POCATELLO — Two doctors have introduced an entirely new technique in surgery to eastern Idaho.
Bingham Healthcare orthopedic surgeons Dr. Nathan Richardson and Dr. Ben Allen have implemented Stryker's Blueprint mixed reality (MR) guidance system into their practice, making them two of only eight physicians nationwide who use the technology, which allows doctors to view holographic, three-dimensional images of surgical plans.
“This isn't necessarily a revolution,” Richardson explains, “but rather an evolution in closing the gap between planning and execution.”
Before every operation, Richardson and Allen first review a CAT scan to get a detailed picture of the deformity they're operating on. Now, doctors send these scans to Stryker's engineers, who send back a three-dimensional planning program.
Surgeons can use this program to plan surgery and then visually review the plan during surgery.
To demonstrate how Stryker's system works, Allen used the Microsoft HoloLens 2 and compared it to Tony Stark's plans for his inventions in the film “Iron Man.” Doctors can move the models around to look at them from all angles, remove layers to isolate what they want to see, or make them transparent.
“When you watch me do it, you're like, 'What the hell is wrong with this guy? What the hell is he doing?' But it's pretty cool to be able to move all this stuff around and change different parameters,” Allen said.
Dr. Allen uses goggles during surgery. | Courtesy of Bingham Memorial Hospital
In their view, this technology is a new step in the history of medical technological advancements.
Before the invention of CAT scans in the 1970s, surgeons performing joint replacement surgery had to open up patients and correct the deformity when they first saw it. With CT images, surgeons can plan the surgery.
“But we didn't have a reliable system for translating what we planned on the computer into what we wanted to achieve,” Richardson said.
The Stryker system gives Richardson and Allen immediate feedback on how their procedures are being carried out.
“The system will tell the physician if they're one degree off or one millimeter off from[our]plan, and it gives them that immediate feedback to help them achieve that plan,” Richardson explained.
Allen explained that every patient has different needs, and the Stryker system allows them to plan exactly how to meet those needs.
“Now I can see it in real time out of the corner of my eye and say, 'yes, this is exactly how I wanted it to be,' so I can be more confident in my plan and how I'm executing that plan,” Allen said.
Allen said the Stryker system is simply an effective tool to aid in surgery, but is not something to be relied upon entirely.
“We can't have a broken goggle or a dead battery that puts us in a position where we can't perform surgery safely and effectively,” Allen said.
Both doctors believe the technique could improve the chances of a successful surgical outcome.
“The more precise you can be, the more likely you are to have a good functional outcome,” Richardson said.
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