The development and evaluation of a novel surgical spine procedure into a physics driven virtual reality FEM training platform

从生物力学的角度来看，脊柱手术是最困难的手术之一，因为脊柱机械系统的复杂性和复杂性。生物力学、计算机模拟技术和有限元方法（FEM）模型的最新进展使研究人员能够对脊柱手术所需的力获得新的有价值的见解。此外，生物力学有限元模拟已经取得进展，使物理驱动的FEM用于虚拟现实（VR）复杂程序的外科训练是可行的。医疗器械公司经常提供新的外科手术程序，不断推动最新技术的发展。最近，单节段腰椎间盘切除术和融合术，一种经常进行的脊柱手术，已经更新了微创工具和技术。这种新手术的好处是相当便宜，而且需要的病人恢复时间也短得多。然而，在外科医生获得高水平的舒适度并有足够的信心独立练习之前，这种新的手术方法也需要密集的训练。这个新颖和创新的项目将研究、开发和实验评估一个物理驱动的FEM VR培训计划，包括图形和触觉反馈，用于这种新的和改进的手术方法。该项目将由麦吉尔大学的Driscoll教授领导，他在学术界和领先的工业合作伙伴中开发了10年的脊柱手术FEM项目，同时领导了大型临床医生和工程师团队。该项目还拥有两个世界级的工业合作伙伴。CAE Healthcare Inc.是培训平台商业化方面的全球领导者，并将贡献其内部VR FEM专家团队与团队合作。强生医疗旗下的Depuy Synthes公司是脊柱医疗设备开发和销售的全球领导者，并将贡献其工程师、管理人员和临床医生团队的专业知识。该项目将为HQPs提供工业环境下的实践培训，并在HQPs具有竞争力的自然科学和工程领域创造新的就业机会。

From a biomechanical perspective, spinal surgeries are one of the most difficult, because of the complexity and intricacy of the mechanical system of the spine. Recent advancements in biomechanics, computer simulation techniques, and finite element method (FEM) models have enabled researchers to gain new valuable insight into forces required for spine surgery. Moreover, biomechanical FEM simulation has progressed toward making physics-driven FEMs for virtual reality (VR) surgical training of complex procedures feasible.New surgical procedures are routinely offered by medical device companies continuously pushing the state of the art. Recently, single segment lumbar discectomy and fusion, a frequently performed spine surgery, has been updated by minimally invasive tooling and techniques. This new procedure has the benefit of being considerably less expensive and requires much less patient recovery time. However, this new procedure also requires intensive training before surgeons gain a high level of comfort and are confident enough to practice independently. This novel and innovative project will research, develop and experimentally evaluate a physics-driven FEM VR training program, inclusive of graphic and haptic feedback, for this new and improved surgical approach. This project will be led by Prof. Driscoll, McGill University, who has developed FEM programs of spine surgeries for 10 years both within academia and for leading industrial partners, while leading large teams of clinicians and engineers. The project also has two world class industrial partners. CAE Healthcare Inc., is a world leader in the commercialisation of training platforms and will contribute their in-house team of VR FEM experts to collaborate with the team. Depuy Synthes Inc., of Johnson and Johnson Medical, is a world leader in the development and sale of spine medical devices and will contribute the expertise of their team of engineers, managers and clinicians. This project will give HQPs hands-on training in an industrial setting, and create new jobs in the natural sciences and engineering sector for which the HQPs will be competitive.