Augmented Reality for Assistance of Total Knee Replacement - Kne3wiz

The aim of this work was the development of a surgical assistance system based on augmented reality to support joint Augmented Reality for Assistance of Total Knee Replacement procedures and implantation of the prosthetic knee. Images of the scene were captured in order to detect the visual markers located on the lateral surface of the patient’s leg for overlapping the 3D models of the prosthesis and the joint, as well as the tool used by the medical specialist. With the marker identification, it was possible to compute its position and orientation for locating the virtual models, obtaining a monitoring system for giving accurate information about the procedure.

Assisted computer surgery has improved the accuracy of many types of medical procedures, such as laparoscopy where the surgeon manipulates robotic arms performing minimally invasive surgery, using machine vision algorithms to obtain relevant data of the operation area during surgery.   

It is important to mention that due to the machine vision technique is possible to perform surgical procedures based on augmented reality, as can be seen in, where they use image processing for locating virtual tools and 3D models of some organs as well as the incisions, fastenings, and sutures necessary for performing the surgery, showing new fields in medical training without real patients.

One of the works that use the above concepts is presented in, focused on pancreatic surgery by using 3D modeling to represent the pancreas and an adjacent tumor, which is monitored by the surgeon during the intervention with some limitations in the real-time processing; however, the impact and importance of this technology in future surgeries and medical training are highlighted.

Latest Advances in knee Replacement Surgical Technique - Kne3wiz

Total knee replacement technology. Bets 3D augmented surgery with computer assisted knee replacement technique. Latest knee replacement surgery technology involves a very complex set of measurements and angles. If an implant is misaligned or positioned incorrectly, it is more likely to function poorly and the patient may suffer from uneven or successive wear.

For years, orthopaedic surgeons would conduct the complex set of measurements and angles DURING the initial phase of surgery.

Recent technological advances in biomedical engineering software have opened a new chapter on high-performance knee implants.

    Today, we utilize “cutting guides” that are patient-specific, single-use instruments that guide me as I shape the ends of the bones to fit the new implant.
    
    What makes these guides so special is that each one is specifically designed using computer-simulated 3D model of the patient’s own knee. It is then custom built to be used in THAT patient’s surgery.
    
    The process for making the (Visionaire) cutting guides starts with the patient getting a short MRI scan of the knee and a full-length x-ray of the leg (during pre-op visits).
    
    The information from these images is then fed into a software program used by an engineer to build a virtual model of your knee and (the engineer) will send me a pre-op plan detailing the patient’s specific anatomy.
    
    During my pre-surgical planning, I can use the virtual model to easily select the right size implant for the patient AND pre-operatively determine what angle bone cuts I need to make and exactly how much bone I need to remove to insure that patient’s implant is place in the optimal alignment, all before the patient ever reaches the operating room.