With surgery, the physician’s instruments are provided with variously arranged, small spheres. A stereo camera continuously tracks the position of the spheres and reports it to the navigation system. The three-dimensional X-ray data set is used as a “map” that shows the position of the instruments. Based on the X-ray data, the physician plans the entire procedure prior to the operation. During the operation, the system uses the “map of the body” to show where the instruments are located and provides exact positioning as well as the planned path for the instruments. This type of computer-assisted planning and navigation is particularly appropriate whenever procedures require a high degree of precision.

Navigation systems are often used in endoprosthetics, when replacing joints such as the hip or knee; trauma surgery, when bracing the spine; orthopedics, when stabilizing degenerated bone; neuro surgery, when correcting the spine or performing brain surgery; and vascular surgery, for example, when placing stents or controlling vascular interventions. In addition, being able to continuously monitor both the progress and the result of the operation with computer-assisted navigation may prevent additional surgical interventions and minimize radiation exposure to the patient, as well as to the surgical team.