Augmented Reality Enters the Operating Room in First Spine Surgery

While the technology dates back to the 1960s, the first uses of augmented reality seen by the general population came in the late ‘90s when the NFL (National Football League) began to overlay a yellow line indicating the distance needed for a first down on the field which could be seen on televised broadcasts of the game. More recent developments have brought the technology to video games and shopping apps that let you see what a piece of furniture will look like in your room.

Unlike virtual reality, which allows users to interact with completely artificial spaces, augmented reality brings some of those virtual or artificial elements and overlays them in the real world with the use of cameras and displays or headsets. The xvision™ Spine System, from Illinois-based Augmedics, Ltd., uses a headset with retinal projection to create a heads-up display that shows 3D anatomical and instrument detail overlaid on the patient the surgeon still sees on the operating table.

The system allows surgeons to see what they normally see with a navigation system on an external screen overlaid on the patient.

It is intended to improve accuracy, particularly in freehand pedicle screw placement, and to provide visualization in open or percutaneous procedures. With the system, the surgeon doesn’t need to move his or her head, or work while staring at a screen.

The xvision system received FDA clearance in December 2019 and had been used previously in cadaver studies. The first surgery was completed June 8, 2020 on a patient at Johns Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore, Maryland. The operation was completed by a trio of surgeons including Director of the Johns Hopkins Neurosurgery Spinal Fusion Laboratory, Timothy Witham, M.D., Director of Spine Tumor and Spine Deformity Surgery in the Department of Neurosurgery, Daniel Sciubba, M.D., and Resident of Neurological Surgery, Camilo Molina, M.D. The surgeons performed a posterior lumbar decompression and fusion for the patient.

“Today marks a new era in spine surgery,” said Nissan Elimelech, founder and CEO, Augmedics. “This first case is just the beginning of a revolutionary change to the way surgery is performed by providing surgeons with more control, giving them the information they need, directly within their working field of sight, to instill technological confidence in the surgical workflow, and to help surgeons perform as safely and effectively as possible. We expect xvision will dramatically improve accuracy, safety, operating efficiencies and patient outcomes in an environment that increasingly can tolerate nothing less.”

On June 15, 2020, the company issued a press release announcing $15 million in Series B financing. Interestingly, the fundraising was led by the employee-formed AUG Management, LLC., which raised $4 million. The internal fundraising was led by President and Chief Commercial Officer Tim Murawski. “We are a team of problem solvers,” said Murawski. “The creativity and ingenuity of our company began when Augmedics launched to solve a problem our founder saw in the operating room, and it runs through each and every employee who is working to make the vision a success. The global pandemic presented just one more hurdle for us to navigate as a team, and we believe it has only made the company stronger.”

The xvision Spine System is currently only indicated for spine surgery, but Augmedics plans to pursue additional indications in the future. The company believes that the system’s small footprint, cost, and broad compatibility will allow integration into operating rooms nationwide.