Christopher Good, MD, on Oct. 8 performed a spinal fusion with the Augmedics Xvision Spine System, an augmented reality platform approved by the FDA in December.
The procedure took place at Reston (Va.) Hospital Center to address severe spinal stenosis and progressive nerve damage in a patient from Minnesota.
The AR system allows surgeons to visualize the anatomy intraoperatively and navigate instruments and implants while looking at the patient instead of a remote screen.
Augmedics plans to revolutionize the way spine surgeries are performed, resulting in faster, safer and more efficient procedures.
"It's a game changer," Dr. Good said. "I can literally see the 3D picture inside [the patient] as well as a computerized target drawn on the bone showing where I need to go."
He believes the AR platform will be particularly useful for revision surgeries "because there is abnormal anatomy and we will actually be able make adjustments very easily as we are navigating during surgery."