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Blue Belt: Super Cutter on the Way
A cut above…Pittsburgh-based Blue Belt Technologies, Inc. is going for technological gold. This Carnegie Mellon spinoff, formed in 2003 to focus on the commercialization of innovative devices, says that its Precision Freehand Sculptor is on the way to market, and on the way through the FDA. (In process, in process!)
Blue Belt’s CEO, Craig Markovitz, told OTW,
When artificial joint components are installed, precise shapes must be cut in bone to insure proper biomechanics. Precision Freehand Sculpting (PFS) provides a handheld tool that enables the surgeon to accurately cut these shapes without the need for the complicated jigs and guides currently used in surgery. Utilizing PFS, surgeons can perform minimally invasive procedures not possible with current surgical tools.
As indicated by the company, PFS belongs to a category of “semi-active” robotics that analyzes the surgeon’s cutting motion and intelligently cuts bone. A preplanned target shape divides the bone into waste bone, which should be removed, and healthy bone to be preserved. When the surgeon moves the cutter over the bone, the PFS system determines whether it is over waste bone or healthy bone and cuts accordingly. PFS works by coupling the cutting tool to a computer system and a position tracking system. The tracking system monitors the position of the tool relative to the bone and feeds this information to the computer system. Software running on the computer determines, based on the tracking information and the surgical plan, if the bone should be cut or not and adjusts the cutter accordingly.
This method combines the advantages of robotic technology (such as accurate positioning and fast reaction times) with the skill and experience of a surgeon. Blue Belt indicates that PFS allows a much smaller footprint compared to other robotic systems, which is a welcome convenience in a crowded operating room. The company also noted that PFS provides a significant cost advantage over other surgical robots, and can often leverage surgical navigation technology that is already present in the hospital.
The company stresses that the product increases safety, saying that PFS provides a layer of safety through intelligent extension or retraction of a high-speed cutting bur relative to a surrounding guard. This guard allows precise exposure of the bur, accurately controlling depth of cut, and also provides protection to surrounding tissue structures. With this protection and added safety, the surgeon can work with less visibility, allowing for smaller incisions.
On the efficiency front, Blue Belt indicates that the continual switching of instruments is eliminated with PFS, and that the surgeon can use PFS to confidently pinpoint and address only the parts of the bone that matter.
Regarding any issues with adoption, Markovitz told OTW,
Surgical navigation and robotics have been growing in both recognition and market share. Our solution represents the addition of unique and powerful capability to existing instrumentation, is very cost effective and is adaptable to individual surgeon preference.
As for training, Markovitz commented to OTW,
Details on familiarizing surgeons with the technology are under development but we expect to conduct cadaver sessions as well as utilize a select group of early adoptors to begin the market education process. Since our technology leverages existing instrumentation and navigation platforms, the learning curve has proven to be very short. Surgeons have been immediately able to understand how the technology works and can use the technology immediately in surgical procedures.
The company, a finalist in the recent Life Sciences category for the Pittsburgh Technology Council’s annual Tech 50 awards, aims to have the PFS ready for sales within a year.