Preliminary clinical experience using a newly developed minimal-invasive reference base in computer assisted foot...

Area of Science:

• Orthopaedic Surgery
• Medical Device Innovation
• Surgical Navigation

Background:

• Computer-assisted orthopedic surgery (CAOS) has advanced significantly, yet intraoperative challenges persist.
• Effective fixation of dynamic reference bases is crucial for navigated extremity surgery.
• Existing fixation systems can present challenges like artifacts and heterodyning.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop and evaluate a novel minimally-invasive screw for stable and efficient fixation in CAOS.
• To address the common operative challenge of reference base positioning in navigated surgery.
• To improve upon conventional fixation systems in terms of stability, artifact generation, and ease of use.

Main Methods:

• Initial evaluation of the minimally-invasive screw in artificial bone.
• Testing in human cadaver thighs using ISO-C3D navigated drilling.
• Clinical application in five foot surgeries with navigated drilling.

Main Results:

• 100% targeting accuracy in 10 ISO-C3D navigated drillings.
• No screw dislocation observed during testing.
• The new screw produced fewer artifacts and less heterodyning compared to conventional systems, with a beneficial small design for surgical settings.

Conclusions:

• The minimally-invasive screw provides effective and stable fixation for computer-assisted orthopedic surgery.
• It overcomes limitations of conventional fixation systems, reducing artifacts and improving surgical efficiency.
• This innovative tool has the potential to enhance navigated procedures in orthopaedic surgery.