First CT-Free Robotic Orthopedic Surgery Site Established in Maryland

The Piccard Surgery Center in Rockville, Md. has established the first medical center in its state to implement computed tomography (CT)-free robotic orthopedic surgery. The center has added a Navio orthopedic surgical system from Blue Belt Technologies Inc.

The Navio system provides robotic assistance through an advanced computer program that relays precise information about the patient’s knee to the robotic tool to aid the surgeon during the procedure. By collecting patient-specific information, boundaries are established for the robotic hand-piece so the surgeon can remove the damaged portion of the knee, balance the joint, and position the implant with great precision.

“I have more control over the procedure than ever before,” said Sridhar Durbhakula, M.D., orthopedic surgeon at Piccard Surgery Center. “Navio enables me to operate with a level of precision and accuracy that are extremely difficult to obtain through traditional techniques.”

With no pre-operative CT-scan required, the Navio system is hoped to integrate easily into existing knee-replacement workflows. This would allow the patient to receive the benefits of robotic-guidance without additional time spent for pre-operative procedures. Instead, the surgeon registers the patient during the procedure using kinematic reconstruction and anatomic landmarks. This information assists the surgeon in planning the implant location and balancing the knee’s ligaments for a more natural feeling knee.

Blue Belt Technologies is based in Plymouth, Minn.