A Spine Surgeon with X-Ray Vision
Dr. Guess, a spine surgeon at OrthoTexas, is operating with x-ray vision. He is, in fact, the first minimally invasive spine surgeon in Texas to use the new Xvision Spine (XVS) Augmented-Reality Surgical Navigation System. He uses this during many of his minimally invasive spine surgeries and it is one of the newest and most innovative additions to the operating room. It is designed to give surgeons x-ray vision by projecting a 3D image of a patient’s anatomy directly onto a surgeon’s retina, in real-time, with exceptional surgical precision and depth perception.
How does it work?
First, it helps to understand the difference between virtual reality and augmented reality. While virtual reality can completely replace the real world and make you feel as if you are somewhere else, augmented reality adds to your view while still maintaining what is real. In the operating room, this technology can aid in both the precision and the speed at which a doctor can perform surgery.
First, a CT scan is taken of the patient in the operating room, which is able to show bone and soft tissue with greater clarity than a standard x-ray. This scan is then used to make a 3D model. Once the surgeon puts on the special headset, he is able to see a 3D image of that scan superimposed directly on top of the patient, in real-time. Just like a traditional navigation system, XVS can accurately determine the position of surgical tools and superimpose them on to the patient’s anatomy. All of that data is then projected directly onto the surgeons retina so they can keep their eyes solely on the patient, without moving their eyes to a remote screen.
Dr. Guess says that this technology allows him to make smaller incisions while maintaining accuracy, which minimizes blood loss, reduces time in the operating room under anesthesia, and ultimately leads to faster and safer surgeries. He has also noticed that his patients are responding well to his implementation by recovering more quickly and leaving the hospital sooner.
Dr. James Guess is a minimally invasive spine surgeon who specializes in diagnosing and treating conditions of the back and neck at OrthoTexas in Carrollton.