Precision and accuracy are vital in spine surgery. Pedicle screw placement, a common procedure for addressing various spinal conditions like trauma, infection, or degeneration, particularly in the thoracolumbar spine, often employs dorsal instrumentation. Research, including systematic reviews and meta-analyses, consistently shows that intraoperative computed tomography (CT)—navigated screw placement significantly outperforms traditional free-hand techniques or 2-D fluoroscopy in terms of accuracy and patient safety. Now, a new clinical study has assessed a novel navigation system that incorporates augmented reality (AR) to assist in pedicle screw placement, featuring navigation cameras embedded directly into the surgical tools. The findings confirm that this AR-enhanced system offers a dependable and safe method for 3D imaging-based pedicle screw placement, requires minimal intraoperative setup, and opens up new possibilities through AR integration.

The study by researchers at Technical University of Munich (Munich, Germany) evaluated the efficiency, accuracy, and versatility of NextAR Spine, a navigation system from Medacta International (Castel San Pietro, Switzerland) that employs AR to provide real-time guidance superimposed onto the surgical field, thereby enhancing precision and supporting informed decision-making for various spine conditions. The results indicated that NextAR Spine integrates smoothly into the surgical workflow, bolstering the surgeon’s ability to perform with greater efficiency, accuracy, and flexibility.

The study demonstrated that the system accurately placed pedicle screws using both open and percutaneous techniques across both extensive and short constructs, reflecting a significantly lower intraoperative revision rate (1.7%) compared to rates reported for other systems. This underscores NextAR Spine's reliability and safety for 3D imaging-based pedicle screw placement, which is further facilitated by minimal setup requirements due to the integration of cameras into the surgical instruments. The platform's design is streamlined, incorporating preoperative planning and offering a flexible system that requires limited capital investment and low per-case costs, thanks to its single-use instruments. Additionally, the NextAR platform supports various applications like NextAR Knee, NextAR Shoulder, NextAR Spine, and Hip applications, making it a versatile tool for multiple surgical needs.

“As stated in our recent study, NextAR, the new AR-assisted navigation system, greatly simplifies pedicle screw placement, ensuring effectiveness and accuracy,” said Professor Dr. med. Bernhard Meyer, Director of the Neurosurgical Clinic and Policlinic at the University Hospital Rechts der Isar. “It's a reliable tool, straightforward to use, and it elevates our ability to provide safe and precise navigation for various spinal conditions.” 

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