nerve monitoring in real time neurosurgery based on WBAN

Abstract

Neurosurgery is one of the most critical medical fields. The neurosurgeons deal with nerves sensitive situations such as paralysis. For the sake of avoiding those risks, the neurosurgeon operates while the patient is partly awake. We are interested in this paper to handle the case of the facial nerve which can be altered during an intervention at the ponto-cerebellar angle specialty of a neurosurgeon expert [1]. In this case wired systems, based on electromyography “EMG” technology, were used in parallel with visual monitoring. However, we have proposed a model of automated system based on Wireless Body Area Networks “WBAN” for facial nerves intraoperative monitoring. Our model is based on active synchronized stimulations. For the aim of assuming the patient comfort also, to add more flexibility to the neurosurgery our proposed model benefits from wireless communication instead of wired connections. We distinguish four scenarios deployed according to the facial muscles anatomy and simulated using OMNet++. The results, obtained by comparing the four scenarios, allowed us to define the optimal scenario according to a set of criteria (the system delivery time, the communication time, the energy consumed, and data processing time).