StraightTrack: Towards mixed reality navigation system for percutaneous K-wire insertion.

Area of Science:

• Orthopedic Surgery
• Medical Imaging
• Mixed Reality Technology

Background:

• Accurate Kirschner wire (K-wire) placement is critical in percutaneous pelvic trauma surgery for effective fracture fixation.
• Current mixed reality (MR) surgical navigation systems lack reliable accuracy due to uncontrolled wire bending.
• Existing methods struggle to provide consistent visual feedback, hindering real-world application.

Purpose of the Study:

• To introduce StraightTrack, an MR navigation system designed for precise percutaneous K-wire placement in complex anatomy.
• To address the challenge of wire bending and ensure accurate real-time feedback during orthopedic procedures.
• To evaluate the accuracy and efficacy of StraightTrack compared to existing methods.

Main Methods:

• StraightTrack utilizes a marker body with a rigid access cannula to prevent wire bending against soft tissue and bone.
• An optical see-through head-mounted display provides real-time 3D visualization and guidance.
• The system tracks the cannula body, eliminating the need for external trackers prone to line-of-sight issues.

Main Results:

• StraightTrack significantly improved K-wire placement accuracy in phantom experiments conducted by orthopedic surgeons.
• The system achieved ideal trajectory placement within millimeter accuracy, outperforming comparable methods.
• Phantom experiments demonstrated superior precision compared to existing navigation techniques.

Conclusions:

• StraightTrack offers a viable solution for accurate percutaneous K-wire placement in orthopedic surgery.
• The system's ability to mitigate wire bending and provide reliable feedback enhances surgical precision.
• StraightTrack demonstrates the potential of maturing MR navigation systems for internal fracture fixation and other percutaneous procedures.