Inertial Navigation Technology Advances Orthopedic Surgery

A novel navigation system uses micro-electromechanical sensors to register patient anatomy and guide precise orthopedic implant placement.

The OrthAlign (Aliso Viejo, CA, USA) Lantern Surgical Assistant is a small (about the size of a smartphone) platform that uses micro-electromechanical sensors, such as gyroscopes and accelerometers to aid implant alignment during orthopedic surgery. The Lantern currently supports total knee arthroplasty (TKA) and unicompartmental knee arthroplasty, with developing applications for total hip arthroplasty (THA) and novel intraoperative assessment tools, such as soft tissue balancing.


In contrast to other navigation and robotic systems, it requires no upfront cost or pre-operative imaging, keeping case costs to a minimum through a reduction in trays and a single, disposable unit. The cost-effective, portable, and open-implant design is suitable for both outpatient and inpatient settings. In addition, the Lantern Surgical Assistant also provides enhanced data collection capabilities and network connectivity.

“Emerging from a pandemic with our next generation technology that delivers strong clinical results, does not decrease the efficiency of surgeons, and is cost-effective to use in both hospitals and surgery centers is a milestone that we are very excited to accomplish,” said Eric Timko, chairman and CEO of OrthAlign. “While robotics has a place in some operating rooms, the Lantern will have a place in all operating rooms, powering our global growth for many years to come. The future of orthopedic surgery is smaller and simpler.”

“Bringing an easy-to-use, handheld navigation technology to the operating room that delivers precise clinical outcomes is a game changer,” said orthopedic surgeon Michael Ast, MD, of the Hospital for Special Surgery (HSS; New York, NY, USA), who performed the first cases in the United States. “The look and feel of this new device are state of the art and certainly created a lot of buzz in the OR. The system is intuitive, and its open platform makes the technology accessible to every orthopedic surgeon.”

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