BOSTON, Feb. 10, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Surgical Planning Associates (SPA) today announced a major step forward in how surgery can be performed with the introduction of its HipInsight augmented reality (AR) intra-operative guidance system for joint arthroplasty. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) provided SPA with 501(k) clearance on January 28, 2021. Dr. Stephen B. Murphy, founder of SPA, performed the first total hip arthroplasty using the HipInsight system last Thursday – the first such surgery ever performed using an augmented reality system. The surgery was performed at North Atlantic Surgery Suites in Salem, N.H.

"Traditional navigation systems, robotics and interoperative imaging provide information on flat screens outside the surgeon's view of the patient, leaving the process disjointed and awkward," Dr. Murphy said. "The HipInsight system enables surgeons to stay focused on the patient, projecting holograms on AR glasses that effectively give them 'x-ray vision,' so that surgeons can see what they need to see, when they need to see it, right inside the patient's body."

The HipInsight system is the first FDA-cleared surgical guidance platform to be contained entirely within a head-mounted device, the industry-leading Microsoft HoloLens 2™. Combining cloud-based preoperative planning and virtual interoperative guidance, the platform enables surgeons to be more precise in the most critical aspects of the operation, which can increase the likelihood of successful outcomes. The HipInsight system also provides a more seamless and intuitive solution compared to cumbersome and expensive traditional robotic and navigation systems.

"It's amazing to be able to actually see the entire bony anatomy, implants and instruments inside the patient while you're operating," said Dr. Daniel Ward of Longwood Orthopedic Associates, who assisted Dr. Murphy with the inaugural surgery. "This is the kind of technology surgeons have been striving for – when you try it for the first time, it's just a mind-blowing experience."

"What's remarkable about the HipInsight system is how natural it feels," said Dr. Grayson Connors of Excel Orthopaedics, who also assisted Dr. Murphy during the first surgery. "It's how you would operate if you actually had x-ray vision – you can see exactly what you need to do at all times, even if the patient shifts position on the table. This is a game-changer."


About Surgical Planning Associates
Surgical Planning Associates, Inc. (SPA) is an ISO 13485:2016 certified medical technology company that specializes in the development of innovative, cost-effective preoperative planning and navigation solutions for use in joint arthroplasty. A pioneer in the fields of surgical planning and computer-assisted joint reconstruction, SPA is privately held and based in Boston.


SOURCE Surgical Planning Associates

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