A Northwestern Medicine neurosurgeon is the first physician in the U.S. to successfully use a new neurosurgical drill to save the life of a patient in the Intensive Care Unit. The emergency procedure took place in October 2023 at Northwestern Memorial Hospital when Northwestern Medicine neurosurgeon Matthew Potts, MD, used the Hubly Drill — a battery-powered cranial drill developed by students at Northwestern University — to create a hole in the skull of a patient with a brain bleed. After inserting a catheter through the hole, Dr. Potts drained excess cerebrospinal fluid from the patient’s brain, relieving pressure inside the skull and ultimately saving the patient’s life.

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