Shrinking the Big Box to a Disposable Handheld Computer
OrthAlign’s smart surgical assist device is a DISPOSABLE handheld computer (the size of a smart phone with equivalent speed and processing power) which attaches to the patient and delivers intraoperative surgical guidance rivaling the accuracy and precision of the big box systems.
It was awarded Frost & Sullivan’s 2019 North American Technology Leadership award.
Eric channeled Moore’s Law when he said, “The future of technology in the OR is smaller, smarter, and more economically feasible. We’re building out a portfolio of applications for Total Knee, Partial Knee, and approach-agnostic Total Hip Replacement and pushing surgeon-driven handheld technologies past the capabilities of old, bulky, and expensive systems such as robotics and big box navigation.”
Here are some details about OrthAlign’s smaller and smarter navigation tools.
- Uses “smart phone” gyroscopes and accelerometers to register the patient’s anatomy
- Aligns, balances and synchs anatomy to implant
- No capital expenditure
- No pre-op imaging
- Real-time information
- High definition video screens for images and videos as required in the OR
- Faster and more powerful I/O processors
- Data collection and connectivity capabilities to drive “big-data” mining
According to Bhargav Rajan, Leader, Medical Devices & Imaging Team at Frost & Sullivan “Because OrthAlign’s smart technology is in a disposable single-use form-factor and not reliant on any capital equipment, a hospital or surgery center can simultaneously deploy the tech in multiple operating rooms, and at any care site within its network.”
“The economic benefits of a single-use device compares favorably against robotic systems without compromising clinical outcomes.”
OrthAlign’s Systems Clinical Performance Data
Unlike Rony’s Magic Leap, Timko’s OrthAlign technologies are in surgeons’ hands now and its potentially disruptive “smart phone” approach will be formally introduced at 2020 AAOS (American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons).
A new study from Japan which tested the use of OrthAlign’s handheld computer system reported that the average absolute error in measurement using OrthAlign’s system was 2.6 + 2.7 (inclination) and 2.8 + 2.7 (anteversion).
Bottom line wrote the Japanese investigators (who had no conflicts of interest related to OrthAlign) this accelerometer-based portable navigation system is more accurate for cup placement in anteversion than conventional imageless navigation systems.
The learning curve for the Japanese team was five cases. Accuracy was consistent throughout learning curve. Set-up time to navigation was six minutes.
Where Surgical NAV and Robotic Assist Is Heading
MAKO and BlueBelt used their processing power to direct autonomous robotic arms to more precisely burr bone or move drill guides into place while the surgeon inserts cutting tools.
To hit their marks precisely and consistently these computers process massive amounts of imaging and pre-op planning data fast.
They also require the surgeon to cede a degree of control to the large and, say some users, ergonomically challenged robot assist devices.
OrthAlign and Magic Leap are shrinking the big box to pocket or hand-sized computers. And both of their CEOs, each pioneers in the robotic assist device industry, are, ironically perhaps, pushing to augment, not off-load, user capabilities.
While you can’t see Rony’s Magic Leap at AAOS or other orthopedic meetings, you can test drive Timko’s OrthAlign systems and, increasingly, read clinical studies and case reports of its performance.
I mean, six minutes from set up to navigation.
That’s something.
