Philips Augmented-Reality Surgical Navigation System
In a recent article published by Health Point Capital, it was announced that Royal Philips are developing a fully-automatic Augmented Reality surgical navigation system.
This new technology is designed to help surgeons perform image guided open and minimally invasive surgeries for spine, cranial and trauma procedures. This new system will allow surgeons to check the procedural result in 3D without the need to move the patient to the CT scanner. This means that there is zero radiation exposure to the surgeon and the team with only minimal dosage to the patient.
This navigation system is said to be the first of its kind in the industry which combines not only 3D x-ray but optical imaging as well to create a 3D augmented view of the patient. The system utilizes high resolution optical cameras that map the surface of the patient. It is attached to a flat panel X-ray detector which provides the internal images. This technology will allow surgeons to see the internal and external anatomy of the patient simultaneously due to the cameras and X-ray machines capturing the external and internal view.
According to this article Philips are aiming to convert more open surgeries to minimally invasive procedures in order to reduce post operative pain and expedite recovery. This will help improve procedure planning, optimal device path and placement, surgical tool navigation, implant accuracy and operation times.
Philips is a leader in hybrid OR technologies and this new system expands the scope of the company’s hybrid OR solutions.