RADIOLUCENT SENSOR MATRIX TO REDUCE PRESSURE-RELATED INJURIES IN SPINAL SURGERY: A PRACTICAL IMAGING-OPTIMIZED SOLUTION

Safe patient positioning is an essential part of spinal surgery that involves the whole clinical team. Despite standard protocols and care bundles availability, positioning related complications including pressure injuries (PIs) remain a persistent complication. PIs and nerve compression occur where soft tissues contact the support surface or at bony prominences depending on the surgical position. Intraoperatively, modern spinal surgery requires the use of advanced imaging outputs, with the use of real-time imaging, 3D navigation and robotic assistance, requiring clear unobstructed visuals. However, traditional patient support devices contain materials that hinder or distort the image, creating artefacts and often require repositioning or workaround strategies for their implementation. Protecting vulnerable tissues while maintaining high imaging fidelity is unique to the perioperative environment, highlighting a growing need for radiolucent materials that meet the criteria of the intraoperative environment.

A radiolucent sensor matrix was evaluated in a simulated surgical environment. A full-scale ‘phantom’ was placed in positions to replicate realistic anatomical positioning intraoperatively. The aim was to understand the test specimen's radiolucent capabilities and interaction between the prototype, the spinal table and the X-ray equipment used in surgery. A C-Arm was used to obtain imaging sequences under standard exposure settings. Image analysis involved qualitative evaluation via visual inspection to determine the presence of the sensor matrix within the supplied X-ray images, denoting potential artefact interference.

Evaluation focused on the visual inspection of fluoroscopic images to determine whether the prototypes were visible, partially visible or fully radiolucent under standard intraoperative imaging conditions. The findings point to a radiolucent sensor matrix that can be implemented in the surgical environment, with a caveat being that the electrical connector needs to be redesigned using more radiolucent conductive materials. Overall, this simulated test shows implementation of the radiolucent sensor matrix within the surgical environment without obstructing the clinical view and access to the surgical site.