Virtual Pedicle Screw Planning for Reduced Fluoroscopy

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional pedicle screw placement in spinal surgeries relies heavily on surgeon experience and pre-operative imaging, with limited assistance from assistive fluoroscopy and navigation, leading to inefficiencies, radiation exposure, and potential inaccuracies due to the high cost and time constraints of fluoroscopy.

Innovation Solution

A surgical assistance system utilizing machine learning models and virtual models to analyze patient images, determine optimal implant configurations, and provide real-time guidance for precise pedicle screw placement, reducing reliance on manual techniques and enhancing precision.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Measurement precision

If free-hand technique is used for pedicle screw placement, then surgeon experience and knowledge are utilized, but placement precision and reliability are limited

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvepedicle screw placement precisionVSAvoidsurgical outcome reliability

Core Design Contradiction:

Measurement precisionVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs pre-operative planning and creates a virtual model of the patient's anatomy before surgery. This preliminary action allows the surgical plan, including optimal screw trajectories and implant selections, to be determined in advance, improving placement precision while reducing intraoperative decision-making variability

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The system creates a virtual copy or digital twin of the patient's spinal anatomy based on pre-operative imaging. This virtual model can be manipulated and measured without affecting the actual patient, allowing precise planning and simulation of screw placement before the actual surgical procedure

Inventive Principle:

Principle #26Copying

2Measurement precision

If assistive fluoroscopy is used for real-time guidance, then pedicle screw placement accuracy is improved, but radiation exposure and operational costs increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvepedicle screw placement accuracyVSAvoidradiation exposure

Core Design Contradiction:

Measurement precisionVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs all necessary measurements and planning pre-operatively using non-ionizing imaging modalities. The virtual model is created before surgery, eliminating the need for repeated fluoroscopic imaging during the procedure, thus reducing radiation exposure while maintaining placement accuracy

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The system replaces the mechanical fluoroscopy-based real-time guidance system with a pre-computed virtual model-based guidance system. Instead of using ionizing radiation (fluoroscopy) to visualize anatomy during surgery, the system uses a pre-created digital twin that can be viewed without radiation exposure

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

3Measurement precision

If assistive fluoroscopy and navigation are used for guidance, then real-time guidance is provided, but time consumption and operational costs increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvepedicle screw placement guidanceVSAvoidsurgical procedure time

Core Design Contradiction:

Measurement precisionVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs comprehensive surgical planning, including trajectory determination and implant selection, before the surgical procedure begins. This pre-computation eliminates time-consuming intraoperative adjustments and consultations, reducing overall surgical time while maintaining placement precision

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The virtual model serves as a complete digital replica of the patient's anatomy that can be manipulated and measured instantly during surgery without requiring additional imaging time. Surgeons can reference the pre-created virtual model for immediate guidance, eliminating delays associated with fluoroscopy setup and image acquisition

Inventive Principle:

Principle #26Copying

4Loss of information

If conventional pre-operative imaging is used for planning, then basic anatomical information is obtained, but detailed implant configuration guidance is insufficient

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveanatomical information completenessVSAvoidimplant configuration complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Loss of informationVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The system transforms 2D pre-operative imaging data into a 3D virtual model of the patient's anatomy. This dimensional transformation allows comprehensive measurement and visualization of anatomical structures from multiple angles, providing complete anatomical information and enabling precise determination of complex implant configurations that cannot be adequately planned from 2D images alone

Inventive Principle:

Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

Data Source

PatentUS12446966B2Systems and methods for assisting and augmenting surgical procedures

Publication Date: 2025.10.21 CARLSMED INC

AI summary

Systems and methods for providing assistance to a surgeon during an implant surgery are disclosed. A method includes defining areas of interest in diagnostic data of a patient and defining a screw bone type based on the surgeon's input. Post defining the areas of interest, salient points are determined for the areas of interest. Successively, an XZ angle, an XY angle, and a position entry point for a screw are determined based on the salient points of the areas of interest. Successively, a maximum screw diameter and a length of the screw are determined based on the salient points. Thereafter, the screw is identified and suggested to the surgeon for usage during the implant surgery.