Design and validation of a stereotactic frame for independent bilateral multi-trajectory targeting

Objective.Modern stereotactic neurosurgery increasingly relies on bilateral and multi-trajectory workflows (e.g. deep brain stimulation (DBS), stereoelectroencephalography (sEEG)), which can exceed the reach and flexibility of conventional frame-based systems. Building on our skull-mounted Navinetics D1 platform, we present a stereotactic frame (Navinetics E1) intended to expand the reachable work envelope, enable independent bilateral targeting, and preserve mechanical accuracy and patient comfort.Approach.We designed the Navinetics E1 stereotactic frame using a center-of-arc architecture with five degrees of freedom per hemisphere (X, Y, Z, Arc, Collar) and two operating modes: Double Arm (independent left/right arms for simultaneous bilateral targeting) and Single Arm (mechanically coupled arms). The system was designed in CAD and fabricated via carbon fiber-reinforced polylactic acid (PLA-CF) additive manufacturing. Collision-aware MATLAB simulations quantified work volume and admissible approach directions. Mechanical targeting accuracy was evaluated on a ground truth fixture (GTF) platform, with mixed-effects modeling to assess target- and trajectory-dependent effects. Operative feasibility was assessed through an intraoperative entry-point replication test relative to the D1 system.Main results.Compared to the D1, the E1 frame significantly expanded key geometric ranges, including, most notably, 0°-360° Collar rotation and posteriorY-axis reach, thereby increasing the work volume and trajectory range by factors of 3.39 and 8.42, respectively. Mean GTF targeting deviation was 0.78 ± 0.38 mm in Single Arm mode and 1.23 ± 0.36 mm (right) and 1.65 ± 0.47 mm (left) in Double Arm mode. Entry-point replication across 17 clinical cases achieved 76.5% success in overlapping the reference points, providing preliminary evidence of feasibility under real operative conditions.Significance.The E1 frame extends a compact skull-mounted platform to support broader stereotactic reach and trajectory while enabling independent bilateral workflows. These features may reduce intraoperative reconfiguration for complex DBS and sEEG cases. Future work will focus on increasing structural stiffness, improving angular readout/setting, and developing MRI-compatible implementations.