AAOS News: Brainlab Increases Automation in Orthopedic Digital Templating

Brainlab AG, a provider of software-driven medical technology, has expanded its digital planning software by introducing Auto-Knee at the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons 2016 Annual Meeting in Orlando, Fla. Auto-Knee, the latest feature of the new TraumaCad 2.5, provides quick and comprehensive preoperative planning of knee arthroplasty procedures, removing manual steps by automatically registering landmarks.

“With technology like our automatic planning and outcome simulation tools, surgeons receive more visual and digital information for their clinical decision-making while saving time in their daily routine compared to previous versions,” said Martin Immerz, vice president Orthopedics at Brainlab. “Auto-Knee sets the standard in digital templating, offering our worldwide install base of 2,000 advanced mobile and desktop planning.”

Through automatic detection of anatomical landmarks, planning of AP resection lines, template positioning and size estimation, as well as simulation of the knee alignment, Auto-Knee helps surgeons to quickly and automatically plan knee surgery procedures. For knee planning on the go, Auto-Knee is also available on the newest version of TraumaCad Mobile for iPad.

At the meeting, Brainlab presented its full range of software-guided tools for knee surgery, and demonstrated Auto-Knee for interested visitors to its booth. Using only X-rays, the Auto-Knee software positions the implant precisely in place, helping improve implant fit and positional accuracy.

In addition to introducing Auto-Knee, Brainlab also solicited surgeon feedback at the show for its single-use blood-repellent markers for software-guided orthopedic surgery. The company’s ClearLens instruments are specifically designed to overcome known challenges in orthopedic navigation. The preassembled, single-use reference arrays snap quickly into place, remain visible to the surgical navigation system even when contaminated with tissue or fluids like blood and therefore may help to facilitate an undisturbed tracking performance and a smooth surgical workflow even in the most challenging clinical environments.

Brainlab, headquartered in Munich, Germany, develops, manufactures and markets software-driven medical technology, enabling access to advanced, less invasive patient treatments. Core products center on information-guided surgery, radiosurgery, precision radiation therapy, digital operating room integration, and information and knowledge exchange. Brainlab technology powers treatments in radiosurgery and radiotherapy as well as numerous surgical fields including neurosurgery, orthopedic, ENT, CMF, spine and trauma.
 
Privately held since its creation in 1989, Brainlab has more than 9,000 systems installed in about 100 countries. Brainlab employs 1,300 people in 19 offices worldwide, including 320 research and development engineers.