$10M Gift Backs Development of HSS Digital Twin Platform for Joint Surgery Simulation
- Hospital for Special Surgery will use the funding to develop a virtual modeling system for orthopedic surgical planning.
- The four-year project starts with knee procedures and brings together surgeons, engineers, radiologists, and AI experts.
Hospital for Special Surgery (HSS) received a $10 million gift from Lauren and Robert Steers to develop the HSS Digital Twin Platform. The technology uses 3D imaging to create virtual replicas of a patient’s anatomy for surgical planning, intraoperative decision-making, and predicting outcomes. The platform is designed to advance orthopedic surgical care across multiple joints and procedures.
The initial work for the platform is focused on the knee. HSS surgeons are already using the tool to model procedures such as slope reduction osteotomy in patients undergoing ACL revision surgery. The platform simulates how the joint moves and responds to surgical adjustments, modeled one degree at a time. A study detailing these early applications was published in the American Journal of Sports Medicine.
“We look forward to scaling up the HSS Digital Twin Platform to optimize orthopedic care with unprecedented precision across HSS,” Dr. Pearle said in a press release. “After scaling up knee applications, we plan to create digital twins for hip and shoulder. Ultimately, we envision a future where all HSS patients will have online access to a digital twin care companion that aggregates comprehensive musculoskeletal data with the potential to replace the traditional medical record.”
The development and clinical expansion of the HSS Digital Twin Platform in Orthopedics is a four-year project. It will start with the knee and expand to include digital twins for the hip and shoulder. The platform’s web-based interface is designed to support clinical use by surgeons and help patients understand different scenarios and outcomes.
🌀 Tom’s Take:
By letting surgeons test procedures virtually before operating, HSS is making simulation a practical part of orthopedic care.
Source: Business Wire / HSS
