Nowadays, technology has advanced.Evolving modern advanced technology has been introduced to assist in spine surgery. The purposes are to increase accuracy and safety of surgery even more.

The O-arm navigation system is a computerized 3D navigation system that scans the spine during surgery(Computerized tomography(CT) based image). This system creates images of the spine in both 2D and 3D images, able to see the structure in every angle of the spine during surgery in real time to help the surgeon during surgery. This will increase accuracy and safety especially for minimally invasive spine surgery, help for insertion of pedicle screw, insertion of disc spacer for lumbar interbody fusion, and help in complicated spine surgery that require high precision.

Advantages of using a computerized 3D guided imaging system

• Increase the accuracy of inserting the pedicle screw, reducing the injury to the nerves when inserting the pedicle screw
• Show the real time 2D-3D imaging of spine structure during surgery
• Assist in surgery on complicated spine surgery or in spinal deformity surgery
• Assist in minimally invasive surgery and the use of percutaneous pedicle screw fixation, including lumbar interbody fusion.

Procedures that can use O-arm navigation system

• Percutaneous pedicle screw fixation
• Minimally invasive transforaminal lumbar interbody fusion(MIS-TLIF)
• Oblique lumbar interbody fusion(OLIF)
• Posterior cervical spine fixation surgery
• Complex spinal surgery/Spinal deformity surgery

In summary, spine surgery using computerized 3D navigation (O-arm navigation system) is the use of modern advanced technology to increase safety and accuracy in surgery. It can be used in certain spinal surgeries, depending on the suitability of each patient and the expertise of the spinal surgical team.

By Dr. Pritsanai Pruttikul
Orthopedic Spine Surgeon