Computer assisted orthopaedic surgery. Image guided and robotic assistive technologies

Area of Science:

• Orthopaedic Surgery
• Medical Robotics
• Computer Vision
• Surgical Simulation

Background:

• Computer-assisted surgery (CAS) leverages advances in medical imaging, computer vision, and robotics.
• While CAS has been used in industry for decades, its application in orthopaedics is nascent.
• Key CAS technologies include image-guided systems, surgical navigation, robotic assistants, and simulators.

Purpose of the Study:

• To explore emerging technologies influencing orthopaedic surgery planning and execution.
• To highlight the potential of CAS to improve surgical practice and patient outcomes.
• To outline the goals of developing patient-specific preoperative planners and precise surgical tools.

Main Methods:

• Review of recent technological advancements in medical imaging, computer vision, and robotics.
• Analysis of the application of these technologies in the field of orthopaedic surgery.
• Discussion of the development of interactive preoperative planning and smart surgical tools.

Main Results:

• Emerging technologies offer the potential for more precise and less invasive orthopaedic procedures.
• Interactive, patient-specific preoperative planners can optimize surgical performance and biologic response.
• Image-guided systems, robotic devices, and simulators are transitioning from research to clinical practice.

Conclusions:

• Computer-assisted orthopaedic surgery is an emerging field with significant potential to improve patient care.
• Successful implementation requires interdisciplinary collaboration between engineers, computer scientists, roboticists, and surgeons.
• Continued development of enabling technologies is crucial for advancing the field.