Philips augmented-reality surgical navigation gives surgeons a full-body view

Surgeons can benefit greatly from high definition images during spinal, cranial and trauma procedures. Royal Phillips has developed an augmented-reality surgical navigation technology to guide surgeons through image-guided open and minimally invasive spinal surgery.

Augmented-reality technology may be able to expand the capabilities of hybrid operating rooms to include image-guided spinal, cranial and trauma surgeries.  

"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," said Ronald Tabaksblat, business leader of image-guided therapy systems at Philips. "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."

Adding capabilities to its low-dose x-ray system, the augmented reality uses high-resolution optical cameras mounted on a flat panel x-ray detector to produce images. The technology is then able to combine the internal 3D x-ray with the external camera view to produce a full augmented reality of the patient. This full view of the patient gave surgeons the ability to better plan out the route of the procedure, improving accuracy and procedure time.

"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 screws using the system's fully-automatic augmented-reality navigation," said Thorsteinn Skúlason, MD, of the Landspitali University Hospital in Reykjavik, Iceland. "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."