The Israeli medical breakthrough dramatically improves the outcome of shoulder replacement surgery and shortens recovery time.
By Tsivya Fox-Dobuler
Jerusalem-based RSIP Vision announced last Wednesday a revolutionary system that provides orthopedic surgeons and radiologists with 3D visuals to better plan shoulder surgery and improve the clinical outcome. Until now, shoulder surgery was one of the most complex procedures with recovery time of one to two years, if all went well.
“CAT scans [CT] give radiologists and surgeons a lot of information that they must sort through without being able to see the entire shoulder structure,” Ron Soferman, CEO of RSIP Vision told United with Israel (UWI). “Our innovation allows medical personnel to browse through a 3D model of shoulder segments and determine if the patient’s problems stem from their bone, tissue or cartilage.”
The new system uses artificial intelligence-based technology (AI) to “provide the physicians all necessary understanding of the individual patient anatomy, dramatically improving the surgery planning and outcome, decreasing the risk of complications, such as nerve damage, disposition of the ball inside its socket or limited movement of the joint due to loosened connection of one of the supporting structures,” a company statement explains.
Through use of CT scan data, the new technology will be integrated into leading medical vendors’ Surgery Planning Platforms. It is expected to improve physician workflow by automatically providing them with a precise 3D anatomical model of the patient’s shoulder. Tissues can be navigated as well as other problematic areas. This allows for better planning of complex shoulder surgery.
Complex Surgery
A shoulder’s structure is very complex. It has a socket stabilized by a group of ligaments and muscles, with numerous nerves and blood vessels running through them.
During surgery, the physician needs to reach inside the socket while avoiding many potential obstacles along the way. Only then can he replace the damaged parts with a new synthetic, matching shoulder joint.
This Israeli innovation simplifies what used to be a difficult, manual examination of a person’s shoulder with limited visuals provided by a CT scan.
“Until now, a surgeon estimated what was required for shoulder surgery by eye-balling the CT and using a ruler,” Soferman told UWI. “Now, doctors can be precise as they view 3D segments of bones, tissues and cartilage and can clearly evaluate even complex situations and distinguish pathological problems. It greatly improves a surgeon’s knowledge of what the exact problems of a patient’s shoulder are by providing a pure 3D illustrative model so he can better plan and get accurate measurements.”
According to the US Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, about 53,000 people per year have shoulder surgery in the US alone.
RSIP Vision is currently working with various entities to implement the software add-on within Surgery Planning Platforms.