Surgalign Holdings, a medical technology company focused on spine solutions, has announced the first clinical use of its HOLO Portal surgical guidance system.
The first surgical procedure using the system was performed by orthopaedic surgeon Dr Mario Brkaric at Indiana Spine Hospital in Carmel, Indiana, US.
HOLO Portal is designed to improve surgical planning, enhance the visualisation of anatomy and enable an effective workflow to reduce time spent in the OR.
According to the company, its HOLO Portal system is the world’s first surgical guidance system to incorporate the HOLO AI digital health platform with Augmented Reality (AR).
HOLO AI is a suite of AI software created to offer superior surgical outcomes, reduce complications, and improve patient satisfaction.
Dr Brkaric said: “HOLO Portal is a remarkably efficient technology in that its AI autonomously labels anatomy and proposes a surgical plan from intraoperative imaging.
“I then view the resulting guidance information in 3D through its holographic display. This helps ensure that every pedicle screw is precise in its size, trajectory, and placement.
“That improvement in surgical precision can help lead to better patient outcomes and fewer complications. This is groundbreaking technology, and I expect that many more surgeons will adopt the HOLO Portal in our practice and across the country.”
HOLO Portal system works by processing intraoperative images using convolutional neural networks to autonomously identify and display the patient’s anatomy.
The system also supports the surgeon in planning patient-specific pedicle screw trajectories, by pinpointing the trajectories for their easy placement using the AR display.
Earlier this year, Surgalign secured the US Food & Drug Administration (FDA) 510(k) approval for the HOLO Portal system for use within lumbar spine procedures.
The company has commenced a limited market release of the device with plans to ramp up its use in the site locations.
Furthermore, Surgalign is planning to add new applications and features to the platform, to help advance the quality of care and improve patient outcomes.
Surgalign president and CEO Terry Rich said: “It’s an absolute honour to work with Indiana Spine Hospital and Dr Brkaric on the first clinical adoption of our HOLO AI technology.
“This is truly a foundational step in our new digital phase as we launch the first of many planned AI technologies in our roadmap.”
