Image-guided, robotically assisted osteoporotic bone augmentation

A joint project was undertaken to develop a system to prevent hip fractures in at-risk patients suffering from osteoporosis. The technology involve building a biomechanical model to characterize the bone loss and fracture risk, planning augmentation material injection in an optimized pattern and developing a navigated robotic system to assist the surgeon in carrying out the procedure. It was suggested that augmentation of hip was an effective countermeasure to reduce the risk of fracture in highly osteoporotic hips. The long-term of the research effort was to develop a technology that enabled the surgeon to precisely determine the extent of osteoporosis and risk level in a patient suffering from such disease.