Pixee Medical revealed that the first procedure using its Knee+ NexSight augmented reality (AR) system in a total knee replacement (TKR) surgery was completed on May 6. The TKR procedure took place at Trinity Health Oakland Hospital in Pontiac, Mich.

The implant-agnostic AR tool received a U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) 510(k) nod last month. Given Knee+ NexSight’s first successful use in TKR, the company plans to broaden its availability to ambulatory surgical centers (ASCs) across the nation.

The AR system’s headset provides surgeons with real-time AR guidance and doesn’t need pre-op scans, Pixee said. The company also said using Knee+ NexSight allows less invasive TKRs by removing the need for percutaneous pins or intramedullary rods.

Dr. Safa Kassab performed the first Knee+ NexSight procedure at Trinity Health Oakland Hospital. He has done over a thousand TKR surgeries with Pixee’s previous generation AR tech and is a longtime supporter of the AR tool.

“It gives the precision I need, without disrupting how I already work,” Dr. Kassab explained. “It is as accurate as any robotic system, but far more intuitive and efficient and fits the pace and practical realities of outpatient surgery.”

Pixee CEO Sébastien Henry said Knee+ NexSight is more of a rethink than an upgrade.

“Kneeᐩ NexSight is designed to meet the demands of the U.S. market: high-volume, cost pressures, and surgical autonomy,” Henry told the press. “AR navigation lets us bring advanced guidance to more surgeons, in more settings, without the compromises of older technology. By enabling more personalized and precise implant placement, unique to a patient’s anatomy, Kneeᐩ NexSight helps to optimize patient outcomes.”