Reshaping Total Hip Arthroplasty Training: Enhanced Surgical Precision with Advanced Synthetic Models

Total hip arthroplasty (THA) has become increasingly necessary due to a staggering rise in musculoskeletal diseases, particularly osteoarthritis and aging populations worldwide. According to recent statistics, osteoarthritis is projected to affect 130 million individuals globally by 2050, emphasizing the significant need for hip replacement surgeries to alleviate pain, restore mobility and enhance the overall quality of life for patients suffering from hip joint deterioration.

Mixed reality (MR) technology has emerged as a particularly useful surgical tool, changing the way procedures like THA are planned and executed. By merging the virtual and physical worlds, MR platforms offer surgeons an immersive experience, enabling them to visualize complex anatomical structures in real time. With such potential, MR platforms in hip surgery pave the way to improved patient outcomes.

Our customer was looking for a reusable synthetic cadaver for THA, one that could highlight their mixed reality system and implant for total hip arthroplasty without the need to instrument bone. We've developed pre-cut custom surgical training models before and were ready to take on the project.

A Challenge to Overcome

Cutting or reaming bone, even with synthetic training devices, limits sales demonstrations substantially. Both are difficult to do without noisy, cumbersome power tools that restrict product showcase environments. With a model that eliminates bone instrumentation, sales representatives can introduce a product's technique to surgeons virtually anywhere, including offices, hotels, restaurants, and more.

The model had to feature all soft tissues with realistic anatomy. It also needed to have a removable head, pre-broached canal, and pre-reamed acetabulum so that they could show how their MR platform lets surgeons easily place the implant, broach, and cup in. All the features of their products needed to be on display without logistical obstacles.

A Much-Needed Solution

We started with CAD files of the customer's femoral implant at a size that represented the average patient. We seamlessly fitted them to our hip model. Carefully referencing the surgical technique guide and feedback from our engineers, we simulated neck cuts that remove the femoral head. We also simulated the box osteotome cut that prepares the canal for the broach.

We then subtracted the implant from the synthetic bone, enabling it to be created with a space already cut for easy implant insertion. We merged the remaining femoral head with the stem shape so the head could sit in the joint and be removed and replaced by the customer's implant when needed. Thus, no simulated bone cutting would be necessary during a demonstration.

Because the acetabulum would have bone loss in an actual surgical situation, we mimicked this loss present in our customer's MR system with the file the software added to our synthetic hip model. Once this was done, we placed our standard hip soft tissues around the bones so the joint would be mobile and highlight how retraction and exposure can interface with their technology.

Driving Results That Make an Impact

The resulting model is an innovative, invaluable tool for the company's sales team to display all of the features of their mixed reality THA system. Because the model has a pre-broached canal and pre-reamed acetabulum, it allows their sales team to use the model for a large number of sales demonstrations of their technology without the need for a lab or cadaveric specimen or traveling with a full set of instruments.

At SurgiSTUD, our passion is connecting surgeons with emerging technology to improve patient lives. This opportunity gave us a chance to broaden our customer's reach and demonstrate the effectiveness of their mixed reality system and implant. We look forward to more challenges incorporating MR into our unparalleled synthetic models as we continue our mission to change the face of surgical training.

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