The navigation of the operating room can be compared to that of a car. The GPS system of a car leads the driver safely to the predetermined destination, whereas the surgical navigation system helps the surgeon to arrange precisely the optimal position of the artificial joint.
This system is especially advantageous in case of strong deformities of the joint. Moreover, it is often possible to perform the operation, making short incisions, according to the so-called minimally invasive posterior approach: a smaller incision restricts the surgeon’s field of vision, the navigation technology displays the patient’s anatomy as a complete three-dimensional image on the screen.
The important point is that the navigation differs fundamentally from robotic surgery: the operation is always performed by the surgeon himself. The system merely supports his knowledge and experience. It gives the surgeon additional information directly, but does not take the whole operation out of his hands.