Title: Validation of a CT-free navigation system for the measurement of native acetabular alignment

Authors: Shanika M.A. Arachchi; Angelica S. Augustine; Angela H. Deakin; Frédéric Picard; Philp J. Rowe

Addresses: Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Strathclyde, Glasgow, UK ' Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Strathclyde, Glasgow, UK; Department of Orthopaedics, Golden Jubilee National Hospital, Clydebank, UK ' Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Strathclyde, Glasgow, UK; Department of Orthopaedics, Golden Jubilee National Hospital, Clydebank, UK ' Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Strathclyde, Glasgow, UK; Department of Orthopaedics, Golden Jubilee National Hospital, Clydebank, UK ' Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Strathclyde, Glasgow, UK

Abstract: Computer-assisted surgery is becoming more frequently used in the medical world. OrthoPilot™ Hip Suite CT-free navigation system (BBraun Aesculap, Tuttlingen, Germany) is one such computer-assisted navigation system used for total hip replacement surgery. The validity of OrthoPilot system remains to be determined independent of the manufacturer. The main aims of this study were to investigate the accuracy of OrthoPilot data while using surgical instruments and to confirm the suitability of the cup navigation algorithm. OrthoPilot was compared with the gold standard of a VICON movement analysis system. An aluminium pelvic phantom was machined with high accuracy to perform the experiments. Data were captured simultaneously from both OrthoPilot and VICON systems and acetabular angles were compared. Both systems produced comparable results for the distance between anatomical landmarks and acetabular angles. It can be concluded that data from the OrthoPilot system, if used correctly, are accurate enough for orthopaedic applications.

Keywords: cup navigation; validation; anteversion angle; inclination angle; anterior pelvic plane; surgical systems; computer-assisted surgery; hip prosthesis; native acetabular alignment; total hip replacement; hip surgery; anatomical landmarks; orthopaedics.

DOI: 10.1504/IJBET.2015.069401

International Journal of Biomedical Engineering and Technology, 2015 Vol.17 No.4, pp.315 - 329

Received: 22 Sep 2014
Accepted: 22 Oct 2014

Published online: 14 May 2015 *

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