Machine-Vision Image-Guided Surgery for Spinal and Cranial Procedures

The 7D Surgical Machine-vision Image-Guided Surgery (IGS) (MvIGS) system provides surgical guidance to spinal and cranial procedures where high navigation accuracy is required. By leveraging machine vision technologies, the 7D Surgical MvIGS System has the advantage of allowing surgeons to quickly achieve image registration and start navigation without the need for intraoperative radiation-emitting devices or laborious traditional point matching techniques. The 7D Surgical MvIGS System uses an all-optical nonionizing structured light to acquire a three-dimensional (3D) surface scan of the patient. Advanced machine vision algorithms are then used to register the 3D surface to a preoperative scan of the patient. This approach reduces the need for intraoperative X-rays, significantly reducing the surgeon’s, the staff’s, and the patient’s exposure to radiation. By leveraging the intraoperative high-resolution optical surface data acquired from the patient and machine vision algorithms, the 7D Surgical MvIGS System significantly reduces the steps required to set up and operate an IGS system leading to an unprecedentedly fast workflow which we call Flash Registration. Fewer required user interactions with the system also allow for a short learning curve. These innovations have resulted in an IGS system that is more accessible to a broader user base, while providing a radiation-free surgical environment for surgeons, hospital staff, and patients.