Dr. Greg Poulter
INDIANAPOLIS, April 17, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — OrthoIndy has announced a monumental step forward in surgical innovation by introducing augmented reality (AR) into surgical procedures. Distinguished spine surgeon, Dr. Gregory Poulter, recently performed Indiana’s first-ever surgery utilizing Surgical Theater’s cutting-edge eXperiential Reality (XR) technology. OrthoIndy is one of only five sites in the world where this advanced approach is being used. The procedure, a pioneering spinal fusion, was executed using the Surgical Theater SyncAR® Spine platform, incorporating Microsoft HoloLens headsets for an enhanced visual experience.
“Surgical Theater has the ability to fundamentally change our interactions with patients, enabling a much deeper understanding of their medical issues and the procedures to address them,” said Dr. Poulter. “No current technology affords such clear and accessible insight for both patients in the clinic and surgeons in the operating room.”
Dr. Poulter also highlighted the significant enhancements that XR affords surgeons. “This technology enables us to perform surgical procedures with extraordinary accuracy, while minimizing incisions,” Dr. Poulter explained. “The patient’s MRI-based surgical plan is displayed directly within the headset, guiding our actions with unmatched precision.”
The collaboration between OrthoIndy and Surgical Theater represents a significant leap in both surgical visualization and patient involvement. It allows Indiana patients to engage with and understand the surgical plan before the operation. “Both the patient and I can view the plan. In the operating room, I can easily switch my view between the actual surgery and the XR guidance in the headset, ensuring constant focus on the procedure,” Dr. Poulter noted.
Alon Zuckerman, President of Surgical Theater, expressed his enthusiasm about the partnership, highlighting its transformative impact on patient care. “Our partnership with OrthoIndy represents a significant milestone, emphasizing the collaborative spirit and mutual dedication that have been pivotal in enhancing the patient’s experience in spine surgery,” said Zuckerman. “We are immensely proud to work alongside such a distinguished organization, where our combined efforts are not only improving surgical outcomes but also instilling greater confidence and clarity for both surgeons and patients”.
This cutting-edge approach underscores the link between innovation and improved surgical outcomes. The success of this spinal fusion surgery heralds a new chapter in the evolution of surgical care, with OrthoIndy and Surgical Theater at the forefront of enhancing surgical accuracy and patient experiences through XR technology.
For more information on OrthoIndy and OrthoIndy Hospital, visit orthoindy.com.
For media inquiries, please contact: Matt Barnett, Director of Marketing mbarnett@orthoindy.com
For more information on Surgical Theater, visit www.surgicaltheater.com.
For media inquiries, please contact: Tina Badat, Vice President of Marketing tbadat@surgicaltheater.com
About OrthoIndy
Founded over 60 years ago, OrthoIndy is one of the most highly respected orthopedic practices in the Midwest. With over 100 physicians providing care to central Indiana residents from 12 convenient locations, OrthoIndy provides leading-edge bone, joint, spine and muscle care. OrthoIndy physicians also provide care to the Indiana Pacers, Indiana Fever, and Andretti INDYCAR. OrthoIndy Hospital is the #1 hospital in Indiana for patient safety in Major Orthopedic Surgery and Spine Surgery from the 2023 Carechex Awards by Quantros. It is also the #1 hospital in the state for total joint replacement and has earned 5 Stars from Healthgrades for Spine Surgery 11 years in a row.
For more information on OrthoIndy, please call (317) 802-2000 or visit us at OrthoIndy.com.
About Surgical Theater
Surgical Theater is the global leader in XR-based healthcare services and medical visualization, dedicated to transforming the surgical experience for both patients and medical professionals. Surgical Theater’s eXperiential Reality (XR) visualization platform is FDA-Cleared and has been utilized more than 42,000 times throughout the patient’s entire continuum of care—from patient engagement to surgical planning and into the operating room for enhanced visualization. This platform allows surgeons to step into the patient’s complex diagnosis and walk inside an XR reconstruction of their anatomy. This walk through the pathology is proven to increase informed consent and improve patient engagement, education & communication, preoperative surgical planning and intraoperative visualization.
SOURCE SURGICAL THEATER
