Royal Philips developing industry first AR surgical navigation equipment

Royal Philips, a provider of integrated image-guided therapy solutions has announced that it is developing an industry-first augmented-reality (AR) surgical navigation piece of technology.

The AR technology is being designed to help surgeons perform image-guided open and minimally-invasive spine surgery.

In recent years spine surgery has been complimented by a use of minimally-invasive techniques. These are performed using surgical tools, manipulated through small incisions in the patient’s skin. Whilst the use of these tools reduces blood loss and soft tissue damage, surgeons have reduced visibility of the spine during the procedure. Much like procedures performed for minimally-invasive cranial surgery and complex trauma fractures, surgeons have to rely on real-time imaging and navigation solutions to guide their surgical tools ad implants.

Philips’ new AR surgical navigation technology, adds additional capabilities to the company’s low dose x-ray system. High-resolution optical cameras are mounted on the flat panel x-ray detector to image the surface of the patient. The technology then constructs a 3D AR image of the patient’s external and internal anatomy.

Benefits of a real-time 3D view of the patient’s spine include improved procedure planning, surgical tool navigation and implant accuracy as well as reduced procedure times.

Ronald Tabaksblat, business leader image-guided therapy system at Philips said: “This unique augmented-reality technology is an example of how we expand our capabilities with innovative solutions in growth areas such as spine, neuro and trauma surgery. By teaming up with clinical innovation leaders, we continue to find ways to convert open surgery to minimally-invasive treatment to reduce post-operative pain and expedite recovery.”

The technology has already been shown to be significantly better for overall accuracy, compared to pedicle screw placement without the aid of Philips’ AR surgical navigation technology. A collaboration between Philips and Karolinska University Hospital and the Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Centre tested the equipment and published results in the Spine journal.

Dr. Skúlason of the Landspitali University Hospital, Reykjavik, Iceland, said: “This new technology allows us to intraoperatively make a high-resolution 3D image of the patient’s spine, plan the optimal device path, and subsequently place pedicle screws using the system’s fully-automatic augmented-reality navigation. We can also check the overall result in 3D in the OR without the need to move the patient to a CT scanner. And all this can be done without any radiation exposure to the surgeon and with minimal dose to the patient.”