Breach detection using diffuse reflectance spectroscopy during spinal screw placement

The intraoperative guidance and placement of spinal screws is a complex procedure. High technical expertise is required fromthe surgeons in order to achieve adequate fixation and ensure patient safety by preventing vascular and neurological injuries. The conventional screw placement techniques face several challenges. Surgeons heavily rely on experience-based judgement, tactile feedback and X-ray guidance. The consequences of which are reflected in clinical literature via high risks associated with complications, screw placement accuracy variability and radiation exposure. Moreover, cost savings in terms of improved patient outcomes such as patient recovery times and fewer revision surgeries are major incentives towards development and clinical adoption of better intraoperative guidance technologies. The aim of this PhD work was to investigate the applicability of spectral sensing based technique namely Diffuse Reflectance Spectroscopy (DRS) for intraoperative instrument guidance and breach detection during pedicle screw placement procedures.