Feasibility of a navigated registration technique in FAI surgery.

Introduction: Arthroscopic femoral osteoplasties might be technically demanding, might cause prolonged operative times and restrict the intraoperative overview. An automated navigated matching process of preoperative CT-data and intraoperative fluoroscopy should allow for noninvasive registration for FAI-surgery.

Method: Six hip joints were used with a conventional navigation system. Defined osseous lesion (2 × 2 mm) in the femoral neck, head neck junction, and head region were created followed by automated segmentation including CT-fluoro image fusion by the navigation system. Precision of registration process was tested trough a lateral arthroscopic portal. In vivo distances between pointer tip to bone were measured. Secondary in vivo distances between an inserted navigated shaver and the osseous lesions were measured.

Results: Our results allow a CT-fluoroscopy matching procedure for noninvasive registration process for navigated FAI-surgery in multiplanar planes. Precision is more accurate at the femoral neck and head-neck junction than at the femoral head area.

Conclusion: Future navigated applications might simplify and increase precision of FAI-surgery.