Novel Surgical Training Simulator for Lateral Access Spine Surgery

Lateral access procedures are a cutting edge improvement in the standard of care in spine surgery. They require less tissue trauma, are cost effective, and reduce recovery times from weeks to a matter of 4-6 days. This paper outlines the need, the methodology, and the creation of a surgical simulator for the lateral access lumbar fusion (LLIF) procedure. Despite increasing demand, training and adoption of LLIF has been limited outside of elite healthcare systems. This training deficit is largely due to the unavailability of cadavers. On a global scale acquiring and maintaining cadaveric training assets can be difficult due to financial or religious reasons. Thus, there is a clear need for an accessible LLIF training alternative. This collaborative effort of Mayo Clinic physicians and Georgia Tech engineers resulted in a low cost, proof of concept surgical simulator (LATM) which has the developmental potential to revolutionize lateral access spinal surgery training.

The LATM is a useful, novel, and non-obvious design. The utility of this product is shown in the rising demand for physician training in lateral access procedures and the shortage of training assets. The model has major potential to impact individualized medicine. Free programs such as 3D Slicer have made it possible to convert patient CT scans into printable stl files at zero cost. This offers an opportunity for surgeons to practice on the same anatomy that they will encounter in the operating room.

Find our poster we presented at Georgia Tech’s Capstone Expo here.