Systems and methods for automatic oblique lateral interbody fusion (OLIF) corridor planning

A method for determining an optimal oblique corridor for inserting an interbody implant, comprising:

• providing a surgical navigation and planning system, comprising:
• a display;
• at least one processor;
• and
• a non-transitory and tangible computer readable storage medium having programming instructions stored thereon;
• receiving patient-specific vertebrae information associated with a vertebrae level for treatment, the patient-specific vertebrae information comprising at least one image acquired from an imaging system;
• performing segmentation of objects in the at least one image;
• selecting, automatically, a set of objects for planning a trajectory to a location proximal the vertebrae level;
• determining boundary dimensions of an interbody implant, the interbody implant being used for inserting along the trajectory;
• determining a first entry incision location;
• determining a first path for the interbody implant from the first entry incision location to the location proximal the vertebrae level;
• locating a psoas muscle for the vertebrae level;
• locating patient vessels proximate to the psoas muscle;
• and
• calculating, a distance between the psoas muscle and the patient vessels proximate to the psoas muscle;
• calculating, on the basis of the first path, a first plurality of clearance distances between the determined boundary dimensions of the interbody implant and the set of objects;
• and
• displaying, by the display, a viable surgical plan provided the first entry incision location and the first path navigate around delicate patient tissue within a pre-determined margin of error.

A surgical navigation and planning system, comprising:

• a display;
• at least one processor;
• a non-transitory and tangible computer readable storage medium having programming instructions stored thereon, which when executed by the at least one processor cause the at least one processor to:
• receive patient-specific vertebrae information associated with a vertebrae level for treatment, the patient-specific vertebrae information comprising at least one image;
• perform segmentation of a plurality of objects in the at least one image;
• automatically select a set of objects from the plurality of objects for automatic planning of a trajectory to a location proximal the vertebrae level;
• determine boundary dimensions of an interbody implant,
• determine a first entry incision location;
• determine a second entry incision location;
• determine a first path and orientation for the interbody implant from the first entry incision location to the location proximal the vertebrae level;
• determine a second path for the interbody implant from the second entry incision location to the location proximal the vertebrae level;
• calculate, on the basis of the first path, a first plurality of clearance distances between the boundary dimensions of the interbody implant and the set of objects;
• calculate, on the basis of the second path, a second plurality of clearance distances between the boundary dimensions of the interbody implant and the set of objects;
• compare the first plurality of clearance distances to the second plurality of clearance distances;
• rank the first path and second path on the basis of the comparison of the first plurality of clearance distances and the second plurality of clearance distances;
• and
• display an optimal surgical plan provided the first entry incision location and the first path navigate around the set of objects or the second entry incision location and the second path navigate around the set of objects.