Surgeons can get a detailed look into the anatomy of patients through the conversion of CT scans into three-dimensional models within an interactive virtual reality (VR) space. They will be able to simulate surgical scenarios with the technology. The main objective of the customized surgical planning is to recreate the biomechanical alignment of patients. This will lead to an increasingly natural feeling joint and higher satisfaction for patients.
Kinomatic is a leading service provider in the surgical templating space, and has recently launched a VR-based templating platform to let surgeons create customized plans for surgeries like hip and knee arthroplasty. The Kinomatic VR planner is the very first of its kind made especially for surgeons. The platform can be connected to most implant systems and can be configured for a number of surgical approaches and methods.
Surgical Plans Customized Per Patient
The proprietary virtual reality application of the company enables surgeons to observe and tweak surgical plans in vivid detail. Right now, the platform offers support for pre-operative modeling for hip and knee arthroplasty, In the near future, there are expectations to release modelling for spine and shoulder surgery. Using the cutting-edge platform will enable surgeons to create arthroplasty case templates with the implants and surgical methods they prefer. Patients are given a high res CT scan and the 3D converted version of the scan to resemble the patient’s joint.
After the completion of the modelling, the surgeon can make decisions regarding the precise implant size and orientation of a joint, to accurately recreate the natural anatomy. The model is converted for the company’s Oculus Quest VR application for the purpose of simulation. Kinomatic enables surgeons to plan out all aspects of the process beforehand to ensure optimal outcomes.
Growing Need for Arthroplasty
According to data collected in recent times, hip and knee arthroplasty surgery cases have risen in recent times. In addition, the observations point towards the average age of patients dropping low. With a rise of younger people having to go for arthroplasty surgery, surgeons are trying to meet the demands for individual-based planning and implant balancing. Malorientation of implants can reduce the satisfaction of patients and implant longevity. The introduction of new technology is to improve the alignment of implants with the ability of enhancing end results for patients.
Focus on User Experience
According to Shaun Lea, Kinomatic CEO, the company’s objective is to enhance the experience of patients to a great extent. He emphasized that they are trying to look beyond just better post-surgery outcomes in terms of range motion, and also focusing on the overall experience and satisfaction that patients get. Patients have varying goals after their surgeries, and surgeons are required to gain a better understanding of these expectations to make those objectives possible. The existing technology now is mostly focused on reducing the negative impact of arthroplasty. Lea said that the objective of the new technology is to improve the quality of outcomes from the surgery. He emphasized that the objective was to give each patient a joint that is quite similar to their anatomy.