Atlantic Health System’s Morristown Medical Center and Overlook Medical Center recently began pioneering the field of “mixed reality” technology to enhance outcomes in shoulder, hand and upper extremity surgeries.
Mixed reality technology provides a virtual hologram that is projected adjacent to the patient during surgery, enabling the surgeon to synthesize online preoperative planning software with real time data analysis during shoulder replacement surgery. This groundbreaking technology enhances the highest level of precision and may in some cases shorten the length of surgery.
Specifically, Atlantic Health System is using Stryker’s Blueprint Mixed Reality at Morristown Medical Center and the Microsoft HoloLens 2 mixed reality headset at Overlook Medical Center.
“At Atlantic Health System, we are committed to investigating and utilizing the latest technology for the benefit of our patients in order to provide them with the safest procedures and best outcomes,” said James C. Wittig, MD, chairman of the Department of Orthopedics at Morristown Medical Center and medical director, Orthopedic Oncology, Atlantic Health System. “Mixed reality provides a technologically advanced tool at the surgeon’s fingertips for simplifying complex surgeries and providing more precise, consistent, and reliable results.”
Stryker’s Blueprint Mixed Reality – which is used at Morristown Medical Center by Eric Black, MD, a shoulder and elbow specialist – anchors virtual patient imaging objects into the real world and allows the surgeon to interact with the objects through a holographic headset before and during surgery. Prior to its use at Morristown, only two other hospitals in the country were selected to use this technology—the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota and Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston. According to Stryker, the technology is still in limited release and in use at only 15 sites in the U.S.
This advanced technology can be used to assist in the placement of implants during shoulder replacement surgery, specifically in complex cases. It can also be used as an educational tool to teach other surgeons how to navigate complicated cases. Mixed reality allows surgeons to have immediate access to patient history, X-rays, three-dimensional CT scans and implant choices throughout the operation. Fewer than a dozen U.S. surgeons are currently able to use the technology.
Complex shoulder replacements are Dr. Black’s specialty. He performs about 160 each year.
As a teaching tool, mixed reality has the potential to enable surgeons learning new procedures or implants to invite another surgeon to be a surgical mentor and provide them with guidance through the surgery. Mixed reality can be a powerful tool for education, clinical assessment, and intraoperative navigation.
At Overlook Medical Center, John Erickson, MD, a fellowship-trained orthopedic hand and upper extremity surgeon, is utilizing the Microsoft HoloLens 2 mixed reality device, in preoperative planning and intraoperative execution for difficult shoulder and elbow cases, including shoulder replacements. Due to his early adoption of the technology and expertise, Dr. Erickson was selected to be part of a small team of surgeons for a global Microsoft 24 hour Holographic Surgical event in February 2021. As part of that event, Dr. Erickson worked remotely with a surgeon in Paris, to help a Brazilian surgeon treat a collarbone fracture and perform a shoulder arthroscopy— all using the new technology. He continues to collaborate with surgeons worldwide to advance the use of mixed reality technology like the Microsoft HoloLens 2 in the field of orthopedic surgery.
This device allows surgeons to interact with immersive 3D models of anatomical parts to better prepare for procedures, which may result in shorter operating times, less blood loss and more precision. Dr. Erickson is currently doing research with Rutgers New Jersey Medical School to answer some of these questions. It is always beneficial for surgeons to go through the surgery ahead of time so they know what to expect, as this may lead to better outcomes for their patients. The ability to share information and point-of-view insight also helps better train the next generation of surgeons and improves the skills and knowledge of operating room staff.
With expertise in shoulder, elbow, wrist and hand procedures, Dr. Erickson utilizes state-of-the-art techniques to treat the entire upper extremity.
About Atlantic Health System
Atlantic Health System is at the forefront of medicine, setting standards for quality health care in New Jersey, Pennsylvania and the New York metropolitan area. Powered by a workforce of more than 18,000 team members and 4,800 affiliated physicians dedicated to building healthier communities, Atlantic Health System serves more than half of the state of New Jersey including 11 counties and 4.9 million people. The not-for-profit system offers more than 400 sites of care, including seven hospitals: Morristown Medical Center in Morristown, NJ, Overlook Medical Center in Summit, NJ, Newton Medical Center in Newton NJ, Chilton Medical Center in Pompton Plains, NJ, Hackettstown Medical Center in Hackettstown, NJ, Goryeb Children’s Hospital in Morristown, NJ, and Atlantic Rehabilitation Institute in Madison, NJ.
Atlantic Medical Group, comprised of 1,000 physicians and advanced practice providers, represents one of the largest multi-specialty practices in New Jersey and joins Atlantic Accountable Care Organization and Optimus Healthcare Partners as part of Atlantic Alliance, a Clinically Integrated Network of more than 2,500 health care providers throughout northern and central NJ.
Atlantic Health System provides care for the full continuum of health care needs through 16 urgent care centers, Atlantic Visiting Nurse and Atlantic Anywhere Virtual Visits. Facilitating the connection between these services on both land and air is the transportation fleet of Atlantic Mobile Health.
Atlantic Health System leads the Healthcare Transformation Consortium, a partnership of six regional hospitals and health systems dedicated to improving access and affordability and is a founding member of the PIER Consortium – Partners in Innovation, Education, and Research – a streamlined clinical trial system that will expand access to groundbreaking research across five health systems in the region.
Atlantic Health System has a medical school affiliation with Thomas Jefferson University and is home to the regional campus of the Sidney Kimmel Medical College at Morristown and Overlook Medical Centers and is the official health care partner of the New York Jets.
