Shoulder Innovations · PreView Software Experience Augusta, Georgia-based Orthopedic Surgery Specialist Dr. Nick Capito has been using the latest 3D Shoulder Planning Software in his orthopedic practice and offers an experienced perspective on the use of the PreView from Genesis Software Innovations.
Dr. Capito, you have been a Shoulder Innovations user for a long time. What are your initial thoughts on PreView – key features and benefits of the software planning system?
My first impression of PreView was that it is a very intuitive software program. The way the software developers went about creating it makes it unique and user-friendly. It gives the surgeon the ability to finesse fine details and really customize the surgery to the individual patient. The biggest advantage of PreView is the amount of freedom and control a surgeon is allowed with the platform. The software allows a surgeon to alter everything from an initial measurement, as opposed to simply accepting the recommendations of the computer. For me, the ability to manipulate the shoulder so freely is unique compared to other software systems that may only give a surgeon a limited ability to change the planes—an only a little bit. PreView’s full interactive capability and quality of its graphics make it a game-changer.
In what ways does PreView improve the entire Shoulder Innovations implant platform?
Using PreView has been phenomenal, especially with the InSet™ glenoids, which I use most often with standard arthritis. I can maximize the size of the implant and have come to trust the planning software and its measurements and recommendations in a way that I have not with other planning software. With PreView, I am less deceived by the anatomy I am viewing, and can better determine, ahead of time, the ideal size of the implant needed, as well as how to maximize the stability behind it. To date, I have used PreView software to successfully place approximately 60 implants.
In your experience, how do some of the older planning systems out there compare with PreView?
- PreView is much more user-friendly than other/older planning software on the market.
- The superb definition of the graphics provides a more realistic view of what the actual anatomy looks like, even honing in on features like the fine details of bone.
- The flexibility and freedom to be able to adjust measurements and maneuver the scapula in any plane and assess it at all angles makes PreView unique when compared to other systems.
- CT scans can be easily uploaded and planning can be starting immediately with impressive quality.
If you were sitting down with a fellow surgeon to talk to them about PreView for the first time, what would you tell them?
PreView is a comprehensive planning system with the most real-life imagery you are going to get, three-dimensionally, from a software program. PreView allows surgeons the maximum amount of back-side seating and implant placement planning possible, to provide confidence when going into a surgical case. PreView allows me to be a better strategist when planning a shoulder rebuild and a better surgeon the day of, which leads to better outcomes.
What are some tips or pieces of advice you would give to other surgeons when using the system?
Because PreView is a robust software system, I would advise any surgeon using PreView for the first time to watch the instructional videos to understand all the capabilities of the platform. Additionally, just spend time, case-by-case, examining different aspects of the program and how measurements and angles can be manipulated for better results.
