Trained surgeons at The Miriam Hospital are currently utilizing revolutionary computer navigation technology for ACL (anterior cruciate ligament) repairs and knee and hip replacement surgeries. The computer navigation system at The Miriam enhances our vision of being able to provide our patients the latest advances technology has to offer. Combined with our skilled surgical staff and surgical suites, the result is a state-of-the-art surgical facility.
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About this technology
Computer navigation helps orthopedic surgeons navigate potential detours and roadblocks inside a patient's joints. The system uses infrared camera technology for accurate repairs and the proper alignment of implants in a similar way that homeowners use a laser level to hang pictures. The Navitrack® Navigation System assists the surgeon with a degree of accuracy that is not possible with the naked eye. The computer guides the physician to within a half degree of optimal alignment and provides constant, real-time feedback on how they are performing.
Computer assisted surgery is minimally invasive, which can result in an easier and faster recovery for the patient. Surgeons operate laparoscopically (through a few small incisions) rather than through large incisions. This causes less trauma to the surrounding tissue, resulting in less post-operative pain, quicker restoration of mobility, and a shorter hospital stay.
Robert Shalvoy, MD, an orthopedic surgeon at The Miriam Hospital, estimates that computer navigated surgery will become increasingly common in the years to come. Uses for the system may grow to include the repair of other joints and the realignment of fractured bones. As one of the few hospitals to use this new technology, The Miriam Hospital recognizes its promise.