This week while attending the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons (AAOS) Annual Meeting 2019 in Las Vegas, I’ve been able to meet up with quite a few companies, practice my surgeon skills in VR (pictures to come), attend a roundtable on how Big Data is unearthing a slew of new information, and learn about an abundance of new surgical tools that will undoubtedly impact the surgical field.
With that, keep your eyes open on the MDT site for AAOS news in the next few weeks, reported by yours truly, about these topics mentioned above. For now, here are a few products and concepts that are currently being featured at AAOS 2019.
Digital, At-Home Therapy
Duke Clinical Research Institute and Yale New Haven Health have presented studies on Reflexion Health’s Virtual Exercise Rehabilitation Assistant (VERA). Dr. Janet Prvu Bettger, lead investigator, has presented the results of a large-scale randomized controlled clinical trial that compares virtual physical therapy to traditional physical therapy. The VERITAS study indicates that VERA is just as safe and effective as traditional physical therapy, and can save patients $2,745 in a bundled-payment setting.
VERA is an exercise rehabilitation program that helps patients recover in a fast and easy manner from joint replacement surgery.
The digital therapy platform includes rehabilitation exercises, an animated avatar coach to motivate patients along the way, a 3D imaging system for measuring movement and form, assessments, and telemedicine capability that promotes a home-based rehabilitation experience.
VERA can measure, analyze, and record a patient’s movements at home, while coaching them throughout the process.
Reflexion Health’s Virtual Exercise Rehabilitation Assistant (VERA)
Adaptable Surgical Arm
DJO has revealed the Adaptable Surgical Arm, a sterile, surgeon-controlled leg and retractor holder for a safe Direct Anterior Approach (DDA) for Total Hip Arthoroplasty (THA). Different from specialty surgical tables, the surgical arm is an easy to use and lightweight product that provides the benefits of DDA that’s available to more surgeons and patients.
When DAA was first brought into the market, hospitals needed specialty surgical tables to assist with patient positioning and exposure. The cost and requirement to train surgeons to use these tables limited their use. Despite this, DAA represents about 40 percent of all hips done in the U.S.
In response, the Adaptable Surgical Arm weighs approximately 10 lbs and can be transported between hospitals and surgery centers. The arm can also be used for both retractor placement or leg positioning for femoral exposure, range of movement, and leg length assessment.
DJO has revealed the Adaptable Surgical Arm
VR Prepares for the OR
Osso VR, a virtual reality surgical training platform, announced a VR training module for Smith & Nephew’s NAVIO Surgical System.
As medical robotics and innovative technologies have led to more advanced surgery, Osso VR’s virtual training module for the NAVIO Surgical System has joined the path for innovation. This robotics platform with handheld technology is a first for immersive coaching for a robotics-assisted device.
“NAVIO is a natural fit for virtual training and assessment as it involves robotics-assisted surgical steps coupled with a novel software interface, and Osso VR has demonstrated success instilling confidence in the technology of similar procedures,” Justin Barad, MD and CEO of Osso VR, said.
Smith & Nephew offer a large knee portfolio enabled by robotics. The NAVIO Surgical System helps provide higher levels of accuracy, and eliminates radiation exposure associated with preoperative CT imaging, allowing for real time imaging in surgery to build a patient-specific 3D model. Meanwhile, Osso VR is a training platform that is designed for surgeons, sales teams, and other trainees to increase their learning for new medical devices.
Osso VR, a virtual reality surgical training platform, announced a VR training module for Smith & Nephew’s NAVIO Surgical System
As AAOS exhibits hundreds of new technologies, procedures, and devices, it’s clear we are surely in store for a medical era filled with innovative technologies.
