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SURGENT

SURGENT (Surgeon Enhancing Technologies) aims to establish new standards of patient specific planning and execution of precision spinal and neurosurgery.
This highly interdisciplinary project stands at the cross-roads of surgery, biomedical imaging, computer sciences and Engineering. It will converge all these fields for development, integration, optimization, and clinical validation of state-of-the-art technologies for surgical skill augmentation and embed these tools within efficient and economical clinical workflows for the benefit of the patient.

SURGENT has been an HMZ flagship project since 2018 and was integrated into UMZH in 2024. The project has developed successfully and produced many innovations for future surgical research and training. It was made permanent as part of the OR-X.

SURGENT currently forms the basis for new research projects that further develop modern technologies such as augmented reality (AR), sensor technology and digital twins in surgery. One of these is the PROFICIENCY project, which deals with AR-supported training in hip joint surgery. Key steps, such as the femoral neck osteotomy or the insertion of the acetabulum, are projected directly onto the anatomy using AR overlays. Quantitative feedback on distances or rotation errors enables precise alignment of surgical instruments. Integrated sensors allow for automatic performance evaluation, promoting individualized, data-driven training.

SURGENT was also an important source of inspiration for the OR-X, which serves as a digital research and learning platform. Here, 3D scanning and cameras are used to create digital twins of the operating room - including the patient, instruments and surroundings. This fusion of different sensor data enables real-time analysis of surgical procedures and forms the basis for innovative applications in the fields of robotics, AR and training. For example, immersive participation in virtual operations becomes possible - regardless of time and place.

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Driving technology and innovation for better patient care

Additional Information

Contact

Prof. Dr. med. Mazda Farshad
Balgrist University Hospital
Forchstrasse 340
CH-8008 Zurich
Phone: +41 44 386 30 04
E-Mail

Prof. Dr. Philipp Fürnstahl
Balgrist Campus
Research in Orthopedic Computer Science
Lengghalde 5
CH-8008 Zurich
Phone: +41 44 510 73 60
E-Mail

The OR-X is a 1:1 copy of a Balgrist operating room with the latest digital OR control system

OR-X: Translational Center for Surgery

In August 2023, Balgrist University Hospital opened Operating Room X (OR-X), a 1,000 m² center for surgical research and training. As a national research infrastructure, the center combines a highly realistic surgical environment with state-of-the-art technology that precisely replicates clinical conditions and is also open to external partners for research and training. A major impetus for the realization of the OR-X came from the HMZ flagship project SURGENT. According to Prof. Philipp Fürnstahl, Head of the Orthopedic Computer Science (ROCS) research group, its success was crucial: “The SURGENT project has shown the importance of translational research by transferring technologies from research prototypes to clinical trials.”

Driving technology and innovation for better patient care

Driving technology and innovation for better patient care