A pilot study to assess feasibility of a computer-assisted surgery system for navigation in the equine cervical spine

To validate the accuracy of the Synaptive Medical computer-assisted surgery (CAS) system for navigation in the equine cervical spine, focusing on anatomical targets that require precise localization.

3 equine cervical spine cadavers were used (C1-T1) for an experimental study design. A custom fiducial array was mounted into the dorsal spinous process of C2, with additional fiducial markers distributed for landmark registration. Four participants with varying surgical expertise used the Synaptive Medical CAS system to navigate 9 radiodense pins into 3 anatomical targets, including the intervertebral foramen, articular process joint, and intervertebral disc. Pre- and postprocedural CT scans were used to evaluate pin placement accuracy, defined as the Euclidean distance between planned and achieved points. The procedure duration was also recorded.

The mean navigation error between the planned and reached target points was 11.33 ± 11.02 mm. Surgical experience influenced procedure duration; however, it did not significantly affect accuracy. Additionally, our results suggested that placement of a fiducial array into the dorsal spinous process of C2 allowed for successful registration.

Use of the Synaptive Medical CAS system for navigation-assisted procedures in the equine cervical spine is feasible and may enhance surgical precision in veterinary applications.

This study provides insight into the potential integration of CAS into the clinical application of equine cervical spine procedures. This validation supports that CAS can be an option for minimally invasive approaches aimed at reducing clinical complications when accessing the equine cervical spine.