Advanced Augmented Reality System to Transform Spine Surgery

Spinal surgeries require high spatial precision to ensure successful outcomes. Achieving accurate execution is crucial for the best postoperative results in spinal patients. Now, a breakthrough in augmented reality (AR) technology significantly improves surgeons' hand-eye coordination by projecting virtual surgical guides onto the patient's spine, increasing precision and facilitating faster recovery. This AR system displays virtual spinal implants on the physical spine before irreversible surgical steps are taken, advancing both non-robotic and robot-assisted surgeries to a new level of performance. This innovation offers the potential for better clinical outcomes, less pain, and quicker recovery for millions of spinal patients.

OnPoint Surgical (Concord, MA, USA) is transforming spinal surgery with its AR and Artificial Intelligence (AR-AI) platform with current and future applications in pedicle screw and interbody device placements, spinal deformity correction, and minimally invasive procedures. The platform overlays virtual surgical guides and implants onto the patient’s spine, viewed directly by the surgeon through ultra-light, high-resolution see-through optical headsets. The technology enhances surgical accuracy, increases efficiency, and saves time. OnPoint’s AR system is not only useful for manual surgery but also paves the way for the next generation of robotic systems, integrating optics with or without haptics.

Image: OnPoint AR is an advanced Augmented Reality system designed to transform spine surgery (Photo courtesy of OnPoint Surgical)

The system can display virtual spinal rods via AR, allowing the surgeon to adjust the shape of pre-existing rods during surgery based on real-time conditions and desired corrections. This capability significantly improves clinical performance and workflow, offering time savings during minimally invasive procedures. Furthermore, OnPoint technology can achieve outcomes with standard spinal rods that were once only possible with expensive custom rods. OnPoint’s technology is versatile, applicable across various spinal, neurosurgical, orthopedic, and arthroscopic surgeries, and is being expanded to new applications and indications.

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