OrthoArizona has announced the successful completion of Arizona’s first augmented reality (AR)-assisted shoulder replacement surgery, marking a significant advancement in the use of next-generation technology in orthopedic care.
The procedure was performed by Dr. Shelden Martin on a patient with degenerative arthritis and rotator cuff pathology. According to the organization, the AR-guided technique can be used for both total and reverse shoulder replacement procedures, making it suitable for a broad range of patients.
For the surgery, Dr. Martin used the ARVIS Augmented Reality System developed by Enovis. The wearable, self-contained platform provides surgeons with real-time, hands-free guidance directly at the point of care.
During the procedure, Dr. Martin wore the ARVIS eyepiece, which is controlled through voice commands and eye gaze. The system provided real-time visual guidance onto the patient’s anatomy, enabling him to place a guide wire with millimeter-level accuracy while eliminating the need for patient-specific 3D-printed surgical guides.
“It is an exciting time to be a shoulder surgeon and a giant next step for our industry,” said Dr. Martin.
“The utilization of technology in shoulder replacement surgery is one of the most rapidly evolving areas of all large joint replacement surgery, including shoulder, hip, and knee replacement. As this technology matures, the level of precision and individualized care we can offer patients but with a more streamlined preoperative process compared to first generation technology is going to be unlike anything we have seen before in shoulder surgery,” he added.
Dr. Rajan Bhatt, CEO of OrthoArizona, said augmented reality provides surgeons with a level of precision, accuracy, and reproducibility that was not possible a few years ago.
Looking ahead, OrthoArizona and Dr. Martin plan to further evaluate the use of augmented reality in shoulder replacement surgery and explore its broader applications across orthopedic procedures.
Photo: Dr. Shelden Martin of OrthoArizona performing the first augmented reality-assisted shoulder replacement surgery in Arizona using the ARVIS Augmented Reality System by Enovis. (credit: PRNewswire)
