Smith+Nephew is pioneering Spatial Surgery – a defining new Sports Medicine category pushing the boundaries of technology and procedural innovation

Smith+Nephew (LSE:SN, NYSE:SNN), the global medical technology company, today announces its pioneering efforts to develop technology in the field of Spatial Surgery - a revolutionary new frontier in arthroscopic surgical innovation. We envision Spatial Surgery as an opportunity to provide personalized planning, augmented reality and real-time data processing into platforms that interpret the surgical field intraoperatively. 

Smith+Nephew has submitted to the FDA a traditional 510(k) for a technology called the TESSA^◊ Spatial Surgery System. If cleared by the FDA, TESSA (Tracking Enabled Spatial Surgery Assistant) would combine a real-time, tracking-enabled device powered by a NVIDIA^® GPU. By using video processing and augmented reality guidance, TESSA would assist a surgeon in making anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction (ACLR) femoral tunnel decisions by navigating an operative plan. 

TESSA is currently pending FDA clearance with proposed indications for use in anterior cruciate ligament surgical knee procedures in which the use of stereotactic surgery may be appropriate, and where reference to rigid anatomical bony structures can be determined. Technical error is the second most common reason for ACLR failure, with femoral (29%) and tibial (11%) tunnel malposition being the most predominant for ACLR failure.¹ If cleared by the FDA, TESSA will aim to mitigate these technical failures through operative planning and intraoperative execution.

“We are excited to unveil our vision for Spatial Surgery – shaping the future of arthroscopic surgery by empowering healthcare professionals to utilize advanced technologies for patient personalization,” said Scott Schaffner, President of Global Sports Medicine at Smith+Nephew. “Challenging the status quo is what we do best, and we look forward to continuing the conversation and integrating Spatial Surgery as a core Sports Medicine discipline if cleared by the FDA.”

To learn more about how Smith+Nephew plans to lead the way with Spatial Surgery for Sports Medicine, please visit our booth (#3729) at the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons (AAOS) Annual Meeting in San Diego March 11-13, 2025. Stay tuned to https://spatialsurgery.com for further developments.

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Media Enquiries 

Dave Snyder          +1 (978) 749-1440 

Smith+Nephew      david.snyder@smith-nephew.com

References

1. Li X, Yan L, Li D, et al. Failure modes after anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Int Orthop. 2023;47(3):719–734.

About Smith+Nephew

Smith+Nephew is a portfolio medical technology business focused on the repair, regeneration and replacement of soft and hard tissue. We exist to restore people’s bodies and their self-belief by using technology to take the limits off living. We call this purpose ‘Life Unlimited’. Our 17,000 employees deliver this mission every day, making a difference to patients’ lives through the excellence of our product portfolio, and the invention and application of new technologies across our three global business units of Orthopaedics, Sports Medicine & ENT and Advanced Wound Management.

Founded in Hull, UK, in 1856, we now operate in around 100 countries, and generated annual sales of $5.8 billion in 2024. Smith+Nephew is a constituent of the FTSE100 (LSE:SN, NYSE:SNN). The terms ‘Group’ and ‘Smith+Nephew’ are used to refer to Smith & Nephew plc and its consolidated subsidiaries, unless the context requires otherwise.

For more information about Smith+Nephew, please visit www.smith-nephew.com and follow us on X, LinkedIn, Instagram or Facebook.

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