Validation of navigated glenoid component placement: an in-vitro pilot study

Although conventional surgical instruments for alignment and placement of shoulder prostheses are widely used, there is still room for improvement with regards to placement accuracy. Computer-navigated surgery systems exist for the knee and hip, but at this time none of these cater for the shoulder. We have created a prototype system for the planning and placement of the glenoid component in total shoulder arthroplasty. Our system is based on an existing optical navigation system and several new software components that we have designed. The field of view during surgery is very limited, and therefore the major difficulty in placing the glenoid component is determining the optimal inclination and version. In a previous experimental study [unpublished] we found that an orthopaedic surgeon, experienced in shoulder arthroplasty, can make an error up to 12 degrees in placing a guide wire according to the optimal pose.

@InProceedings { BBSVR06,
  author       = "Bruin, P.W. de and Botha, Charl P. and Stoel, Berend C. and Valstar, Edward R. and Rozing, Piet M.",
  title        = "Validation of navigated glenoid component placement: an in-vitro pilot study",
  booktitle    = "19th Annual Symposium International Society for Technology in Arthroplasty (ISTA)",
  year         = "2006",
  note         = "Abstract; oral presentation.",
  url          = "http://graphics.tudelft.nl/Publications-new/2006/BBSVR06"
}