June 23, 2022

Medacta Announces First Lumbar Fusion Procedure with NextAR Augmented Reality Surgical Platform in Australia


Media release

Medacta Announces First Lumbar Fusion Procedure with NextAR Augmented Reality Surgical Platform in Australia

CASTEL SAN PIETRO, Switzerland, 23 June 2022 - Medacta announces the first lumbar fusion procedure in Australia utilizing the M.U.S.T.® Pedicle Screw System in combination with NextARTM Spine, the first CE-marked and FDA-cleared augmented reality surgical application with intraoperative guidance in spine surgery. The procedure was successfully performed by Assistant Professor Laurence McEntee at the Gold Coast Private Hospital, in Southport, Queensland.

'The NextAR system was intuitive and easy to use. Registration was fast and the system was very accurate. I enjoyed being able to place pedicle screws under navigation through the heads-up display in the smart glasses without having to look away from the operative field' says Assistant Professor Laurence McEntee.

“We are proud of the advancement of NextAR Spine worldwide, a highly innovative, personalized and sustainable solution. Its inspiring path celebrated another significant milestone, following the recent procedure successfully performed in the United States” says Francesco Siccardi, CEO of Medacta. “Each step of the way is a precious opportunity to improve patient outcomes with our MySolutions Personalized Ecosystem, aiming for a more accurate, efficient and valuable solution for surgeons.”

NextAR Spine, with a limited capital investment compared to other technologies, assists the surgeon in precisely locating the anatomical structures in either open, mini-open or percutaneous spine procedures for the safe placement of spine implants. The system tracks the patient's anatomy, continuously updating its position on patient-specific 3D x-ray images, such as 3D C-Arm or 3D CT scan. The surgeon can accurately plan and execute spine surgeries by selecting between the real-time (3D Direct) and preoperative planning (3D-3D) approaches.

During the operation, the NextAR Smart Glasses empower the surgeon's vision with unique real-time surgical guidance superimposed onto the operative field, to enhance precision and enable data-driven decision-making. This allows for personalized adjustments based on each patient's unique anatomy and biomechanics.

NextAR is the first platform to offer personalized augmented reality solutions for both joint replacement and spine procedures. In line with Medacta's philosophy of healthcare sustainability, the NextAR platform is offered as a hardware system with limited capital investment and single-use instrumentation at a low cost per case and offers the ability to host software for multiple applications. The platform represents an optimal solution worldwide, particularly for US Ambulatory Surgery Centers (ASCs).

The NextAR surgical platform is part of Medacta's MySolutions Personalized Ecosystem, an advanced network of digital solutions designed to improve patient outcomes and healthcare efficiency. MySolutions embodies Medacta's holistic approach to personalized medicine, aiming to bring value to every step of the patient journey, from preoperative through postoperative care. 

With Medacta, the surgeon is never alone while discovering new technologies. These latest advancements are supported by personalized high-level educational pathways designed by the M.O.R.E. Institute, which can rely on the collaboration of an international network of expert surgeons.

For more information about the NextAR™ platform, please visit https://nextar.medacta.com.

Contact

Medacta International SA

Gianluca Olgiati

Senior Director Global Marketing

Phone: +41 91 696 60 60

media@medacta.ch

 

About Medacta

Medacta is an international company specializing in the design, production, and distribution of innovative orthopaedic products, as well as in the development of accompanying surgical techniques. Established in 1999 in Switzerland, Medacta is active in joint replacement, spine surgery, and sports medicine. Medacta is committed to improving the care and well-being of patients and maintains a strong focus on healthcare sustainability. Medacta's innovation, forged by close collaboration with surgeon experts globally, began with minimally invasive surgical techniques and has evolved into personalized solutions for every patient. Through the M.O.R.E. Institute, Medacta supports surgeons with a comprehensive and tailored program dedicated to the advancement of medical education. Medacta is headquartered in Castel San Pietro, Switzerland, and operates in over 40 countries.

https://www.medacta.com/