Animas Surgical Hospital is the first hospital west of the Mississippi and the third hospital in the world to complete cases using the 7D FLASH Navigation Percutaneous Spine Module for minimally invasive surgery. Ryan Martyn, MD, from Spine Colorado, conducted a percutaneous spinal fusion on Wednesday, October 21, using the new equipment.
The new technology allows surgeons like Dr. Martyn to effectively navigate minimally-invasive spine surgeries with a high level of accuracy and efficiency. During a percutaneous surgery, the surgeon makes tiny incisions to insert special surgical instruments. While the patient is in surgery, the surgeon creates a 3D image of the patient’s spine using an intraoperative imaging device. The image is then loaded into the 7D system, providing near real-time computer-guided navigation.
“The 7D technology provides me with more information when placing hardware in the spine, because I can see the anatomy in 3D. This gives more accuracy and confidence, especially when performing percutaneous cases, where you are working with tiny incisions and instruments below the skin,” said Dr. Martyn.
The Percutaneous Spine Module represents a new application and increased functionality for its 7D Flash™ Navigation System. The 7D FLASH Navigation System uses visible light to create a three-dimensional image for surgical navigation in just seconds, which is expected to result in shorter and more efficient spinal procedures. It is the only marketed image-guidance system that utilizes novel and proprietary camera-based technology, coupled with machine-vision algorithms, to eliminate the long-standing frustrations with legacy surgical navigation platforms. The speed, accuracy, and efficiency of machine-vision technology is intended to provide significant economic value and harnesses the true potential of image-guided navigation in surgical procedures.
“This new technology is the future of spine surgery, and we’re excited to be the first to bring it to the Four Corners,” said Joe Theine, CEO of Animas Surgical Hospital. “The 7D navigation system will enhance our surgical procedures while continuing to prioritize patient safety and outcomes.”
Because no major incision is used in percutaneous surgery, the recovery time is shorter and easier than with traditional open surgery methods. Traditional open surgery methods involve one large incision down the center of the spine. Minimally invasive procedures are generally associated with reduced blood loss, lessened scarring, reduced postoperative pain, quicker recovery times, shorter hospital stays, and a lower risk of infection.