Extract
The research symposia of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons (AAOS) have a history of successfully fostering interdisciplinary collaboration, defining challenging medical problems, and encouraging future solutions. The 2008 AAOS/Orthopaedic Research Society Advanced Imaging and Computer-Assisted Surgery of the Knee and Hip (AICKH) Research Symposium sought to build consensus in the emerging areas of imaging and surgical navigation in the treatment of knee and hip disease. Specifically, in aging Western populations, osteoarthritis of the knee and hip is a major health concern of society, and better methods to prevent, diagnose, and treat this disease are needed. As an imaging modality, magnetic resonance imaging has emerged as a sensitive tool for detecting osteochondral pathology, but clinical correlation remains elusive.
The research symposia of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons (AAOS) have a history of successfully fostering interdisciplinary collaboration, defining challenging medical problems, and encouraging future solutions. The 2008 AAOS/Orthopaedic Research Society Advanced Imaging and Computer-Assisted Surgery of the Knee and Hip (AICKH) Research Symposium sought to build consensus in the emerging areas of imaging and surgical navigation in the treatment of knee and hip disease. Specifically, in aging Western populations, osteoarthritis of the knee and hip is a major health concern of society, and better methods to prevent, diagnose, and treat this disease are needed. As an imaging modality, magnetic resonance imaging has emerged as a sensitive tool for detecting osteochondral pathology, but clinical correlation remains elusive.
Computer-assisted surgery is one approach to reducing surgical errors and thereby improving the outcomes associated with the treatment of knee and hip disorders. Early adopters of computer-assisted-surgery technology in orthopaedic surgery have identified applications for this technology, including knee and hip arthroplasty, reconstruction of knee ligaments, and pelvic and/or lower extremity repair following trauma. The success of computer-assisted surgery will rely on developing quantifiable surgical specifications that can be integrated into outcomes-based patient-specific treatment pathways. Computer-assisted surgery faces adoption challenges with regard to the secondary issues of cost, efficacy, technological variability, and surgeon preference. The risks and benefits associated with emerging computer-assisted-surgery technologies must be better quantified for the purpose of achieving government regulatory approval. The development of imaging and computer-assisted-surgery standards by industry, government, and clinicians will improve the ability of society to benefit from these technologies. 