Hydrogel-based ultrasonography probe stabilizer

A method for acquiring an ultrasound image during an intraoperative surgery, the method comprising the steps of:

• (a) providing a subject undergoing the intraoperative surgery;
• (b) during the intraoperative surgery, exposing an organ of the subject, wherein the organ is a beating heart that is exposed during the intraoperative surgery;
• (c) providing a physical matrix interface comprising a hydrogel-based ultrasonography probe stabilizer that is flexible, moldable, and is durable enough to support an ultrasound probe, and is biocompatible for placement on top of the beating heart during the intraoperative surgery;
• (d) disposing an organ interface layer on an outer surface of the beating heart, wherein the organ interface layer comprises at least one of a buffer, an adhesive, or moisture from the beating heart, and contacting the organ interface layer with the hydrogel-based ultrasonography probe stabilizer on the outer surface of the beating heart such that the stabilizer adheres to the beating heart and forms a stable matrix interface between the beating heart and the ultrasound probe, wherein the stabilizer comprises a homogenous hydrogel layer that includes, per 100 ml of water, 0.1 g to 4 g of sodium alginate, up to 3 g of bentonite, 3 g to 9 g of acrylamide, 0.1 g to 1 g of methylene bisacrylamide, and 0.05 g to 0.5 g of ammonium persulphate;
• whereby the organ interface layer is configured to allow a movement of the entire hydrogel-based ultrasonography probe stabilizer along and/or across the beating heart;
• (e) applying pressure to the stabilizer to conform the stabilizer to the beating heart and remove entrapped air bubbles from the stable matrix interface without use of a controller;
• (f) disposing (i) an ultrasound gel on a probe-facing outer surface of the stabilizer which contacts the organ interface layer from step (d) on a probe-facing outer surface of the stabilizer, and disposing (ii) an ultrasound probe gel between the ultrasound probe and the probe-facing outer surface of the stabilizer;
• (g) placing the ultrasound probe on the stabilizer and using the ultrasound probe to acquire an ultrasound image of the beating heart through the stabilizer;
• (h) while acquiring the ultrasound image, while the beating heart moves in an unpredictable, rapid, or erratic movement of the beating heart, moving the ultrasound probe relative to the stabilizer by at least one of rocking, fanning/tilting, sliding, or rotating, while the stabilizer follows movement of the beating heart and provides stabilization at the stable matrix interface;
• and
• (i) wherein conduction of ultrasound waves through the stabilizer and the stable matrix interface does not deform the interface, does not require an additional pressure to avoid an entrapment of air bubbles between the matrix interface and the probe, and does not change a density or thickness of the stabilizer.