Earlier this month, Proprio, an artificial intelligence-driven surgical technology company, announced that its surgical guidance platform, Paradigm, achieved a significant milestone with 50 successful surgeries. Among the procedures conducted was a series led by Dr. Richard Bransford, a prominent spine surgeon and director of orthopedic spine quality improvement at the University of Washington Harborview Medical Center. **THE CHALLENGE** “In the insertion of any instrumentation into bone, whether it be pedicle screws, cortical screws, or others, there is always the concern regarding whether anatomical landmarks and traditional navigation systems enable me to position my implants precisely where I intend, ” Bransford stated. “There’s also the consideration of how much radiation is acceptable for the patient and operating room staff in order to maintain an appropriate balance of risk and benefit, ” he continued. “The expectation was that an AI-based surgical guidance system would reduce radiation exposure while still facilitating optimal implant placement. ” **THE SOLUTION** The concept behind an AI-enhanced surgical guidance system is to provide a more visual expert perspective that integrates anatomy from a CT scan with the visual field during surgery, enabling precise implant placement and monitoring of alignment changes as planned pre-operatively. “This would effectively allow for zero radiation during surgery while still facilitating implant navigation, ” Bransford noted. “The critical question was whether the infrared cameras and AI could accurately interpret the visual anatomy. ” “Similarly, as the spine was re-oriented, could AI track these dynamic changes, which traditional navigation could not, as it is static as opposed to AI’s dynamic nature?” he added. **OVERCOMING THE CHALLENGE** The AI-driven guidance platform performed exceptionally well, according to Bransford.

“It successfully tracked motion in real time and adapted to adjustments, ” he said. “It accurately directed the placement of implants in their intended positions, utilized by both myself as the attending surgeon and effectively by fellows, residents, and PAs as well. ” “The Proprio system, developed in Seattle over the last seven to eight years through incremental advancements, has successfully met all expectations and has effectively replaced traditional navigation in open cases, ” he continued. **OUTCOMES** The University of Washington Medical Center has achieved impressive results, with implants accurately placed at pre-operatively planned locations confirmed by CT imaging. “This has been immensely successful, exceeding our expectations and surpassing our use of traditional navigation, ” Bransford shared. “Moreover, the entire process is recorded, allowing us to analyze various aspects of each case, including the timing of each step. ” “Additionally, the display allows all operating room staff to observe and follow the surgical progress through the Paradigm interface, ” he added. **ENTERING A NEW ERA** “This truly revolutionary system elevates operative navigation, enabling real-time tracking of implants and alignment changes without radiation, all through a simple camera positioned above the surgical site, ” Bransford declared. “This innovation represents a significant advancement in technology, ultimately enhancing patient care. ”