A few months ago, Helen couldn't even do this. Diagnosed with osteoarthritis, her back pain was becoming unbearable.
[Ads /]
"The joints just wear out and then bone spurs occur in those joints causing further problems, cartilage disappears," she said.
Helen underwent a spinal fusion with augmented reality technology.
"This is a three-dimensional augmented reality headset," says Dr. Todd Allen.
Allen is one of the first to use this on spines. This is what the surgeon sees, a view from the top and side. The patient's CT scan is superimposed.
Without augmented reality, surgeons rely on x-rays and CT images. They are looking at screens, not the patients.
[Ads /]
The difference: smaller incisions, less blood loss, less tissue dissection, lower risks from complications, and the potential for a faster recovery.
"I didn't realize how bad I was feeling until I felt great," Helen said.
Just a few months after surgery and Helen is ready to go!
"I'm feeling very strong now," she said. "My core and my back is feeling strong."