Computer aided surgery : official journal of the International Society for Computer Aided Surgery
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Comput. Aided Surg. · Jan 2009
Randomized Controlled TrialComputer assisted LISS plate placement: an in vitro study.
A laboratory study was conducted to compare the accuracy with which a LISS plate could be placed on the distal metaphysis of a model femur using both a fluoroscopy-based computer assisted technique and the conventional fluoroscopic technique. A significant difference was found between outcomes with the two approaches with respect to the maximum distance from the plate to the diaphysis of the bone, but there was no significant difference in the maximum distance to the condylar area. There was also no difference with respect to the number of holes that required re-drilling for adjustment of the plate placement or screws with poor purchase in bone. There were, however, significant differences between the two techniques in terms of duration of the procedure and radiation exposure.
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Comput. Aided Surg. · May 2008
Comparative StudyNavigated pedicle screw placement: experimental comparison between CT- and 3D fluoroscopy-based techniques.
Even with CT-based navigation, the misplacement rate for pedicle screws is reported to be as high as 10%. Using fluoroscopy-based 3D navigation, misplacement rates of 1.7 to 6% occur. The purpose of this study was to compare the accuracy of CT-based and Iso-C-based navigation in an experimental context. ⋯ The overall image-to-reality accuracy for CT- and Iso-C-based navigation was assessed in the described experimental setup. An apparent tendency towards higher accuracy with Iso-C-based navigation was evaluated; however, the differences were not significant.
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One of the most important advantages of computer simulators for surgical training is the opportunity they afford for independent learning. However, if the simulator does not provide useful instructional feedback to the user, this advantage is significantly blunted by the need for an instructor to supervise and tutor the trainee while using the simulator. Thus, the incorporation of relevant, intuitive metrics is essential to the development of efficient simulators. ⋯ We further describe a novel performance evaluation console that displays metric-based information during an automated debriefing session. Finally, the results of several user studies are reported, providing some preliminary validation of the simulator, the metrics, and the feedback mechanisms. Several machine learning algorithms, including Hidden Markov Models and a Naïve Bayes Classifier, are applied to our simulator data to automatically differentiate users' expertise levels.
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Comput. Aided Surg. · Mar 2008
Virtual reality-enhanced ultrasound guidance: a novel technique for intracardiac interventions.
Cardiopulmonary bypass surgery, although a highly invasive interventional approach leading to numerous complications, is still the most common therapy option for treating many forms of cardiac disease. We are currently engaged in a project designed to replace many bypass surgeries with less traumatic, minimally invasive intracardiac therapies. This project combines real-time intra-operative echocardiography with a virtual reality environment providing the surgeon with a broad range of valuable information. ⋯ This augmented reality system is applicable to procedures such as mitral valve replacement and atrial septal defect repair, as well as ablation therapies for treatment of atrial fibrillation. Our goal is to develop a robust augmented reality system that will improve the efficacy of intracardiac treatments and broaden the range of cardiac surgeries that can be performed in a minimally invasive manner. This paper provides an overview of our interventional system and specific experiments that assess its pre-clinical performance.
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Comput. Aided Surg. · Mar 2008
Comparative StudyElectromagnetic navigation improves minimally invasive robot-assisted lung brachytherapy.
Recent advances in minimally invasive thoracic surgery have renewed an interest in the role of interstitial brachytherapy for lung cancer. Our previous work has demonstrated that a minimally invasive robot-assisted (MIRA) lung brachytherapy system produced results that were equal to or better than those obtained with standard video-assisted thoracic surgery (VATS) and comparable to results with open surgery. The purpose of this project was to evaluate the performance of an integrated system for MIRA lung brachytherapy that incorporated modified electromagnetic navigation and ultrasound image guidance with robotic assistance. ⋯ A modified integrated system for performing minimally invasive robot-assisted lung brachytherapy was developed that incorporated electromagnetic navigation and an improved robotic controller. The MIRA IV system performed significantly better than standard VATS and better than MIRA III.