When surgeons are drilling or screwing in vertebral bone it is critical to avoid breaching. A breach describes potentially dangerous penetration of the surgical tool through the cortical wall into vital anatomical structures adjacent to the pedicle, such as the spinal cord, blood vessels, and nerves. Consequently, there is a need for accurate breach detection and prevention strategies. Current strategies include the use of image-guidance, such as CT and fluoroscopic methods that are radiation intensive and often limited to preoperative information.
We propose a new radiation-free breach detection algorithm, employing sensor monitoring of tactile and audible signals, for the identification of breach and non-breach scenarios.
Tyra Lange
