siliconindia | | December 20198enerally, traditional spinal surgeries like Laminectomy and lumbar fusion involves scars, complete exposure to patient's anatomy and requires high expertise skills to treat the spinal deformities preciously. But, with the rapidly growing advancements, Spinal Navigation technology has completely changed the treatment modules, and it is used by neurosurgeons to perform delicate and complex spinal surgeries. This image-based technology has made things easier for the spine surgeons as now they are able to operate with better visualization and more accuracy than ever before. What is Spinal Navigation Technology? The image-based technology used in spinal surgery utilizes scans of the patient's anatomy and instruments that are tracked by the Navigation System's camera. The specialized software creates a virtual, 3D model of the patient's spine, essentially a digital roadmap or blueprint to help guide the surgeon. The surgeon can use this model to plan the details of the surgery including the number, size and location of implants. Much like a GPS system in an automobile, the surgeon is then able to track in real time the position of surgical instruments and implants in relation to the patient's true anatomy. For this reason, the computer assisted surgery may also be referred to as surgical navigation. Spine Navigation Technology used during complex spinal surgery enables faster, precise and less invasive spinal procedures in a reduced radiation environment.What are the advantages of navigation technology?Similar to what GPS has done for geographic navigation, 3D image-guided surgery has revolutionized spine surgery. There are several benefits of a minimally invasive spine surgery combined with spinal navigation system, as it proves to be beneficial for both the surgeon and patient. This highly effective navigation system assists surgeons with some of the most complex spine surgeries. During a conventional spine surgery without the use of surgical navigation, surgeons may take multiple X-ray images to verify the location of instruments and placement of implants throughout the procedure while this modern surgery eliminates the need for repetitive X-ray images, helping to reduce radiation exposure to both the patient and medical team.The use of the equipment to pre-plan the operation, such as determining the size and location of screws to be implanted, saves valuable time and uncertainty associated with spinal surgery. Besides, image-guidance may increase a surgeon's confidence in difficult cases, especially in revision cases where the patient's anatomy may be changed from previous operations.GBy Dr. Arvind G Kulkarni, Head - Mumbai Spine Scoliosis & Disc Replacement Centre, Bombay Hospital, MumbaiHaving a vast experience in spinal surgery, trained in some of the top spinal centers in the world such as KEM Hospital Mumbai, National University Hospital (Singapore), Westmead Adult & Children's Hospitals (Australia), St. George Hospital (Australia), and Toronto Western Hospital & Hospital for Sick Children (Canada), Dr. Arvind G Kulkarni currently is heading the `Mumbai Spine Scoliosis & Disc Replacement Centre as a Consultant Spinal Surgeon.REAL-TIME MONITORING THROUGH 3D NAVIGATION, MAKING SPINAL SURGERIES EASIERin my opinionDr. Arvind G Kulkarni
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