Sam Brusco, Associate Editor07.15.22
Medtronic has earned U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) 510(k) clearance for its UNiD Spine Analyzer v4.0 planning tool, which features a new “Degen Algorithm” for degenerative spine procedures.
The machine learning algorithm helps surgeons plan and personalize lower lumbar spine surgeries and can predict spinal compensation mechanisms six months post-op. Updates to the pediatric and adult deformity algorithms were made to enhance compensatory change prediction.
A new UNiD Hub patient-centric tool allows tracking of patients throughout the care pathway and assess surgical results via long-term radiographic and patient-reported outcomes data.
"Patient by patient, our UNiD Lab engineers have learned from more than 10,000 spine surgery cases to deliver greater insights to surgeons that lead to better patient alignment," Dan Wolf, VP and GM, intelligent Data Solutions within Medtronic’s Cranial & Spinal Technology business, told the press. "It is truly exciting to share that we have expanded our UNiD ASI technology to include hardware and software solutions dedicated to helping spine surgeons treat degenerative spinal pathologies, where the majority of spine surgery is performed."
Studies have suggested nearly a third of degenerative spine patients have a hidden deformity, and also when sagittal alignment isn’t achieved during procedures there is a 10 times greater risk of disc degeneration above or below the operational level.
"Alignment matters for all spinal surgery—both short construct degen and long construct deformity cases," said Dr. Christopher Kleck, an orthopedic spine surgeon at the University of Colorado. "Planning all of these cases with my UNiD Lab engineer ensures that my surgical plan is backed by artificial intelligence and clinically important predictive models to set my patients up for long-term success."
Medtronic acquired UNiD Adaptive Spine Intelligence (ASI) from French firm Medicrea in November 2020. Over time, Medtronic aims to evolve UNiD ASI technology as more case data is added and predictive algorithms are refined to make spine surgery more predictable.
The machine learning algorithm helps surgeons plan and personalize lower lumbar spine surgeries and can predict spinal compensation mechanisms six months post-op. Updates to the pediatric and adult deformity algorithms were made to enhance compensatory change prediction.
A new UNiD Hub patient-centric tool allows tracking of patients throughout the care pathway and assess surgical results via long-term radiographic and patient-reported outcomes data.
"Patient by patient, our UNiD Lab engineers have learned from more than 10,000 spine surgery cases to deliver greater insights to surgeons that lead to better patient alignment," Dan Wolf, VP and GM, intelligent Data Solutions within Medtronic’s Cranial & Spinal Technology business, told the press. "It is truly exciting to share that we have expanded our UNiD ASI technology to include hardware and software solutions dedicated to helping spine surgeons treat degenerative spinal pathologies, where the majority of spine surgery is performed."
Studies have suggested nearly a third of degenerative spine patients have a hidden deformity, and also when sagittal alignment isn’t achieved during procedures there is a 10 times greater risk of disc degeneration above or below the operational level.
"Alignment matters for all spinal surgery—both short construct degen and long construct deformity cases," said Dr. Christopher Kleck, an orthopedic spine surgeon at the University of Colorado. "Planning all of these cases with my UNiD Lab engineer ensures that my surgical plan is backed by artificial intelligence and clinically important predictive models to set my patients up for long-term success."
Medtronic acquired UNiD Adaptive Spine Intelligence (ASI) from French firm Medicrea in November 2020. Over time, Medtronic aims to evolve UNiD ASI technology as more case data is added and predictive algorithms are refined to make spine surgery more predictable.