StraightTrack: Towards Mixed Reality Navigation System for Percutaneous
K-wire Insertion
Abstract
In percutaneous pelvic trauma surgery, accurate placement of Kirschner
wires(K-wires) is crucial to ensure effective fracture fixation and
avoid complications due to breaching the cortical bone along an
unsuitable trajectory. Surgical navigation via mixed reality(MR) can
help achieve precise wire placement in a low-profile form factor.
Current approaches in this domain are as yet unsuitable for real-world
deployment because they fall short of guaranteeing accurate visual
feedback due to uncontrolled bending of the wire. To ensure accurate
feedback, we introduce StraightTrack, an MR navigation system designed
for percutaneous wire placement in complex anatomy. StraightTrack
features a marker body equipped with a rigid access cannula that
mitigates wire bending due to interactions with soft tissue and a
covered bony surface. Integrated with an Optical See-Through
Head-Mounted Display (OST HMD capable of tracking the cannula body,
StraightTrack offers real-time 3D visualization and guidance without
external trackers. In phantom experiments with two experienced
orthopedic surgeons, StraightTrack improves wire placement accuracy,
achieving the ideal trajectory within 5.26 ± 2.29 mm and 2.88 ±1.49°,
compared to over 12.08 mm and 4.07° for comparable methods. As MR
navigation systems continue to mature, StraightTrack realizes their
potential for internal fracture fixation and other percutaneous
orthopedic procedures.