Willis-Knighton Health System introduces cutting-edge technology into its operating rooms, bringing science fiction into reality. They have implemented the HipInsight™ System, an FDA-approved augmented reality (AR) guidance platform for joint replacement, making them the first health system in Northwest Louisiana to offer this advanced technology. Dr. Vik Chatrath, from WK Bossier Orthopedics, is among a select group of 40 surgeons in the nation who use the HipInsight technology to perform total hip replacement surgeries at WK Bossier Health Center.
Dr. Chatrath, emphasizing the constant quest for improved patient outcomes, expresses excitement about the potential of HipInsight. He highlights its potential benefits, including smaller incisions, reduced pain, minimized blood loss, and faster recovery for patients undergoing hip replacement surgery.
The HipInsight™ System operates through verbal commands from the surgeon, projecting real-time 3D models of the patient’s anatomy, implants, and surgical instruments inside the body via Microsoft HoloLens 2 augmented reality glasses. This cutting-edge technology effectively provides surgeons with an X-ray vision-like capability. Surgeons use this system to align physical tools with virtual counterparts, ensuring precise implant positioning. The level of accuracy achieved is so precise that operating on the holographic representation mirrors operating on the actual joint.
Dr. Chatrath explains that traditional hip replacement procedures involve reliance on two-dimensional X-rays and external screens or workstations for guidance. The HipInsight system simplifies this process, allowing surgeons to keep their focus on the patient, without constantly shifting attention to external screens. Surgeons gain access to crucial information exactly when required during the surgery, streamlining the entire procedure.
Total hip replacements are a common surgical procedure in the United States, with nearly 450,000 performed annually. Willis-Knighton Health System’s adoption of the AR-driven HipInsight technology signifies a significant advancement in surgical precision, promising a more streamlined and accurate surgical experience for both surgeons and patients.
