DePuy Synthes, J&J Institute launch mobile training lab for surgeons, hospital staff

DePuy Synthes, the Orthopaedics business unit of Johnson & Johnson Medical Australia, and the Johnson & Johnson Institute, have launched a mobile training lab bringing training directly to surgeons and their teams around Australia.

The VELYSigital Surgery Mobile Lab will provide on-site access to next-generation hands-on training, virtual reality-based operating environments and real-time collaboration with the global surgical community.

Ben Travers, Vice President of DePuy Synthes Australia, said, “An increasing number of surgical procedures utilise robotic assistance.ⁱ It is critical to address the learning curve when adopting next-generation med tech to utilise it effectively and take advantage of its efficiencies.ⁱⁱ That’s why we’re making significant investments in next-generation training to provide comprehensive and personalised learning for the VELYS Robotic-Assisted Solution.”

The mobile training lab is part of a suite of training solutions that will blend traditional training programs with new technologies, including:

• a semitrailer-mounted mobile lab with self-contained meeting, training and lab space with the VELYS Robotic-Assisted Solution;
• virtual reality operating environments where surgeons can experience virtual surgical procedures using the VELYS Robotic-Assisted Solution while connected with other surgeons around the world;
• life-like, 3D printed, surgical models for an enhanced surgical training experience; and
• a dedicated and personalised online learning platform.
   

The VELYS Robotic-Assisted Solution enables robotic-assisted surgery for knee replacement, supporting the positioning of implants to align with each patient’s individual anatomy. The solution incorporates an operating table-mounted solution that adapts to the surgeon’s workflow and uses advanced planning capabilities, and proprietary technology to help surgeons accurately resect bones that align and position the implant relative to the soft tissue during total knee replacement without the need for pre-operative imaging. The compact design integrates into any operating room and does so with a smaller footprint, at less than half the size of some other robotic-assisted solutions.^{iii, iv}

The mobile lab will begin its tour around Australia later this month. Healthcare professionals can experience a virtual 3D tour of the mobile lab at the upcoming Australian Orthopaedic Association’s virtual Annual Scientific Meeting from 8–10 November 2021 where there will also be live video crosses to the mobile lab for VELYS Robotic-Assisted Solution demonstration sessions.

The solution is part of the broader DePuy Synthes’ VELYS Digital Surgery platform of technologies designed to enable greater insights for real-time decision-making, increased precision and consistency, and a more personalised care experience, with the goal of enhancing efficiencies and improving patient outcomes.

^{i Australian Orthopaedic Association National Joint Replacement Registry (AOANJRR). Hip, Knee & Shoulder Arthroplasty: 2020 Annual Report, AOA, Adelaide; 2020: 1-474. [Accessed 9 July 2021 from https://aoanjrr.sahmri.com/annual-reports-2020].}

^{ii P Sousa et. al. 2020. Robots in the operating room during hip and knee arthroplasty. Curr Rev Musculoskelet Med. Accessed: 8 July 2021. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7251009/}

^{iii RIO Technical User Guide (February 24, 2021). Internal Report 103732371. (As cited in The VELYS Robotic-Assisted Solution versus Mako A comparison of system compactness)}

^{iv VELYS Robotic-Assisted Solution Operation Dimension (February 24, 2021). Internal Report 103486302. (As cited in The VELYS Robotic-Assisted Solution versus Mako A comparison of system compactness)}