New Disc-Placement System Reduces Surgery Time

A new image-based surgical positioning system enables precise placement of artificial discs.

The new system, called DiscAssist, will help improve clinical outcomes, while reducing the length and complexity of lumbar and thoracic disc-replacement surgeries. The software-based application has been developed to address clinical studies that demonstrate the importance and challenge of optimal artificial disc positioning, including alignment and orientation, for successful total disc replacement (TDR) surgical outcomes.

Using the system, surgeons develop an extremely precise but simple three-dimensional (3D) surgical blueprint that includes artificial-disc sizing and precise disc placement, inclusive of alignment and orientation. To assist surgeons in optimizing the plan, DiscAssist calculates the center of disc rotation, simulates the effects of artificial-disc placement on adjacent vertebrae, and evaluates other important parameters.

During surgeries, the system interfaces with the operating room (OR) imaging system to guide surgeons through accurate plan implementation. The system visualizes the surgery in real-time and enables comparison with the surgical blueprint. The software supports all TDR systems currently on the market and eliminates the need for surgeons to rely on trial and error for appropriate placement. The new system was presented as a work in progress at the North American Spine Society annual meeting (NASS) held in September 2006 in Seattle (WA, USA).

DiscAssist is a product of Mazor Surgical Technologies (Caesarea, Israel)

"The beauty of this product is its simplicity,” said Ori Hadomi, CEO of Mazor. "Without complicating the surgical process and adding new hardware and procedures, it improves clinical confidence, helping to ensure the success of difficult surgeries.”

Mazor also manufactures the SpineAssist miniature surgical positioning device and the Hover-T Bridge, which help surgeons to place surgical implants precisely in the spine.



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Mazor Surgical Technologies