Stryker Corp.’s Q Guidance System with Spine Guidance Software has been used to deliver enhanced surgical planning and navigation in more than 2,400 spinal cases, the company said. The System for both spine and cranial applications will be featured at the North American Spine Society (NASS) annual meeting in Los Angeles, Oct. 18 – 21. 
 
“The surgeon feedback on our Q Guidance System with Spine Guidance Software is overwhelmingly positive, and the number of completed surgical cases has exceeded our expectations,” stated Keith Evans, vice president and general manager of Stryker’s Enabling Technologies business. “We’ve seen firsthand how it has helped surgeons optimize their workflow and time spent in the OR. It’s also exciting that we could expand our reach by making this technology available for use with pediatric patients aged 13 and older. The Q Guidance System continues our legacy of ingenuity and is currently the center of our enabling technologies ecosystem that we continue to build upon year over year.”
 
Launched last year, the Q Guidance System with Spine Guidance Software delivers speed and the flexibility of multiple optical tracking methods, including full-spectrum active/passive hybrid optical tracking, semi-automatic and automatic processing features, gesture recognition, and broad compatibility with various types of image sets.¹
 
“As a diehard freehand pedicle screw inserter, my first case with the Q Guidance System with Spine Guidance Software changed my views on navigation,” said Dr. Peter Newton,* chief of the Division of Orthopedics and Scoliosis and surgeon-in-chief at San Diego-based Rady Children’s Hospital. “In surgeries like these, I believe perfect screw positioning and maximal screw length are critical, and both were achieved for this patient. The ability to move the tracker and re-register quickly without another CT scan is a spectacular advance in navigation.”

Stryker is showcasing the Q Guidance System at booth 1701 at the North American Spine Society Annual Meeting.

Stryker is one of the world’s leading medical technology companies offering products and services in Medical and Surgical, Neurotechnology, Orthopaedics, and Spine. The company impacts more than 130 million patients annually.
 
References
¹ Stryker data on file.
 
* Dr. Peter Newton is a paid consultant of Stryker. His statements represent his own opinions based on personal experience and are not necessarily those of Stryker. Individual results may vary.