Medacta, Vuzix Blade Mark First TKR Case in the U.S.

Vuzix, developer of Smart Glasses and Augmented Reality (AR) technology and products, announced that Vuzix Blade® Smart Glasses were used to aid the first AR total knee replacement case in the U.S. in concert with Medacta.

Medacta NextAR Augmented Reality

The augmented reality knee replacement platform from Medacta, NextAR™ TKA, received clearance from FDA in July. It uses a pre-op CT scan of the patient’s knee for surgical planning and involves use of augmented reality glasses during surgery. Vuzix Blade Smart Glasses allow the surgeon to visualize the structures of the knee and track progress in real time, directly on the operative field, without having to look at a computer screen.

NextAR TKA is the first application of a new platform technology, which will be extended to hip, shoulder and spine procedures, designed with artificial intelligence and machine learning that make pre-operative CT-based planning and analysis efficient and precise. Augmented reality glasses provided with the NextAR platform allow the surgeon to visualize surgical actions and information in real-time, directly on the operative field. This is intended to improve the user experience and help the surgeon to remain focused on the patient at every moment.

“Vuzix Smart Glasses continue to be leveraged across healthcare to aid in the delivery of the next generation of clinical care such as surgeries that leverage augmented reality smart glasses, artificial intelligence and machine learning. It’s a significant milestone for the augmented reality smart glasses industry and Vuzix is thrilled to be part of another industry first in healthcare.” – Paul Travers, Vuzix President and Chief Executive Officer