VirtaMed launches new virtual reality training simulator for knee arthroscopy

The Swiss company VirtaMed AG is launching ArthroS™, a new virtual reality training simulator for knee arthroscopy. Surgeons get the chance to practice different operations numerous times before actually performing them on live patients - just as pilots improve their skills on flight simulators. ArthroS™ is the first surgical simulator worldwide to combine the best traditional training model with virtual reality benefits.

ArthroS enters the market: The new virtual reality simulator offers surgeons training in knee arthroscopy. This is a common surgical procedure where doctors view the inside of the knee using a small camera to diagnose and treat knee problems. According to the American Orthopedic Society for Sports Medicine, more than 4 million knee arthroscopies are performed worldwide each year.

Swiss engineers advance surgical skills

Technical advances have revolutionized treatment of knee lesions. High definition monitors, high resolution cameras, and now high fidelity simulation. After two years of joint-development with University Zurich's Balgrist Hospital and ETH Zurich, VirtaMed launches ArthroS globally. The new RealSense^[TM] platform combines the best of two worlds: The realistic sensation of a traditional knee model with the flexibility of virtual reality. The simulator offers different training scenarios such as diagnostic tours inside the knee, meniscus repair, arthrosis treatment or loose body removal.

Same surgical instruments as in the operation room

Resident surgeons use the original instruments they are familiar with from everyday use. Sensors make the use and handling feel exactly the same as in the operation room.

"The knee arthroscopy simulator we developed together with VirtaMed is a very powerful and important tool in surgical education," says Peter Koch, Head of Knee Surgery at University of Zurich, Balgrist Hospital. "Young Residents can learn and improve their skills before they really start operating on patients."

Presence and future: More training scenarios to come

ArthroS is right now being presented at the Annual Meeting of the Arthroscopy Association of North America (AANA) in Orlando, USA (booth 105) and will be presented at the Annual Meeting of the American Orthopedic Society for Sports Medicine (AOSSM) in Baltimore, USA, July 12 - 14 (booth 723). ArthroS is the third product in the portfolio of VirtaMed. The platform is expandable and will support more arthroscopic procedures soon. The next big step is shoulder arthroscopy which will be available for training within six months.

SOURCE VirtaMed AG