A new approach for safe planning transfer using semi-automatically adjustable instrument guides

Area of Science:

• Medical Engineering
• Surgical Technology
• Usability Engineering

Background:

• Accurate surgical planning transfer is crucial for successful operative care.
• Existing computer-assisted systems for surgical navigation have varying clinical evaluations.
• A need exists for efficient and accurate planning transfer methods in surgery.

Purpose of the Study:

• To implement and evaluate a novel modular concept for computer-assisted planning transfer.
• To assess the accuracy, usability, and efficiency of the new system for pedicle screw instrumentation.
• To compare the system's performance against robotic and conventional surgical techniques.

Main Methods:

• Development of a modular system utilizing passive, application-specific kinematics.
• Semi-automatic adjustment of kinematics via a universal hand-held computer-controlled Smart Screw Driver.
• Evaluation of the system for pedicle screw instrumentation based on IEC 60601-1-6 (usability engineering).

Main Results:

• Drill hole accuracies achieved were comparable to those of robotic surgical approaches.
• Operation time and radiation exposure were significantly reduced compared to conventional techniques.
• The adjustment procedure demonstrated high learnability and user satisfaction among participants.

Conclusions:

• The new modular computer-assisted system offers accurate planning transfer for pedicle screw instrumentation.
• The system presents a viable alternative to robotic and conventional methods, improving efficiency and safety.
• Future work includes optimizing kinematic structure and fixation for enhanced accuracy and clinical evaluation.