Zeta Surgical is revolutionizing surgical precision with its newly FDA-cleared digital navigation system, designed to guide surgeons through complex brain procedures. In under two years since emerging from stealth mode, Zeta Surgical has achieved a significant milestone by gaining FDA approval for its groundbreaking technology.
The journey began in March 2022 when Zeta stepped into the limelight, securing $5.2 million in investments from notable backers, including Innospark Ventures, TSVC, Y Combinator, and former Tenet Healthcare CEO Trevor Fetter, among others.
At the heart of Zeta’s innovation lies the Zeta Cranial Navigation System, a sophisticated platform that harnesses computer vision and artificial intelligence (AI) software. This cutting-edge system offers what Zeta classifies as “mixed reality,” an evolution of virtual and augmented reality. It seamlessly integrates virtual elements into real-time views of the physical world, all without the need for specialized headsets commonly associated with AR and VR technologies.
“The FDA’s market clearance of the Zeta Navigation system ushers in the next generation of innovation to neurosurgery. Like all paradigm changing innovations, Zeta will change the way we conceive of where we can perform neurosurgery within our hospitals and where in the world these hospitals can be.”
– Dr. William Gormley, Chief Medical Officer of Zeta Surgical and Harvard Medical School Associate Professor
What sets Zeta apart is its display approach. Unlike conventional AR and VR systems, Zeta’s technology projects its enhanced images onto a standard screen. Moreover, it boasts the unique capability to interface with robotic tools, extending its “GPS-like” guidance to settings beyond the traditional operating room.
One of the most remarkable features of Zeta’s system is its dynamic AI, which continuously adjusts displayed images and overlays multiple times per second, ensuring unparalleled accuracy. This precision allows for minimally invasive neurosurgical procedures, eliminating the need for general anesthesia or rigid skull immobilization.
Zeta’s milestone comes on the heels of another recent breakthrough in the field of surgical technology. OnPoint Surgical also achieved FDA clearance for its AR-based surgical guidance system this week. The OnPoint AR Spine System introduces a head-mounted, see-through display that enhances a surgeon’s view with virtual overlays during spinal implant placement procedures. Remarkably, this technology can be seamlessly integrated with spinal implants from all major manufacturers and has been shown to improve the accuracy of spine-focused procedures by two to five times compared to other navigation, robotic, and AR systems.
“Not only can the Zeta platform be used to navigate the most complex cranial surgeries, but it can also enable more routine cranial surgeries to be done in lower cost settings outside of a traditional OR without the need for general anesthesia. Few technologies improve both quality and cost for hospital systems like Zeta does.”
– Dr. Matthew McGirt, Professor of Neurosurgery at Atrium Health-Wake Forest, and a Director at the Carolina Neurosurgery & Spine Associates
The convergence of these innovative technologies signifies a transformative era in the field of surgery, where digital precision and augmented reality are enhancing the capabilities of surgeons and improving patient outcomes. With FDA clearance in hand, both Zeta Surgical and OnPoint Surgical are poised to make a significant impact in the world of medical procedures, opening new horizons for the future of healthcare.
