1 EASY FIT Blue Belt Technologies promises robot precision without the cumbersome robotic arm.

The expo hall at this year's meeting of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons in New Orleans was filled with innovations aimed at safer surgeries, improved outcomes and greater patient satisfaction. In pictures and in words, here are some of the neat new products that your orthopedic surgeons might find useful and interesting.

Blue Belt Technologies
NavioPFS Surgical System
The Navio system is a light, extremely mobile and easy-to-use planning and navigation platform that gives surgeons a virtual cutting guide along with detailed visualization. The company says it puts the precision of robotics comfortably in the surgeon's hand.

It certainly seems like a viable alternative to expensive robots, and it's a technology I think you'll see more and more of, since unicompartmental knee replacements are now being done frequently in surgery centers. You certainly can't complain about how heavy it is, and it doesn't take up much space, which is a key feature in surgery centers. Often, you're constrained to a small area, so you don't want equipment everywhere clogging up the room in a joint case.

At about half a million dollars, it's a significant capital purchase, and something most hospitals can probably afford more easily, but it's considerably less expensive than some alternatives.

2 REST EASY Allen's advanced spine tables offer a host of safety features.

Allen Medical
Advanced Spine Table
If you're in the market for new tables for your spine surgeons, there's a lot to like about the features this company has to offer. You probably won't need the 600-pound weight capacity at most outpatient facilities, but patients are getting heavier and heavier, and this table can accommodate just about anyone.

The upgraded head positioner, called a C-flex, is an attractive safety feature. Making sure you avoid sudden snaps of the head is definitely critical when you're flipping and moving the patient. And the range of motion it provides is helpful with kyphotic patients, anterior artificial discs and lateral procedures. Another nice safety feature is that the table free-floats, but the moment you let go, it stops and stays in place. Even if you accidentally pull the wrong pins, the table won't collapse.

There's 360-degree radiolucency. There are disposable pad covers that wick away moisture during surgery to help prevent skin shearing. There are both sling and flat-top options. And in an emergency, you can push a button and unlock all 4 wheels at the same time. That's a time-saver if you need to get a patient out of the room quickly.

3 HOLY GRAIL? BioMet is betting that its new ACL-preserving implant will revolutionize total knees.

BioMet
Vanguard XP
Closing the satisfaction gap in total knee replacements was a big topic at the show, and this company is betting that it can advance the ball with an implant that's designed to preserve anterior cruciate ligaments.

A physician affiliated with the company explained the theory, pointing out that a higher percentage of total-hip patients than total-knee patients tend to be completely satisfied with the results of their procedures. The theory behind this approach is that when the ACL is removed, so are nerve fibers that give the brain proprioceptive feedback. As a result, even patients who are relieved of arthritis and pain say their knees just don't feel right. The hope is that by preserving the ACL, the patient will retain normal kinematics and experience the total satisfaction that has been so elusive for 20% or 30% of total-knee patients.

Could this be the Holy Grail of total knees? Time will tell. It sounds like an idea with potential, and there's a fair amount of anecdotal evidence to support the approach. But clearly, we don't know enough yet. We need hard data and we need to have more surgeons who are comfortable with the technique.

4 PAIR OF TRAYS ConMed's half trays can help reduce reprocessing costs with power tools.

ConMed
Hall 50 Powered Instruments System
With a modular handpiece that can be used across a range of procedures, and customizable trays, this company has upgraded and packaged its instruments in a way that potentially reduces capital expenditures and maintenance costs. The full set can be separated into 2 half sets, when appropriate, saving on reprocessing costs, if, say, you're working with a trauma case, as opposed to a total joint. The lithium battery is upgraded, too, so it's less likely you'll need to change batteries in the middle of a procedure.

With a variable-speed trigger, the handpiece now has 400 levels of speed, which is pretty close to infinite control. It's also been redesigned to reduce vibration, allowing for more precise bone cuts.

The handpieces are also engineered with "tri-seal" technology, giving them IPX (water-resistance) ratings of 6 and 8, which is both the highest possible rating and the highest on the market, and making it safe to put them through washer/sanitizers.

I've used the precursor to this set and thought it was really nice, so it's exciting to see further improvements and flexibility.

5 HOLE IN ONE Stryker's Single-Portal Arthroscopy System is a cool way to get patients up and around more quickly.

Stryker
Single-Portal Arthroscopy
After 4 years of development, this company just launched its new single-portal arthroscopic system. The goal is to provide patients with a way to get back to their daily activities quicker.

I admit I was skeptical at first. It's a big change when you've been doing something a certain way for 10 years and all of the sudden you need to adjust to a different feel. There can be a big learning curve. But surprisingly, this was easier to use than I would have thought.

The idea is there's a parallel portal cannula that slides onto the scope and locks in place. So instead of making 2 or 3 portals, the surgeon has to make only 1 incision. All of the instruments have a proximal bend, so the surgeon's hands are on 2 different planes and can rotate the instrumentation. There are also proximally bent cutters, so surgeons using angled blades can still use them with the system.

Having tried it out, I have to say it's actually really neat — an intriguing idea for sure. And of course every time you make a hole, there's a certain amount of trauma, so in theory, if you can eliminate holes, that's a good thing. Facilities will certainly want to advertise that you can do procedures in a way that reduces pain and increases patient satisfaction. I question whether the extra cost is offset by having a couple of fewer weeks of discomfort. That's something we'll know better after there are more studies on the technology.

6 TOUCH AND GO The compact Venue 40 from GE Healthcare uses touch-screen technology.

GE Healthcare
Venue 40
One of the cool features on this compact point-of-care ultrasound system is the addition of 4 programmable buttons on the probe. A physician who's doing a needle-guided regional block can control the system from the transducer itself. If you want to freeze an image and snap a photo, or increase the depth or the focal zone, instead of having to ask someone else in the room, you can do it yourself.

It has intuitive pre-configured applications and a touch-screen interface that works with rubber gloves. It's compact design lets it fit into tight spaces and it boots up in 14 seconds or less, says the company.

7 SPACE SAVER Steris's new tables can accommodate big patients with a small footprint.

Steris
OT 1200

I was impressed by the ease of use with this company's new table. Any movement you do is all in a single button, and it locks the moment you let go.

It can accommodate today's bigger patients (up to 7-feet tall and 500 pounds), but as the rep put it, a 98-pound nurse can easily move a 200-pound patient. There's also a drive feature, so you don't need 3 or 4 people to maneuver the patient or to wheel the table from the hallway into the OR.

The table is easy to position for optimal intraoperative imaging. Its boot is designed around ski-boot technology, so you can pull all sorts of traction without the patient's foot slipping.

The company says it was designed with everyone in the OR in mind — not just surgeons, but also nurses, anesthesia, the maintenance crew, the cleaning crew, anyone who's going to be touching the table. I believe it. If you're buying a new table, this looks like a really nice option.