Related Experiment Video
Updated: Sep 13, 2025
A Spine Robotic-Assisted Navigation System for Pedicle Screw Placement
Published on: May 11, 2020
Integration of Machine Vision Technology in the Treatment of Pediatric Spinal Deformities
Zachary R Visco1, Nathaniel C Adams1, Alexandra N Johnson2
1Department of Orthopaedics, School of Medicine, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, USA.
Aim:
The study aimed to describe the use of the 7D FLASH Surgical System (Orthofix, Lewisville, USA), an intraoperative navigation tool, for complex pediatric spinal surgery. The authors present their techniques and recommendations for successfully implementing and utilizing this system.
Methods:
We retrospectively identified all pediatric orthopaedic spinal surgeries utilizing the 7D FLASH System between July 2022 and January 2024. Pediatric patients with various spinal pathologies who underwent surgery by our institution's pediatric orthopaedic surgeons were included. Data collected encompassed surgical indications, instrumented levels, and 7D imaging registration information. The 7D data included the number of FLASH image registrations per case, the number of "FLASH Fixes" performed per case, and the average time required for each registration. These data were summarized using descriptive statistics. We also describe our intraoperative workflow and technical pearls in detail.
Results:
Around 59 patients underwent posterior spinal fusion, and one patient had a cervical intracanal osteochondroma resection. A total of 644 levels were fused, with an average construct length of 10.91 ± 3.55 levels. The average device registration time was 59.36 ± 20.38 seconds. For the patients undergoing fusion, 1.53 ± 0.83 levels were instrumented per registration event. Around 22 patients required at least one "FLASH Fix" (n = 29 total Fixes), taking an average of 16.54 seconds per "FLASH Fix."
Conclusions:
Surgical navigation has become increasingly prevalent in recent years, although it typically necessitates the use of one or more intraoperative computed tomography (CT) scans. The quick device registration times and the capacity to instrument multiple levels per registration event imply that machine vision navigation technology may enhance intraoperative workflow efficiency compared to traditional intraoperative CT-based navigation, potentially reducing anesthesia time and radiation exposure.
Level Of Evidence:
The study is classified as level IV evidence.
