Pedicle Screw Insertion Surgical Simulator

Scoliosis is a sideway spinal deformity. If the curvature is measured to be more than 50\(^{\circ }\), surgery is required to straighten the spine. Pedicle screw insertion is a procedure that requires the placement of screws from the pedicle into the vertebral body. A rod is used to connect all the pedicle screws. The spine is straightened during the connection process. One of the most common techniques used for pedicle screw insertion is called the free hand technique, where the surgeon creates a screw channel by manually probing into the spine. The surgeon relies strongly on haptics feedback. However, small changes in force or direction can cause the probe to breach out of the spine. If the breach reaches the spine medial, the spinal cord could be damaged. Even experienced surgeons can not prevent breach.